El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-16

to see that the data were gathered i'm
partially"
sTf that is true. why did you when
you reported to your com handing
officer add the following clause 70
your report: There is not sufficient
water supply in sight to supply both
the Elephant Butte and the Ell Paso re-
servoirs, and one scheme must give
way to the other.''
because that was one of the con-
illusions I reached in my investiga-
tions.''
"Brig. Gen. Mills was the first pro,
moter of the International dam at Ell
Paso, was he not?"
"He suggested it first, in 1886 or
1887"
HAS there been a sufficient supply
of water for the international dam
since this report of yours was writ
| temp
THE FLOW OF THE RIO GRANDE.
| eyes, during 1897 and 1898 there
was twice or three times as much as
would be needed for that dam. This
year there has not been enough to sup
ply evaporation.
THE flow of 1897 was the highest
| ever known"
,"No, I think the flow of 1891 was
about the same. In that year l,6OO,
900 acre feet passed FL PasO from
April to September. And in July.
| 1898, the water Was an inch higher at
the Santa Fee street bridge than in
1897, but levees had been built that
kept it from overlooking the city. In
1890 we had $4,000 acre feet; in 1891,
mer flow of 1898 was about medi-
| um."
Describe the flow of the Rio Gran
de IN general way"
| "You can call it spasmodic. In
most years there is a flood. The river
starts in winter and runs small
quantity of water, 200 or 500 or 1000
In April or May it is likely to rise and
get pretty high during the latter part
of May. That is when we usually ex-
poet the highest water. In June it
| will begin to decrease. Some years it
will go dry ea-iy in July, and some
years, as 1898, the maximum
| flow of the season comes in July. In
August and September it may be dry
all the time, and it may have spas
modic rises from rains along some of
it's tributaries. Along in Novemb Der or
Decem Der it will settle down to Its
winter flow again. These conditions
are subject to very wide range"
THE DEFENSE OPENS
Here the government rested its case.
The defense made no opening state
ment. After recalling Mr.. Harroun
for brief crOss-examin alton, counsel
for the defendant called Judge Allen
Blacker to the stand. He testified
that he now resided in Otero county,
New Mexico, but from 1870 to 1898 had
lived at Ell Paso. He had held various
offices there. including those of county
and district judge, member OF the
legislature and alderman. He testi-
fed that during most of the years he
resided in Ell Paso there was not en-
ouGh water in the river for needed and
desired irrigation, especially in 1885,
SS ard 1892 In 1875 and 1876 he had
travelled in the dry bed of the Rio
There has been no material change in
the average water conditions of the
river in his thirty years knowledge OF
it. On cross examination witness ad-
mitted he had no records to re-enforce
his recollection.
DR.. Alex. M. Headly, a white haired
patriarch from Rio Grande City, who
could impersonate Kris Kringle with
out need Of q makeup, was called for
the defense. He has iiveu in the lower
Rio Grande country since 1864. In
that year several steam boats Piled the
riv er, carrying cotton to the gulf. In
1865 a tremendous flood overlooked all
the country and so saturated it tha.
the effect was felt till 1880. Since
then the waters have been deere asing,
and for ten years back the country
there has suffered q drouth almost un-
interrupted. This drouth stricken area
witness estimates as extending 600
miles up the river from the gulf aud
250 miles out On each side of the river |
has amounted to nothing
for the past ten years.
E. E. Neal, for the defense, testified |
that he ls an attorney, now residing |
at AlamogOrdo. From 1896 to March |
1899, he lived in Rio Grande City. |
During that time the lone steamboa t |
Bessie made five, possibly six trips up
the river. On three of these trips she |
got to Rio Grande. and on the other
two she had to stop Is miles below and |
unload. Witness estimated the
perhaps five per cent of the total
amouut brought in. The rest came by
wagon overland from the nearest rail
road station, S5 miles away.
Q. P. Reed, of Laredo. for the de-
tense, testified to q % years residence
In that locality. He had lived at Ell |
Paso from 1857 to 1854, and in the lat
ter year had travelled in the dry bed of
The Rio Grande for thirty miles below
Ell Paso. He declared there had been
, great drouth in the lower country for
IL or fifteen years. Cattle had died,
streams and wells had dried up, and
The poorer people had lived on charity.
Holiday Excursion to the Southeast.
The Queen & Crescent Route is
making preparations to haIdle an i'm
nense business from Tea rs to points In
z