Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-05-19
IRRIGATING pITCHEs.

Irrlgating canals are being construct 3 ed on the Gila and Salt rivers and they
 will soon make large area Of country bloom and blossom as the rose" Why should not We of Pima county do some ! thing to improve the land we have?
 There are several thousand acres Of land
 on the Santa Cruz that may be brougl t
 into cultivation if only the effort is made.
 FromTucson down the Santa Cruz for
 distance of at least twelve miles. there
 are some of as rich bottom and mesa
 lands as can be found in the Territory.
 The same may also be said of the valley
 land from Lees mill south to the Papago
 Indian reservation; there is a strip of land at least two miles wide, by over
 twenty miles in length, forty sections,
 or 26,60O acres of land, and we very
 much doubt whether there are more
 than 3,OO0 acres of it now in cultivation.
 Yet there Is no reason why 1t should not
 all be put in cultivation, as there IS an
 ao lndance of water to be had, and all
 that IS necessary is few live, energetic
 men to take hold of the project and
 put 1t into practical shape. when | success will surely crown their efforts. | One ditch should be opened up at a
 point between the old Mission road and | Jimmy Lees mil. The construction of a
 ditch of sufficient width. and deep
 eoough to take a full flow of water,
 could be brought to the surface by the
 time it would reach the Hospital road,
 and possibly before it would reach that
 road. Such a ditch, in addition
 to the water which already ex-
 ists, would furnish an abundance
 of water to irrigate all the arable
 land between Tucson and a point say
 twelve miles below the water holes. For
 the land above Tucson, as far sonth as
 the Papago reservation, it would become
 necessary to secure permission from the
 Indians to ditch, beginning at a
 point mile above the line, or near the lower end of the meadows.
 But the question arises, Who wllI take hold of the project of raising
 water for irugating these waste lauds, and where will the money come from ? , The Board of County Commissioners i have already gwen or agreed to give Sl5,000 to aid in the construction of first class reduction works in Tucson. If smelter IS legitimate project i; for public aid, we see DO reason why the construction or opening up ( of water ditehes, and thereby more than 5 luadrdpling the agricultural land in the n vicinity of Tucson, would not be equally ' as much entitled to county aid. Besides n a water tax could be levied for supply Y ing water 10 all Lew lands opened by fl the construction of such ditches, and 2, rventually the county would make n money by the investment, to say noth- h ng of tue increased valuation of land f, hat would follow. n.
 We trust those of our citizens who h lave the future of Tucson and Pima f, county at heart, will look into this mat Q. er of raising water for irrigating pur- ,, 'oses from the gravel beds of the Santa ,, Cruz. It may be that the County Board h. will consider the subject of sufficient Il importance to investigate it. It would n, st but a few dollars to make a survey ,; .nd ascertain the length and depth that " would be necessary to construct the q, IItches. T e cost could then be easily r. and its feasibility determin- a, d. If the report of an engineer should c. ,rove favorable, We believe the county Il ould afford to invest SI00O0 in the il Iltches, and that the return from the h. investment will prove as great as any m, ,ther that could be made. s,