Arizona weekly enterprise., 1889-05-04
WATER STORAGE.
THE GREATEST RESERVOIR SITE IN
 TH& WEST.
An Opportunity for Grand Enterprise.
 at Little Cost.


 at Little Cost.
 From time to time for years past THE ENTERPRISE has spoken of the splendid opportunity nature has pro- vided at the Buttcs, twelve miles east of Florence, for d grand reservoir of magnificent proportions in which to store the surplus waters of the Gila rive: during times of flood for use upon the great plains that stretch from Florence far to the southward and thence westward to the Colorado river.
 Last Tuesday party, consisting of Messrs. G. II. Oury, P. R. Brady, J. J. Devine, Vim. Clarke, John w. Ran nclls, Wm. E. Guild and Geo. w. Brown, took Delegate NJ. A. Smith in charge and visited this particular spot. A pleasant drive of two hours took them to the base of the huge cliffs that seem to have originally con spired to bar the progress of the river, but failing in which they have stood for ages, like grim sentinels, guarding it's outlet from the rock bound can yons above to the broad and level lands below. The carriages were here dispensed with and the narrow trail was followed along the river banks and close,under the frowning rocks uL- til it emerged into a pass between the peaks which soon brought into full view the great natural basin above and the rock walls that will eventually serve as the anchorage for the huge dam that will surely be constructed to impound the waters of the river.
 Suddenly the grand view burst upon the vision and, standing at an eleva- ton of over two hundred feet above the level of the stream, the picture was beautiful to the eye and the i'm press of its utility was strikingly ap- parent. At the left the flowing river entered the rocky gorge only 150 feet wide and was lost to view; to the right the winding course of the stream was seen on its lazy way down to the 1 gorge, while in front the broad val ley lay in picturesque beauty await ing the destiny ordained by nature. Careful measurements show that a dam can be constructed upon the solid b,d lock and into the solid rock upon either side of the gorge at any night desired, not ex- l ceeding 275 feet. The width across the bottom is 150 feet, and at the top considerable wider as the rocks upon the eastern side recede somewhat while those upon the opposite side are almost perpendicular. The basin above the proposed dam Is ten miles long with varying width of from one to four miles, with several lateral washes intersecting it that add to its capacity. The amount of water il will contain is something enormous and will be sufficient, Tn connection with the natural flow of the river, tC supply :he whole valley upon both sides of the river as far as Gila Bend
 The work of construction of the dam can be economically carried on owing to the peculiar conditions eX- isting. The rock from the cliffs can be run down by steel cable and swung by crane into place upon the dam with but little power. Just over the hill there is abundant good limestone and everything excepting supply Ot hydraulic cement can be found con veniently near.
 In taking the water from this reser voir but little difficulty will be exper fenced. An open canal can be built along the south bank of the river at | grade as high as possible around ant over the rolling hills past Round Val ley to the level mesa lands below bringing under cultivation large tract of land above the reach of the Florence canal. The proper sphere O this enterprise is, however, the supply of water in dry seasons to all the ex isting irrigating ditchcs and to extenC them and others to cover as mucl land as possible.
 Mir. Smith was greatly surprised anC pleased with the grand opportuni! that awaits the hand of enterprise and has promised to do all i'll hi power to urge upon congress the pro priety of appropriating sufficient mon ey to carry out this important enter prise to its full completion.
 After spending two hours in view ing the sights and examining the re markable features that nature has evi dently fashioned for the benefit of tn dwellers of this great valley, the re turn was made to town devoid of in cident worthy of mention.