La Junta tribune., 1899-12-27
orsRo eA,sAl sxrsss,on.
Work to be Commences at oaes sad
Plenty Of Money osek Of eroIsct.


the fertility OF which is limited
only to the extent that it is pos
sible for the water OF the river to
reach it, will be thrown open for
future settlement. Most of the
land belongs to the United States
government, is located Immediately
east Of La unta and will be natur-
ally tributary to the county seat.
The money necessary for the great
undertaking has now been assured
and it is said that work will be
commenced at very early date.
The scheme is to widen the Hol-
brook canal and construct reser-
voir at its terminal in which to
store the flood waters of spring.
An arrangement has been entered
into between the Otero Canal Com
pany and the La Junta and Lamar
Canal Company by which the lat
ter will derive its water supply
during the dry season from the
reservoir by way of Horse Creek.
In exchange for this privilege the
Otero Canal will be granted the
use OF the priority of the La Junta
and Lamar canal, which will give
the Otero an adequate water sup
ply at all seasons. The reservoir
site Is in the Holbrook country,
and is said to be a natural storage
basin, fully adequate for the pur-
poses for which it is intended.
When the canal was constructed,
the company had this fine body OF
land east OF La Junta in view, and
their survey was made with the in
tention of building the canal
this entire valuable district.
Its completion will place the Otero
Canal Company on firm financial
basis, and will result in its being
the best paying irrigation invest
ment in Colorado.
The following article from last
Denver News gives
every assurance that the money
for the extension Of the
canal and the construction of the
reservoir has been secured and
that work will be commenced as
soon as the weather will permit:
"The extension OF the Otero
canal is one OF the evidences OF
progress in the valley of the Ar
kansas. This canal is one Of the
prominent arteries for delivering
water to farmers in the region OF
La Junta and plans have been
and accepted for going
forward until the area which it will
irrigate is increased by 10, 900
acres. The First National Bank
OF Denver, is behind the move
ment and official notice has been
given that the bank will supply the
money necessary for the great un-
I'D H. Mofatt recently con
cluded a warmly contested legal
suit between himself and the Great
Plains Water Storage Company.
In the course OF the case, although
he lost the suit, it is claimed that
Mr.. Moffatt became so much inter-
ested in irrigation that he decided
to 60 further than he at first in
He became convinced
that irrigation in the valley of the
under the favorable con-
ditions of climate and soil, will
bring large returns. Mr.. Moffatt
accordingly gave kindly ear to
project which had long been lying
dormant in the fertile brain of +.
c. Henry, the great Colorado canal
builder. Mr.. Henry was the origi-
nal constructor of the Otero canal
and he proved conclusively that
the extension of the canal would
be good thing for the investor.
Questions Of water supply and
acreage were satisfactorily passed
upon by competent experts and
Mr.. Mofatt is now fairly launched
in the business Of opening up new
territory and encouraging new