The Arizona sentinel., 1897-11-06
THE WHEELS OF PROGRESS.
The State of Arizona Improvement
 Co. Begins Operation.


 Governor NcCord returned Thurs day evening from trip to California on business connected with the Ter ritorial University, and stopped over in Yuma. He was busy all day yes terday completing the final details of the prison labor contract with Presl- dent Ives of the State of Arizona Im- provement Company, and everything WAS arranged to the utmost sstis- faction of all concerned. The con- victs are now at the disposal of the Improvement Company and active operations will begin next Monday. The Territory has secured the ser vices of John D. Payne, man who has had years of experience in hand ling convict labor in Kentucky and other states, having been for several years the trusted employee of Mason, Hoge & Co.,, the largest contractors ln the United States. The work will start with about forty men, under the supervision of Mr. Payne, and eight or ten men will be added to the force each day as the work progresses until every available man within the prison walls is pressed into service. It IS thought advisable to take only small number of the desperate char. acters out at & time until the facili- ties for properly handling them are perfected.
 Senator Ives when seen last even- ing br representative ot the SsNrr- MEL, said: "I wish to state officially, as president of this company, that we will be preyared by the 10th of Feb- ruary next to furnish water in abundance for irrigating purposes to all the settlers now between the mesa and the Colorado river between Yuma and the Mexican line, or all who may desire to locate there.
 "All anyone will have to do to get all the water desired is to notify the company before the middle of next month of the amount required
 "The company will at once pro. ceed to install pumping plant oi sufficient capacity to serve with abundant water all who shall have ordered it.
 "I also wish to say," continued Mr. Ives, "that I will be pleased to meet all the farmers in the Colorado river valley next Saturday November 13, at o'clock p. III. at the court house in Yuma, for the purpose of arranging |, matters satisfactorily with them. l hope at that time to explain the situ ation SO it will be thoroughly under stood by the patrons of the canal, anc
 learn from them the amount of watel required for the next year, which will give me a basis for my futur, calculations.
 "The present canal which will bo enlarged and extended to furnish al
 imm ediate water supply in the valle. will serve to meet the demands unti the big canal is finished, when it wll be advantageously utilized as lat.
 teral to the greater institution" ! G. Anderson, the expert machinis
 in the employ of the Marion Stean
 Shovel Co.,, arrived from San Fran. , cisco Thursday and began prepara' : tion thls morning for the construction : of the barge on which will he erected l the big steam shovel to be used il building the big canal. The barg . will be built at the ship-yards her
 and lowed up the river to the head
 ing of the canal, where the machin |, cry will be placed in position read n for operation. Only small numbe of the convicts can be employed il |. the construction of the barge, as Q will require mechanics who under
 stand the work, the prisoners onl
 being used as helpers. It will reuqir l' six weeks or two months to get tn t big machine in readiness for maxim }, the gravel fly.