Arizona weekly citizen., 1889-05-11
WATER STORAGE.
The Greatest Reservoir Site in the West---An Opportunity for a Grand Enterprise at Little Cost.
Florence Euterpiise.)


 From time to time for years past tn
 Enterprise has spoken of the splendi,
 opportunity nature has provided at tn,
 Buttes, twelve miles east of Florence for grand reservoir of magnificent pro
 portions in which to store the surplu. waters of the Gila river during times oi 1 flood for use upon the great plains that that stretch from Florence far to the southward and thence westward to the Colorado river.
 Last Tuesday a party, consisting of Messrs. G. H. Oury, P. R. Brady, J. J. Devine, Wm. Clarke, John w. Rannells, Wm. B. Guild and Geo. W. Brown, took Delegate M. 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 conspired to bar the progress of the river, but failing in which they have stood for ages, like grim sentinels, guarding its outlet from the rock bound canyons 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 drowning rocks until it emerged into 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 elevation of over two hundred feet above the level of the stream, the picture was beautiful to the eye and the impress of its utility was strikingly apparent. 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 gorge, while in front the broad valley lay in picturesque beauty awaiting the destiny ordained by nature.
 Careful measurements show that a dam can be constructed upon the solid bed rock and into the solid rock upon either side of the gorge at any night de- sired, not exceeding 275 feet. The width across the bottom is 150 feet, and at the top considerable wider as the rocks up- on 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 a varying width of from one to four miles, with several lateral washes inter- secting it that add to its capacity. The amount of water it will contain is some thing enormous, and will be sufficient, in connection with the natural flow of the river, to supply the 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 existing The rock from the cliffs can be run down by steel cable and swung by crane into place upon the dam with but little poG- CT. Just over the hill there is abunda good limestone and everything exceD.- ing supply of hydraulic cement can be found conveniently near.
 In taking the water from this reser- voir but little difficulty will be experi enced. An open canal can be built along the south bank of the river at grade do HE II IlS pOSSIDl0 dIOuuu dIlu over UD6 ~olling hills past Round valley to the level mesa lands below, bringing under cultivation large tract of land above the reach of the Florence canal. The proper sphere of this enterprise is, how ever, the supply of water in dry seasons to all the existing irrigating ditches and to extend them and others to cover as much land as possible.
 MT. Smith was greatly surprised and | pleased with the grand opportunity that awaits the hand of enterprise, and has promised to do all in his power to urge upon congress the propriety of appro- priating sufficient money to carry out | this important enterprise to its full com Dletion.
 After spending two hours in viewing | he sights and examining the remarka- | ole features that nature has evidently | fashioned for the benefit of the dwellers | ,f this great valley, the return was made | % town devoid of incident worthy of | mention.