Arizona silver belt., 1889-09-07
CELIA COUNTS REPORT ro TnE SENATE
 COMMITTEE, -A PROTEST.

man, and Senate Committee on Iirisa- ton and Reclamation of Arid Lands: GENTLEMEN - The undersigned, a committee appointed by the Beard of Supervisors of Gila county, Arizona, 5and instructed to present to your Honorable body such facts as may be of importance in the course of your investigations, and relating to said county of Gila, respectfully submit the following, to-wit:
 Upon acareful examination of the subject, what, if any, measures and undertakings to irngate and reclaim desert lands in Gila county, not em- braced in the White Mountain Indian Reservation, could be submitted, we find that not sufficient arid land lying without the reservation as to warrant government work. The most of the tillable land in Gila county, is within the Indian reserfation in the San Car los and Gila villeys, and has been computed at 20opoo acres, or 3o0,00o for the whole reseryation, portion of which is in Graham county, and kept from the citizens, and preserved ex- clusiyely for the questionable benefit of three thousand or four thousand Apache Indians.
 The balance of agricultural lands susceptible of irrigation, forms mar row strip, lylng along the Salt River and Tonto Greek, not, probably, to ex- ceed 12,000 acres Tn the aggregate. These two narrow valleys, each being about sixteen miles iii length and not over two in width, are surrounded on all sides.by high and, except ln few certain places, inaccessible mountain ranges which extend north and south, east and west the entire length and breadth of that portion of the county not embraced within the Indian reser- vation, 4 portion of the lands situ- ate in these valleys IS now irrigated by small ditches and the confguration of the country is such, that within the county, and for its benefit. no large storage reservoirs would be warrant cd Another small acreage Is Tn the valley of Pinal Greek extending north from Globe, and being about 10 miles In length by one in width, but which has no surface water but could be ir- rigated by raising the water by means of underground dams.
 Gila county IS chiefly a mining country, and mountainous, being situ- ated within the great mountain rang es of Central Arizona, with good grazing but little agricultural land.
 In this connection, we would re- spectfully call your attention to the late act of Congress withdrawing all entries of land under the homestead, timber, desert and pre-emphon or wa ter-right acts, which, with strict and literal construction, would prevent the further settlement Of most, if not all, the arabic land in our county, inas- much as the act withdraws all land, susceptible of irrigation by ditches or canals. The effect of such lnterpreta- tions will cause q complete stagnation in the progress of this Territory, and especially Gila. county, keeping in sus- pense every industry dependent upon agriculture and fprbi65ing immigra- ton. The sst does not discriminate but excludes every acre woeth having from being entered (as long as the teebaical feasibility of the construc. ton of storage reservoir exists without regard to whether site for such reservoir may be hereafter found warranted or not. It is obvious that law so forbiddiug to all progress, all increase of population and so sweep ing in its effect, will be destructive to the material prosperity of the Territo- ry at large.
 We would also respectfully submit the question, whether storage reser- voirs or ether water works should be constructed for the benefit of one community or one county. when as a consequence such an undertaking would be the destruction of another community or county. This question seems to us one of the greatest im- portance when justice to and equal rights of all citizens are considered. We do not deslre to submit to your Honorable body mere abstract ques- l tion touching the right of eminent domain, but beg to present case com i ing near to us when applied to Mari copa and Gila counties. Your com mittee has, no doubt, received from the authorities in Maricopa county the plan and oficlal report of the County Surveyor Of the Salt River Storage reseryolr to be constructed in Gila '
 county, intended to dam Salt River to a great height, and by which a very large tract of arid land in Maricopa county could be reclaimed. We do not wish to underrate the great im- 1 ,nrtnnno nnd fhn nncit tln hlo LnnnE [