Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-03-29
THE infamous Peralta grant fraud

HE lntamonS Peralta grant fraud as taken a new tack in its uncertain oyage to some haven of safety, and |, l formidable printed document it etitions for hearingbefore the Court f Claims of the United States. The tile to this proceeding reads: U. A. 'eralta Reavis and Dona Sophia Lo- eta Micaela de Maso-Reavis y Peralta Ie la Cordoba, his wife, and Clinton ?. Farrell, trustee, vs. The United States of America," with Phil. B. Thompson, Jr., as attorney for claim ants, and Freeman & Money and Luther Harrison, of Washington; Andrew Squire of Cleveland, Ohio; Frank H. Hurd, of Toledo, Ohio; w. Burke Cochran, of New York; James o. Broadhead, of St. Louis, and Lloyd & Wood and H. s. Brown, of San of counsel. After reciting a history of the case and the further allegation that the government has sold large tracts of this land to set tiers, and set apart large reservations for government uses, the petition prays for damages in the sum of six million dollars in one and five million dollars in the other instance, and for such other relief as the court can grant, both legal and equitable. The sublimity of "galP manifested in this new wrinkle in that unctuous mess of corruption and forgery, excites our profound admiration. Checkmated in every effort to rob the settlers within the limits of this bogus claim, and doubtful of their ability to secure land court of a sufficient degree of venality to assist them in their scheme of villainy, they have been driven to last resort with larcenous designs upon Uncle Sam's handy sur plus. Their case is absolutely with out merit and if, with the facts before it, the court of claims discovers the least right of these claimants for the relief asked, all the waters of the Potomac will be found totally inadequate to wash out the stains from its ernipe. sis ,sa.
 WHILR the great. advantages for q gigantic storage reservoir at the Bnttes has been often set forth in these col umns and the opportunity there exist ing for a profitable enterprise, the records of Pinal county show that a location was made by W. N. Crandall and George N. Pogue, for the Florence Canal Company, of this reservoir site as part of their system of irrigation works, about two years ago. Inquiry at the company's office elicited the information that the company has performed all the assessment worl thereon required by law and that iti appropriation thereof is complete anC exclusive even against government reservation under the law of las i October. Just what the intentions o this company may be regarding it
 future use of this remarkable na tural reservoir, we are not prepared t. state, but by the degree of energy ant enterprise it has manifested in tn
 prosecution of its canal work, we be
 lieve it will soon perfect its entir system even to the construction of
 dam across the Gila at the Buttes fo
 storage purposes. The company has al
 ready made careful and accurat
 measurements of the capacity of tn
 proposed reservoir and find that, ono
 filled, it will thoroughly and complete
 ly irrigate one million acres of land fo
 two hundred and eighty-fve days i
 each year, exclusive of the continuou
 flow of the river. The estimat
 placed the area at a million and
 half acres, but the liberal discount
 allowed for contingencies that migh
 arise. This vast water supply, whe
 developed, will give this valley grea
 advantage in this respect, over an
 other portion of the western countr
 and it will give us population an
 prosperity beyond the expectations (
 the mo st sanguine. It is hoped th
 government will exercise a generou
 policy in such great reclamation el
 terprises, and encourage them by liber
 grants of the lands, now worthles that they will make valuable, and i
 other ways to assist in every consis ent way in the development of il
 country.
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