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by underground escape. This riater_so accumulated- and-gather- <br />ed and the appropriation here claimed was originally asserted <br /> to be derived from springs and from seepage. This seepage <br /> .comes from lands of greater elevation irrigating from ditches <br /> taking their supply from the South Platte river in Water <br /> District No. 2. <br /> One purpose of claimant in building this ditch at time <br /> of its construction was to drain 200 acres of lands then sub- <br /> merged, and about 100 acres more of lands made marshy by <br /> these craters coming in from beneath the surface. The owners <br /> of the lands so destroyed by the seepage on account of the <br />-- ---- --a-xpense could_not_c_csmplish_their drainage. As part con- <br /> .sideration for construction of the drainage ditch, claimant's <br /> predecessors and users acquired from the owners of the lands <br /> drained, the grant of this drainage water for the purpose of <br /> irrigation. Both purposes were accomplished in reliance upon <br />?,•.•,-.??,,•?•.:;;??r;?M their exercise of the exclusive right and enjoyment of this <br /> <br /> water accumulated and the users of water under the mcCanne <br />+ <br />r ditch have appropriated, and by exclusive enjoyment have <br />• <br /> acquired the right to the use of the amount they have em- <br />ployed in the irrigation and reclamation from aridity of <br />the 300 acres of land to which this water is applied. <br />The original cost of the ditch was $12,000. Its up- <br />keep has cost $1,000. annually since. The land irrigated <br />before construction of this ditch was raw and unproductive. <br />By reliance on exclusive use of this water supply, this land <br />has been put into a high state of cultivation and has been <br />highly improved with farm houses and buildings. <br />r.rr