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<br />001893 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />..,-'_. - ~ <br /> <br />~ <br />o <br />1: <br />y <br /> <br />DENVER POST <br /> <br />october 11, 1965 <br /> <br />ROGERS ASSAILS SPARKS ON RIVER ACTIVITIES <br /> <br />By Bert Hanna <br /> <br />Rep. Byron G. Rogers, D-Colo., Monday assailed Felix L. <br />Sparks, director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board for <br />engaging in "undercover" negotiations on Colorado River legislation <br />in Washington without consulting him and other Colorado congressmen. <br /> <br />The Denver congressman accused Sparks at an informal <br />meeting of the Denver Water Board of getting into a behind-the- <br />scenes "deal" with representatives of lower Colorado River basin <br />states that imperils Denver's water diversions from the Western <br />Slope. <br /> <br />"I demand an explanation of these secret negotiations <br />and why I wasn't even informed about them," Ro'gers said. <br /> <br />FIGHT ON HANDS <br /> <br />Sparks, who was present at the meeting, repudiated Rogers' <br />charges and later told a reporter, "anyone who tries to make a <br />poli tical football out of me has a fight on his hands." <br /> <br />"I assume the people of Congress are big enough to work <br />together," Sparks said to Rogers across the water board table. <br /> <br />"Nell, how could I know what you were up to in Washington?" <br />Rogers replied. "The only thing I got from you was a copy of this <br />so-called compromise proposal on the Colorado River sent me on <br />Sept. 24 without even a covering letter. <br /> <br />BY ACCIDENT <br /> <br />"The only time I saw you in Nashington the previous week <br />was when I ran into you by accident. The only congressmen you <br />talked to in Washington were Aspinall and Allott (Rep. Wayne N. <br />Aspinall, D-Colo., and Sen. Gordon Allott, R-Colo.)." <br /> <br />Sparks also was attacked by Ed. C. Johnson, member of the <br />Upper Colorado River Commission. <br /> <br />Johnson called the compromise proposal for upper and <br /> <br />L. >;_ <br />