Arizona weekly citizen., 1889-09-07
WEEKLY CITIZEN.
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER ', 1889
THE WATER QUESTION.

Anything on the subject of artesian
 water is of interest to the people Of Ari-
 zona. The question of artesian water at
 Ell Paso IS a question of artesian water
 in Tucson, as what is true of one is equal
 ly true of theother. The water problem
 which confronts the former IS liable to
 lead to great good as the boring of wells
 will result from the present water short
 age in that city. Let Tucson take its
 bearing from the following suggestive
 article in the Times:
 While Fl Paso is now much inconven-
 fenced by the lack of water in the Rio
 Grande, yet an ample supply from wells
 is kept on hand to extinquish fires and
 satisfy all our domestic purposes. But a most important use of water for irriga- ting the farms, orchards and vineyards of the valley is beyond our present facil- ities. Yet nothing better could have happened to awaken interest in this grand problem of this section than the present behavior of our boasted river.
 We must have water for irrigation and unless We bore artesian wells, we have no other source for water than the Rio Grand at food time. No better combi- nation of circumstances could occur to ensure solution of our water question than that which now confronts us. The | senate committee on irrigation is about | to arrive, the river, is dry. Major An son Mills has been and is preparing data | for his high dam project, Mexico is pro testing against the use of all the river water, and is complaining bitterly | against the variable international boun- daly furnished by the Rio Grand. Be sides thsre are other less important in- huences at work to bring about the much desired solution of the water pro- blem
 After all Ell Paso is lucky in her mis- fortune this year. While we must sym pathize with the farmers and fruit grow CTS of our valley, we must believe that their losses this year will prove to be the most effective payment for a complete system of irrigation in the near future.
 While artesian water would be great blessing, We must not forget the uncer- tainty of success and we must appreciate the delay, even in case of obtaining a flow. The best solu lion to our water question is found in the high interra tional dam and the quicker we are all | enlisted in this grand project the better for us.
 We do not mean to discourage any eff forts to secure artesian wells, but on the contrary we think it wise and proper to invest public money in such works, be- | cause they are of inestimable value when once secured.
 In the solution of this question we ! have but two sources of water to avail ourselves of-the flood waters of the Rio Grande and an artesian supply. The former exists and has been measured in volume and kind, the latter may never be found and its quantity is entirely un- known. Therefore while We must ap- prove every manner of investigation for 8 flow of artesian water We feel that it | is necessity now to take immediate g steps to store away the surplus water of | our river during the spring floods. We must have water for our farms and this o supply comes to us annually and we are r still allowing it to pass by uselessly on n ts way tothe gplf.-El Paso Times.