The herald., 1897-11-29
AN IMMENSE DEBT IS DUE
TUCSON IS PREPARING
CARNIVAL
TUCSON
Progress of Arizona's Oldest Settle
ment-A Railroad That Owes
Only Itself


has been occupied this week in the dear
ing Of the several applications made for
the appointment Of receiver for the
Arizona Canal company and it's twin
corporation. the Arizona Improvement
company. The change in the affairs of
these companies has been inaugurated
according to my information at the time
of my last letter. The only difference
is that unexpected opposition has arisen
over the proposed appointment to the
receivership of w. J. Murphy, now pres
ident and general manager of the two
companies involved. 1t had been ar
ranged between the companies and the
eastern creditors that Mr.. Murphy
should have the receivership. 1t had
even been arranged how, under the
powers of his new office. he was to issue
receivers first-lien certificates and with
the proceeds clean out the ditch, which
now is unable to carry more than half
of it's rated capacity of $4,000 miners
inches, and, in brief, make the water
way what it should be.
But there have been obstacles. A
counter suit for a receiver has been filed
by water users representing 5000 acres
near the hamlet of Glendale, and they
oppose, tooth and toe-nail, the appoint
men Of Murphy. In this opposition they
are Joined by the minority stockholders
Of the Grand, Maricopa and Salt River
valley canals, lower-lying bitches with
q total capacity of about 10000 inches,
mainly fed by means of the Cross-Cut
canal from the Arizona canal. or these
three canals the Arizona Improvement
company owns 81 per cent Of the stock,
q consummation that cost pretty pen
ny, especially when it came to buying
the last few shares of stock that made
the majority. But the purchase had to
be made, even though 1t caused q very
large portion of the bonded indebted
ness on which foreclosure is now being
sought. The Glendale plaintiffs allege
that mismanagement- or poverty on the
part Of the canal company has entailed
to them losses aggregating several hun
drsd thousand dollars. Even when there
has been a plenty of water in the river
the canal has not been in condition to
carry it to them.
WATER MUST BE HAD
The situation is one Of decided gravity,
for the canal involved is not only the
most important in the Southwest or
west, but covers the greater part of the
northern expanse of the Salt River val
ley, embracing over 100000 acres of ex-
cellent land, much of it under the high
est cultivation and comprising several
villages. The cause Of the trouble is not
difficult to discover. The canal was
built mainly through the pluck and en-
ergy Of w. J. Murphy, early In the eight
les. Bonds mainly paid for 1t or repaid
the promoter. Then came the purchase
of the lower canal, the rebuilding of q
costly dam, washed away by freshet,
the building Of cross-cut ditch to
the lower canals, and The purchase of
perhaps 10000 acres of land under the
main canal and the setting OF much CT It
to oranges and deciduous fruits. All
this required money, more money chan
could be secured from the scant settle
ment Of the district in the earlier days.
And 80 the initial debt grew to some
thing over s1,500,o00. Yet the interest
defaulted for the first time only last
January. 1t surely has been noble
struggle.
NEW ENERGY
Tried in the fire Of adversity be-
lieve the canal will finally emerge,
phoenix like. stronger and more useful
than ever. Plans are even now being
made whereby the great ditch shall be
enlarged to capacity Of 100000 inches
to take advantage Of every rise in the
river, however short Its duration.
new heading will be put in place, and
last and most important, provision will
be made for a share in the construction
of the great Tonic creek reservoir DAM
that Is to store more than enough water
for the summer irrigation of every acre
of now waste land from mountain IL
mountain within the great Salt River
valley. Some such enterprise is essen
tial to the further advancement of the
young bitches of the valley, among
which the Arizona Is to be numbered
and by it's aid they yet will become div
idend producers as well as conquerers
of the desert.
At Yuma the State Of Arizona I'm
provement company has started upon its
canal work by the purchase Of the old
pumping plant canal, which has been
for several years in the hands of bond
holders. New machinery is being in
stalled, sufficient in capacity to pump
water for the irrigation of 10000 acres
of the frostless and rich mesa lands OF
the vicinity. Fifty convicts are at work
on the ditch, under the terms of the ia
nous prison labor contract, and fifty
more will be placed in the trench at
once. No trouble has as yet attended
their employment. The scheme of the
company, as outlined by Manager Ives
is to use the pumping plant till such time
as the large gravity canal shall have
been completed and have been placed ir
condition to supply Yuma and vicinity
more cheaply with the necessary irri-
eating water
A TUCSON CARNIVAL
The Fiesta or carnival idea has faller
through in Phoenix, despite the ac.
knowledged success Of the several cele
brations to which the city has invited
her sisters. Last March no interes
whatever could be melted in the move
ment and this winter the prospect is tn,
same. Those who mainly contributed
before were more than willing to con
tribute again, but the people at largt
were disinclined to put up" Severa
LOT the merchants considered the furry