Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-07-26
INTERNATIONAL DAM
Why Consulting Engineer Follett, of
Mathematician BoundaryCom
mission, Resigned.
THE MEXICO BOUNDARY LINE
Questions That Arise from the Shifting Of
the River Oourse-Ths Elephant Butte
Dam Oase-Ohances of the Inter-
national Dam.

w. w. Follett, consulting engineer of
the International water boundary COM
mission, is here on a business trip. He
said to-day that it was true HI had
resigned his position with the commits
sion, but that the Ell Paso and Denver
papers were wrong in %attributing this
action to any open breach between him
self and Col. Arson Mills, head of the
commission. over the Elephant Butte
dan affair. Their personal relations, he
said, remained entirely friendly, but a
difference of opinion arose between
them as to the prosecution of his work
Mills had been instrumental in securing
him the position in the first place, he
thought it best to retire and leave the
way clear for the government to name
an engineer who might look at things
more in accordance with Colonel Mills
ideas. Paul D.. Cunningham, of Ten
nessee, now in Cuba, has been appoint
ed Mr.. Follett's successor, and will
reach 81 Paso and enter upon his du-
ties August 10.
WATER COMMISSIONS DUTIES.
This United States-Mexico water
boundary commission is composed of
Colonel Mills, a retired army officer. re-
ceiving the pay of colonel, representing
the United States; Gen. Jacobo Blanco,
representing the Mexican government,
and a consulting engineer appointed by
the American government. 1t was or
ganized to settle disputes between the
two countries arising from the constant
shifting of the international boundary
line through the erratic behavior Of the
Rio Grande. By treaty the boundary Is
fixed at the center of the river channel;
when the channel moves by erosion or
deposit the boundary moves with it, but
when the channel move by avulsion-
that is, abandons it's old course and the
river cuts for itself a new channel
then the old channel remains the
boundary. Under the treaty these cut
offs remain under the jurisdiction of
the country from which they are cut.
Thus it often happens by the shifting
of the stream that United States ter
ritory is left on the west side of the
river adjoining Mexico, and Mexican
territory is left lying east of the river
adjoining the Texas state line. These
cutoff sections are called 'bancos."
Between Rio Grande City and the gulf
are some sixty Of these cut-offs, and
they constitute a source of reverend
ing trouble and annoyance arising from
the use of water for irrigation, and 9TH
err contentious between border settlers,
which the commission must look into
and report upon. The United States
has for five years endeavored to induce
Mexico to agree to eliminate the provi-
sion respecting these "bancos' and
make the center of the normal channel
the true boundary line between the two
countries, but there are details which
the Mexican government has thus far
to agree to.
THE Ell PASO SCHEME.
In speaking of the FL Paso projected
government dam, Colonel Mills fight
on the Elephant Butte dam and the
use of waters in the Rio Grande, En-
gineer Follett appears to be in cordial
sympathy with Colonel Mills WELL
ideas on these subjects. He said
sponsible for the lack of water in the
Rio Grande; that there had been
no marked increase use Of these waters
n years by the people of New Mexico.
AS to the international dam project at
Paso, Mr.. Follett considered 1t
doubtful if a bill appropriating So, $780,
700 for it's construction will ever pass
congress unless some administration in
'ull control of all the branches Of gov
ernment takes it up and pushes it as a
party measure.
THE ELEPHANT BUTTE CASE.
The status Of the legal controversy
'ver the Elephant Butte dam was asked
lbout. He said the case was pending
N appeal by the government from
Judge Parker's district to the terrific
ial supreme court, and a decision is
expected next month. The main ques-
ion at issue is whether the construc-
Of the dam and the enlarged use of
for irrigation that will follow
'ill materially interfere with the navi-
ability of the Rio Grande at the point
here it Is now considered navigable-
hat is, between Rio Grande City,
7hich is 800 miles below Ell Paso, and
mouth of the river. Judge Parker
uled that it would not. The govern
tent then asked for more time to pre-
ent testimony tending to show the !
Ontrary, and Judge Parker declined to !
rant it. From this ruling appeal was )
aken to the territorial supreme court. I
II -,n-A 1~411 oo4n1r -1 a. - r