Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-09-07
"WATER is KING!'
The Senate Committee on Irrigation il
Session at the Capitol
To-day.
Reception Of the Visitors--Expert Testi-
mony-A Good Days
Work.

The United States senate committee on
the reclamation and irrigation Of the arid
lands of the United States arrived in the
city by special train from Ell Paso at II 80
to-day.
The party is composed of Senator W.
M. Stewart, of Nevada, chairman Sena-
tor John II. Reagan, of Texas; Major j.
W. Powell, director U. S. geological sur
vey; Col. r. II. Hinton, irrigation en-
gineer U. S. geological survey; Mr.. Eu-
gene Davis, sergeant at arms Of the com.
miltee; r. S. Boswell, official stenog-
rapher; c. A. Kepplar, clerk Of the COM
mittee; Mr.. Warman, clerk to Major
Powell; DR.. J. NJ, Hines, press CORE
spondent.
1t having been learned that this com
mittee had exhausted its appropriation
before reaching Arizona, and was likely
on that account to hurry on homeward
via Ell Paso and Fort Worth, Gov. Prince
left on Thursday night for Ell Paso in
company with Gen. L. L. Bartlett, in
hopes of SO presenting New Mexico's
extreme interest in this subject as to in
dude the commission to visit the capital.
At El Paso the governor and Gen. Bart
lett showed the committee that the rep
resentatives of the people We're here as
sembled in convention and urged that no
more suspicious time could be had for
discussing the subject of irrigation, at
the same time assuring the senators that
every arrangement had been made for
their care and reception without expense
to them or the national government.
special train has been placed at the dis
posal of the territory, and this was Of
Tered the committee to bring them
through to Santa Fe. Accordingly it was
agreed to come here, and at once Gov.
Prince began using the wires in order
that the details OF the committees enter
tainment here should be perfect. Pres.
dent Chavez, of the state constitutional
convention, WIS telegraphed in relation
to the matter, and the matter being laid
before the convention it was agreed to
tender the use of the hall OF representa-
tives to the senatorial visitors, and the
president was authorized TO wait upon
the committee and make such tender.
ARRIVAL OF THE PARTY.
President Chavez, Hon. S. L. Axtell,
DR.. Thomas, territorial secretary, Hon.
T. B. Catron, Mr.. Staab, Hon. Sol.
Spiegelberg, Col. Frost, secretary of the
bureau of immigration, Receiver Sprad
ling, Hon. Antonio Ortiz Salazar, and
about fifty leadiag citizens stood OH the
depot platform rs the special train pulled
in. The 10th infantry band greeted the
visitors with music. Gov. Prince, Gen.
Bartlett and Surveyor Gen. Edward L.
Hobart were first to alight, followed
by Major W. II. H. Llewelyn, Gen. j
B. Bowman and Mr.. J. X. Livingston, OF
Las Cruces, and Capt. II. +. Grierson, OF
the A., T. u S. +. immigration depart
ment. Then Senator Stewards beaming
face and flowing beard peered through the
rear door Of the Pullman and Judge AXtell
and others were soon giving him hearty
greetins. The partly form Of Senator
Reagan then came into view, followed by
Major Powell, and after deal of hand
shaking the visitors were escorted to car
riages and driven to the capitol, the
band leading the way ard play
ing livel y march while brace of twelve
found canon Oh old Fort Marcy belched
forth welcoming salute.
AT THE CAPITOL.
A great crowd OF people tlocked into
the hall OF representatives,, following the
committee ard its attendants
After brief recess Senator Stewart adj
dressed the assemblage in explanation o.
the objects for which the committee had
made tour OF the arid land regions Of
the west. He said his committee had
been instructed by congress to investigate
that region lying between the 9Sth merid-
ian Of vest longitude and the Pacific
coast, which comprises the whole of the
arid region, save little strip OF land in
territory and Oregon west OF
the Cascades.
The object Of this visit is to determine
or not homes can be made in
the west by storing the waters for irriga-
ton purposes, the cost Of retaining
these lands, and the best methods to
pursue, etc. He spoke OF the great cost
Of such work, tine necessity OF gather
ing correct data so as to impart to the
Atlantic states people some idea of its
impor' rance as national undertaking,
and said he believed the government
could afford 10 take the subject up and
act upon it because in the arid regions,
when water was supplied, there could be
had homes for larger population than
the rainfall territory of the country now
EXPERT TESTIMONY.
Major W. II. II. Llewellyn, OF Las Cru
'es, was first to be examined by the COM
mittee. He said in answer 10 questions
by Senator Stewart that of the lands in
Mesilla valley about 10000 to %, 900 acres
were irrigated by bitches leading from the
Rio Grande. He thought 100000 acres
more by the use of storage reservoirs and
other canals could be reclaimed, taking
out the ditch near Los Lunas and leading
across the tornado, with system OF
reservoirs along the foothills Early in
the spring an enormous flood of water
goes to waste down the Rio Grande, and
the object is to save this in reservoirs till
required for the crops. These views, the
witness said, were applicable to nearly
every portion of the territory.
''lf the government makes the neces-
sary surveys and estimates would that be
an advantage to your people? Would
private capital do the work of building
canals and reservoirs ?" asked Senator
Regan. The witness answered emphatic
ally in the affirmative, and described the
work already accomplished on the Max.
well grant and along the Pecos valley. A
family, said the witness, could get along