Graham guardian., 1898-12-02
UNCLE SAM INTERESTED.
Surveys viii be Made for Water storage
Reservoirs.

reservoirs.
Cyrus @. Babb, of theU. S:geolo-
gical survey, is at the Hotel Adams,
having come to this city to pur-
chase supplies for q number of
camps which he will establish in
southern Arizona, to be used by
the men employed by the govern
ment in investigating water sup
ply of the Gila river and Queen
creek, a tributary to the CHA. Two
camps will be established by Mr..
Babb, one on Queen creek and the
other on the Gila.
Congress appropriated $4,000
for the purpose of ascertaining the
depth of bedrock at the Buttes in
Pinal county, which information
will take an important part in de.
Gliding the feasibility of construct,
ing dam across the ella river at
the Buttes for the storage of food
waters. There is an extensive area
of irrIgable land upon the Sacation
reservation which the government
has shown a disposition to take
hold of providing sufficient water
can be obtained. Mr.. Babb and
his assistants are now taking the
preliminary steps in ascertaining the
the daily flowing of water in the
Gila and Queen creek, and W. A.
FarIsh has been engaged to make
similar observations at q point fif
teen miles from the Arizona canal
dam where the Verde comes into
Salt river. Two cables have been
placed in these rivers and Mr..
Parish is instructed to take obser.
vations at fsequent intervals dur.
ing the day, that the average daily
discharge Of water may be derived.
The money appropriated by con-
gress is being expended by the U.
S. geological survey under tho
direction of the secretary of the
interior. Bids for the work which
Mr.. Babb has undertaken were re,
ceived at Washington on the 5th
of this month, but the government
thought they were too high and
decided to do the work itself.
Mr.. Babb was interviewed by q
republican reporter at the Adams
yesterday, and in regard to his
mission said: at is the desire of
the government to have two sur
veys made for storage reservoirs,
and if the conditions are found to
be favorable for the construction
of a reservoir, the most advants-
geous OF the two points surveyed
will be selected. Our first work is
to ascertain the relative owage of
water in the ella river and Queen
creek, and when this is done, we
will bsgin surveys to find out the
area which contributes toward the
life of the Gila and Queen creek
above the points selected for the
reservoir. We have already found
TWO ideal points tvr reservoirs.
The cost Of Constructing a reser-
Volr will be in the neighborhood
If 81 900, 900, and this will hold
sufficient water to irrigate 10000
lores.
81 believe it Is the intention of
he government TO take hold ofthis
in earnest, if the con-
litiops are favorable, 1t will bel
een that ii is no small project and
he government ought to realize
handsomely from 1t by selling, not
'nly the water rights, but the land !
IS we'll to settlers. There is a vast |
Irea Of excellent soil there which
will no doubt prove exceedingly
productive with good supply Of
water. | lexpeot to have the work
lnder way for determining the ex
ent and quality of the bedrock,
he fowage of water and other de-
ails which the government asks,
n about two weeks. Shafts will
'e sunk and the gravel removed
" a derrick. Iron cylinders will
'e placed in those shafts so that
he quicksands will not interfere
With the progress of the work.
The investigations and surveys will
equire several months to complete
hem"
Mr.. Babb will make Phoneix his
nttitting point, freighting his
rovisions and camp outfits from
his city to the scene of his opera.
ions. = Republican.