Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-02-21
LEGISLATIVE PROJECTS.
Proposed Tunnels to Transfer Western
Slope Waters to the Eastern
Pluius.

Special correspondence to the Entersrise.
Denver, Colo, Feb, 18th.
It is understood thst the Swipk bill
for the establishment Of tunnel COM
mission and for the construction of two
tunnels through the range, has been
killed in the judiciary committee. It
never got 30 far as to be printed, hence,
its merits or dismerits never came up for
discussion. 1t was, however only in
tended as preliminary step to the full
filment of the desired end, providing only
for an appropriation for the purpose Of
investigating the feasibility of the plan
proposed. The idea was to drive tunnels
through the mountains at the heads of
the Platte and Arkansas valleys for the
double purpose OF furnishing railway
gatewsys and bringing water for irriga-
ton from the western to the eastern slope.
The fact that there is a large surplus of
water west of the range, and scarcity east
OF it make the latter object an important,
the scheme at this time, however, is
questionable. 1t is certain that thcre
are few points on the range in Colorado
where tunnels could be driven available
for railroad uses, and those who claim to
be thoroughly informed say that tho out
lay necessary to their construction would
be 30 great that it would be highly i'm
practicable for tho state to undertake
more than one at this time, il indeed, it
could afford to spend any money on the
project at all.
II introduced the bill by request" said
Senator Swink, "bnt have made no effort
to do anything for it since then have
not investigated the matter sufficiently
ure has, but l am convinced that the
fundamental idea is a good one. What
Colorado needs worse than anything else
is a more equitable distribution Of water,
and any reasonable expense to that end
would be properly incurred. At present,
however, am asking for appropriations
for projects that more nearly concern the
sections I represent, and 7 do not feel
willing to jeopardise them by advocating
schemes that are, at the best, question
able. The people OF the Arkansas valley
need immediate benefit, and a tunnel
through the range, while it might be Of
inestimable value to them could not be
available under three or four years at
the shortest"
It is possible that the tunnel bill will
be revived before the session closes, but
hardly probable.
Senator Swink's hobby is irrigation,
and no member of the legislature is bet
ter informed on the subject than he.
The bills in which he is particularly in
tereeted are one appropriating $4,000
for the improvement OF Twin Lakes as
storage reservoir and one asking for
SIT, 900 to begin work on a reservoir in
Baca county. The latter is expected to
cost about S250 900 to complete. Senator
Swink, it will be remembered, was
of the committee which inves-
tigated and reported adversely on tho
Twin Lakes. To the Enterprise corres-
pondent he said:
"There is not enough water now avail
able to supply the canals that have been
built in the Arkansas valley. There is
no question but that Twin Lake is q ma
tural reservoir for that valley, but it is
extremely doubtful il there is sufficient
precipitation in the basin of the Lakes to
furnish the amount of water necessary to
fill them were the surface raised to the
extent advocated by the friends Of the
state canal scheme. And if there is I
should hesltate to assume the RESPONSE
bility Of establishing such menace to
the safety of the entire valley. A dam
half mile long and fifty or sixty feet
high, with the enormous pressure it
would have to sustain, would cost vast
amount Of money, and il it should break
the destruction it would cause could hard
ly be imagined. The Johnston disaster
wouldn't do for a comparison My plan
is to build q dam at the mouth of the
lower lake 30 as to raise its surface ten or
twelve feet This could be done with a
dam 80 feet long at the foot and 800 feet
long at the top, Then I would lower
the bed OF the present outlet ten feet,
thus making available about twenty-five
feet Of the water of the lakes. which cover
about 1900 acres. The cost, as compared
with the benefits would be inconsider-
able"
It is believed that the bill appropriat-
ing funds for the maintenance OF the
State Immigration Bureau will become a
law. This measure has the support of
all classes. It is in line with the plans
adopted by several western states with
very satisfactory results, and it is the
general feeling that now is the time to
begin the work of advertising the re-
sources Of the state and bringing immi-
grstion here. W.