Arizona weekly citizen., 1889-09-07
DIR. ALEX TRIPPEL
Proposed Dam that will Submerge the Best Part of Gila.

pr. Alex Trippell, of Globe, came il
 on yesterday evenings train and WIZ.
 met by the reporter at the hotel, soor
 after his arrival. To the question as tC
 the welfare of Globe and the good people
 of Gila county, the Doctor replied.
 Globe and Gila county have not ret
 rograded any lately, but on the othel
 hand some advancements have beer
 made in the way of progress. l came
 here as a representative of Gila county
 to meet the Senatorial Irrigation com { mittee and present such facts as ouI
 people have gathered that may aid them in their investigation. Gila county has
 nothing to offer in the way of sites for
 reservoirs that would reclaim large
 bodies of lands to agriculture, but 1t has
 some good lands that are gradually be- ing put into cultivation by means of
 private ditches, and the people of that county are deeply interested in the con
 structlon of law creating this Irriga-
 tion committee and authorizing geologi- cal surveys, which if taken in it's literal
 meaning will result in complete cessa-
 OlOu Ol HI OAAC AOA years.
 Another thing that is just now of paramount importance to the people of Gila county is the proposition of the people of Maricopa county to dam Salt river at the box canon near the Gila line, short distance from where Tonto creek empties into the Salt. All the lands cultivated in Gila county now, except few small orchards and fields on cattle ranches. are located in the Salt River Valley and in Tonto Basin. Every acre of this land would be submerged by this dam, which would, if built, form lake 16 miles long on Salt river, and 10 on TontO creek, to say nothing of the laterals that would be pushed into every canyon to be found in the mountains on either side. The men who have re- ceived patents for lands or are there as homesteaders would pro bably be paid for their possessions and protected from loss. but the peo ,1ie of Gila won't relish the idea of having every acre of land they possess, off the Indian reservation, condemned as a reservoir site, withdrawn as part of the public domain, and converted into a lake completely cutting the county in two. There would be nothing left to call county, and the dismembered DOT tions would no doubt be soon attached to adjoining counties. The only outlet from Globe to the north is now through the proposed site, and if water was stored there steamboat would be re- quired to cross it, the distance being about twelve miles. There is no feas- ibie route around sit. The building of this dam would completely wipe ont all hope of any northern railroad to Globe. The people of Gila county will do all in their power to avert this calamity"
 Dr. Tripple has great faith in the governments ability to convert this Ter ritory into garden spot, but he does not think that reservoirs or canals will be built by government aid during the life of the present inhabitants of Arizona, and if the Territory is to stand still and wait for the government to do these things, then there is no hope for ad- for years, said he.
 What the government can do, how ever, is make the necessary surveys and l demonstrate by engineering just what | can be accomplished in the way of re- public lands, the cost of reser- voirs, canals, etc, lands to be reclaimed l and the returns that will surely be de- | rived from the investment. The gov ernment should provide a commission to l furnish all this information officially, | and to supervise the work and to stand l as mutual protector of the people who | will consume the water in growing crops | and the companies who will furnish it. l When such definite facts are prepared by the government, under the sanction | 1f men of unquestionable engineering | skill, it will be easy to obtain all the | private capital necessary to do the work.