Arizona republican., 1893-03-28

PHOENIX, Arizona, Feb. "A, 1893.
 I note that in the Investor of Febru- sry IS, subscriber applies to you for in- formation concerning the Rio Verde Canal Co.,, of this city, and regret that you have accorded him so unfavorable an opinion. l am at loss to know as to the source from whence you derived your information, for whoever your in- formant was he could not have been familiar with this great undertaking That the readers of the Investor, and the public in general, may more clearly understand what is to be undertaken by this great enterprise, and to satisfy my self as to the practicability and genu- ineness of the project, have come here to Phoenix and have spent several days in travelling over the surveyed route of the canal, in examining the initial con struction. the source of the water sup ply, the diversion dam site, the engn- eering difficulties 10 be encountered, the lands available under the system, the character of the soil and other fea- lures of the proposition which an in tended investor in the bonds or stock of the company would desire to become fa- miliar with. The general plan of the enterprise has impressed us favorably. Of the sufficiency of the water supply am fully convinced. The character of the soil appears to me all that could be desired and, provided the plans which the efficient consulting engineer has recommended, are adhered to, be- heve l need have no hesitancy in freely recommending the Rio Verde Canal Go. to the eastern investing public.
 Perhaps one of the very strongest en- dorsements of this great undertaking, and certainly one of the most forcible assurances that the work in hand will be properly executed, is the fact that so excellent an authority as Donald w. Campbell, of Campbell X Anderson, Denver, Col, who is acknowledged as the leading irrigation engineer of the West, a gentleman of known ex perience, integrity and constructive ability. has been given full power to design and con struct this canal. Of the project under consideration, MT. Campbell has stated that his surveys have demonstrated the entire practicability of the enterprise, that they have brought the cost of con struction clearly within the limit set by capital, and that they have proven it's financial feasibility of the canal and as sured its building. Regarding the wa ter supply, Engineer Campbell has the following to say: II am of the opinion that the water supply for storage is am pie, and that you can safely depend on being able 10 store, every flood season, very much larger supply than is re- quired. either to fill the reservoirs con templated, or irrigate all the land avail able under this system. Were 1t possi- ble, that all oi the flood water of the Verde river might be impounded, it could be accomplished without injury to any vested interest. From a subse- quent report l quote the following reference to the water supply: "The discharge of the Verde river is greatly ly in excess of the requirements of your proposed enterprise" The Rio Verde Canal Co, propose to develop a system of water supply by means of storage res ervoirs primarily on the Verde river. This water is to be carried by properly located canals 80 as to irrigate the coun- try which lies to the west of the Rio Verde and north of the Salt and Gila rivers, but it is proposed to ultimately extend the system and prOlong the canal indefinitely westward as far as good land can be covered. and the de- veloped water supply will suffice. The total length of this canal, as per the present proposition, will be l20 miles It has been several times surveyed it's entire length, and it's route has been definitely determined. The country which is to be brought under this sys- tenn is
 ASplended body of Agricultural land comprising fully 400, ,0OO acres, most oI which is of the very best description of soIl, well adapted to the cultivation of sli the semi-troplcal fruits and particu- larly suited to citrus culture. 1 have found the soil to be sandy loam oi great fertility and very similar in char acter to the great fruit land of southern California. The upper section of the Rio Verde canal will cover some 200, ,000 acres lying above the Arizona canal, and of this fully l35,0 acres is excellent, irrigable soil and within radius of 2O miles of the city oisPhenix, the capital of Arizona, which Is situated in a well developed agricultural region, now irri- gated by the Arizona canal-so widely known in the history of irrigation en- terprises because of the great financial success achieved by it's owners.
 Again, referring to the land which is to be brought under the Rio Verde canal system, note there is certainly one very strong and valuable feature which large portion of it possesses as compared with much of the irrigated land in this vicinity. l refer to it's height above the lower valley and it's consequent security from frost. As iii California so in Arizona, it is the foot hill districts that are most successful in the production of citrus fruits.
 The system of storage reservoirs pro- posed by the Rio Verde Canal Go. is an excellent one and well calculated to furnish an abundant and never failing water supply. It has been thoroughly demonstrated by all other irrigation companies in Arizona that the storage system is the safest and most reliable, and as . result, several companies are now preparing to adopt this plan. The first reservoir which the Rio Verde Canal company are to construct inn