Wadsworth semi-weekly dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1899-11-28
Reservoir
Or Ditch.
EXPOSITION BY
HON. LEM ALLEN.

After perusing the editorial written
from an interview with Senator w. w.
Williams, | take the liberty of answer
ing the suggestions made by him. |
cannot find any fault with Senator
Williams position in securing water
for the people on the Sink Of the Car
son River. because to undertake to
build a ditch from the Truckee River
to the point mentioned by Senator
Williams, dutch Henry's), would
require a ditch at least IS miles long,
which would cost such an amount that
1t would kill any enterprise in the
direction Of storage or securing water
for the locality spoken Of. Of course
Senator Williams lives in a portion Of
the County that he would not be bene-
fitted by any storage system or any
system to procure water for the Sinkers
would not benefit him. | am satisfied
that there Is a certain element opposed
to any move to create a water supply
for this locality, or any proposition TO
create more expense or extra taxes for
any enterprise that might be beneficial
to the citizens on the Sink of the Car
son River.
Senator Williams and are Of the
same opinion as to the proposition Of
trying to c water by a law suit.
My reason in taking such a position is
that we would be spending money for
something that is not to be had, and If
successful could not obtain any more
water than we get now for
the reason that when we have dry sea-
sons there is no snow in the mountains
to keep a supply of water in the Carson
River after the first Of July for the
ranchers on any part Of the said river.
There ri three propositions in re-
gard to supplying more water for the
location spoken Of. sOne is to build a
cement dam in the Carson River with
a tunnel to carry all the surplus water.
without allowing any water to 60 over
the dam, and to cut a channel from
the side Of the reservoir to a large
alkali flat and there make another res
ervoir for the storage of more water,
and from there in a channel back 10
the river. The expense of all would
not exceed the sum Of $40 1000. An
other proposition is to build a canal for
about Is miles to a flat known as the
Stockton Wells flat and from there
turn It into the river. The next pro-
position is to make a ditch from the
Truckee to said locality.
Now my objections are these:
Either of the propositions last spoken
Of will be SO expensive that neither will
ever be carried out. | think some
have taken those positions to stop any
enterprise In that direction-but | may
be mistaken. Now, for instance. to
build a canal Is miles long, large
enough to fill a reservoir would cost
at least $4,000 per mile. Then to
build a levee at least a halt a mile
long and to put In a sufficient tail gate
to draw the water therefrorh, would
cost about $4,000 more, and would
then be much more liable to give way
than a cement dam built across the
bed of the river. And also there
would be a great deal more surface of
water, and by more surface a greater
waste Of water by evaporation. Now.
as to the ditch from the Truckee,
think 1t would be a great enterprise.
but the expense would be so great
that the people would object. For In
stance. there Is the Steamboat ditch
that. ! believe, is 25 miles long. and
cost to build it $llo,Qoo, and the
ditch suggested by Senator Williams
sa