El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-08-21
,r investigation and

COMMISSION, Tor 1nVesGgatlOu ana
report.
To secure data with regard to the
flow of the river and the amount OF
water taken out for irrigation in New
Mexico and Colorado since 1880. the
International Boundary Commission
detailed the American boundary CO.
gineer, w. w. Follett. aud q Mexican
engineer, Mr.. Flores, to proceed to
Colorado and follow down the Rio
Grande to Ell Psso and learn the mum.
Der aud capacity of the irrigating
canals. the extent Of land irrigated
and the quantity OF water used.
Mr.. Follett's report, which formed
the basis of the reports OF General
Mills, and the commission upon the
matter, was to the effect that there
was not room for both the Information
al dam and the Elephant Butte dam,
or indeed any other large irrigation
project in New Mexico; that the food
waters of the Rio Graude we're . /
needed 20 carry out the internation al
dam project. Mr.. Folles reported also
that the Mesilla valley aud other farm
ing di=tricts along the RIO Grande
above Ell Paso, rs far north as Albu-
querque, had suffered insrecept years
from diminution of water supplies due
to recent appropriations Of water in
Colorado
The Elephant Butte Company wac
enjoined through the federal courts
from containing work upon it's project
on the ground that It would Interfere
with navigation of the Rio Grande,
and the case is still in the courts.
10 the meantime the Mexican minis
ter, Romero, at Washing ton. offered to
draft q convention providing for an in
ternational dam. aud Secretary of
State Olney accepted the offer. at the
same time warning Mr.. Romero that
Sin preparing to enter into negotia-
tions the department Z has found
the subjsct embarrassed by greatly
complications. srisiog out
of reservoir dams, etc, either already
built or aushoriz I'd. through the con-
current action OF the Federal and
State authorities" and that these
questions "must be disposed of before
the United States will be in q condi-
tion to negotiate"
It should also be noted here that our
steps to determine the question OF prior
rights due to prior appropriation a.
between the Ell Psso valley, the Juarez
valley, the Mesilla valley. and other
valleys along the Rio Grande in south
ern, central, and northern Nav Mexico
Mr.. Romero, however, drafted
convention, which with some modifica-
tions, was approved by the Mexican
and submitted to Secreta.
~ Olney. This draft was entirely the
work Of the Mexican minister, alth hough.
as stated by him, embodying The
sense OF the report" of the Intern alton
al B1u ndary Commission. This propos-
ed convention comedies in
the broadest terms the claims
NJ Mexico In regard to dam
age alleged to have been Inflicted upon
the people Of the Juarez valley, and not
only provides for she construction of
an International dam but also, in art
icle six, prohibits the construction
OF any 'new works or canals" along
the Rio Gssnde or it's tributaries above
the international dam.
Mr.. Romero submiit.d the draft of
convention to Secretary of State Olney
January 30th 1897. Ga March 3. 1897,
in the closing hours of the Cleveland
administration, MIR. Olney acknowledg-
ed the receipt of the draft During
the three years aud half since elaps-
ed, absolutely no progress has been
made toward the consummasion of she
treaty. Indeed, within the last
year the opposition to the treaty in
fCnn