Little Britches
“July was hot, the creek was low, and there was only half a head of water coming through the ditch. It started at the gorge where Bear Creek came out of the mountains, and each ranch, all the way down, had rights to so many running square inches of water. Some of it soaked into the ground as it moved along, and some was drawn up by the sun, but—unless the creek was very low—there was enough for everyone to take his full measure. Each ranch had its own ditch box. They were wooden chutes that the ...whole body of water passed through. And each chute had a spillway with a gate to let out the full measure of that rancher's water right. There were gauge marks on the boxes and, when the ditch was running less than full, each man was supposed to set his gate so that it would take only his share.
There were water hogs near the head of the ditch. They were men who would take their full measure of water, and more, too, when the creek was low and crops were burning up. There had been a feud between the ranchers at the head and tail of the ditch ever since it was built.MoreLess
There were water hogs near the head of the ditch. They were men who would take their full measure of water, and more, too, when the creek was low and crops were burning up. There had been a feud between the ranchers at the head and tail of the ditch ever since it was built.MoreLess
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