Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-10-26
VALLEY IRRIGATION
Extracts From a Paper by Msj W.
Evans.

Being one OF the oldest irrigated re
gions of the western continent. {
stranger might expect to find in Ari
IONA well matured legal code regu
lating the control and distribution o
water used for irriga ton. but in thf:
he would be disappointed
Our bill of rights declares that al
streams, lakes and ponds are public
property" and that no one has the
right to appropriate them exclusively
to his own private use. The territorial
statutes declare that all rivers. creeks
and streams of running water. ARE
applicable to the purposes of irriga-
ton and mining: and the further dec
| laration is made that all the inhabi-
| tants of the territory who own or pos
| sess frriSa Bile lands shall have the right
to construct public or private aceuufas
| and obtain the necessary water for the
! same from any convenient river. creek
or stream
This is the gist of the territorial law
relating to irrigation. 1t merely recog-
nlzes the rights of appropriation. bur
makes no provision for the proDer reg
ulation of the same. Neither does it
make any provision for the control.
distribution. measurement or sale of
water Individuals or corporations
may appropriate and control water.
but there is no provision for legal su-
pervisiOn over their acts
I have been here twentv-eiabt
years. and not one year in all that
time has passed but that some alarm
list has proclaimed that our water sup
ply was insufficient: yet the cultivated
area of the valley has constantly in
creased, because each newcomer has
found the condition of our farmers SO
much more prosperous than elsewhere.
he concluded to share their ''misfor-
tunes"
This prosperity has been attained
and is maintained with a constantly
Diminishing supply of water per acre
due to the increasing area of land put
INTO cultivation. We have more water
some years than others. the suppIv the
present year being less than in anv
year since white people settled in the
valley; and yet more bountiful crops
were never harvested. to the astonish-
ment of those who have prophesied
failure for farmers with the first dry
year.
Mr.. ]. P Orme, one of the best
known citizens and successful farm
is the best country in the world: |
have been here twenty-one consecu-
tive years and have raised a profitable
crop every year"
While in southern California twenty
five years ago I often heard the re-
mark This would be paradise if we
only had enough water for irrigation.
but the supply is too limited for much
further development" Where there
was then a town of only a few thou
sand is now city with a population
of $4,000 and still growing, and the
surrounding country has developed
with equal rapidity. + <
IN 1872 there was but little more al
falfa planted here than sufficient to
demonstrate it could be grown success
fully. Inquiring then of farmer why
more was not planted he replied
There is no water to irrigate it in the
time" Today there is fifty
times the area of alfalfa growing. there !
was then and there is sufficient water
to produce four crops per annum. and
1t must be remembered that alfalfa re- |
qu1res more water than other crops |
grown in the valley
About 10000 acres of land are under |
in the valley at the pres
ent time, and this has been rendered |
possible only by an intelligent and sys-
ematic management of our irrfgating
system. Water under present methods
vastly more service than for
nerly, ana still our methods are crude
with what they will be when
our system is perfected.
The Salt River Valley canal is the
oldest, followed by the Maricopa, the
Tempe, the Utah, the Mesa, the Grand,
ha ri
The capacity of the canals on the
north side of the. river is about the
same as it was in 1887, but on The
south side the canals have been en-
arged and extended until now they
over about the same area of land as
he canals on the north side.
The community as a whole made
cry indifferent growth until 1886, when
he Arizona canal was completed,
which event marked the beginning of
he substantial and rapid development
f this valley. It has continued to in 1
rease in population and wealth ever
ince< The assessment rolls of this ,
ounty show that each successive year
as added to our taxable values. The
otal value of all property in this
ounty today is not less than $30,000, ,
30. +
When the Southern Pacific railroad !
ras built through the territory this :
alley was not of sufficient Importance
D attract the attention of it's promOt- 6
RS, but the time is coming when that +
viii expend several million :
ollars in changing their main line to +
lake it pass through the valley. We {
id not have connection with the rail- 7
pad until 1887, and to secure that con-
ection we had practically to build =
ne branch line and present it to the =
outhern Pacific to induce them to OPP p
rate it. r
The Maricopa and Phoenix road is I,
ne of the best paying roads in the +
1untry for the money invested by the
zen who control it. p
For the past twelve years our canal -
stem has been operated on the basis !,
the greatest good to the greatest c