Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1900-12-27
THE IRRIGATION BILL,
Texas Representatives Claim That II
viii Pass Congress,
SALE or TERRITORIAL LANDS.


- DILL
To provide for the equitable distribu-
ton OF the waters Of the RIO france
river between the United states OF
America and the United states OF
Mexico.
whereas. the Republic Of Mexico has
made reclamation OF the United Sta.os
to the SECRETARY 81 stale. through is
legation in Washington. for a urge
indemnity for water alleged to have
been taken and used By the citizens Of
the United States in Colorado ana
New Mexico on the head waters or the
Rio Grande river. to which citizens 81
Mexico claimed right by PRIOR appro-
priation. in alleged Violation or article
eight OF the treaty Of peace " Gauda-
Iupe Hidalgo. proclaimed July fourth,
eighteen hundred and forty-eight, and
article four OF the boundary treaty
proclaimed Juno thirtieth, eighteen
hundred and h%fty-four; and
whereas. an investigation directed
jointly by the state departments Of tho
two republics and carried out by the
international boundary commission.
organized under the convention OF
March first. eighteen hundred and
eighty-nine. discovered the fact that
the how OF the river has gradually d.
minished for the past fifteen Yeas IN
an Increasing ratio. so that tho orii-
| nary summers flow in the lower river
is inadequate to supply the wants OF
irrigation and domestic and other pur-
( poses. as has been supplied IN previous
years; and
whereas. a remedy has been prOpOs-
"a by the W governments for this
deficiency by ~impounding In an inter-
! national dam and reservoir, near the
| boundary line between the two rcpub-
lies, the annual Hood waters Of the
| spring season. which are greatly in ex-
cess OF the wants OF irrigation and do
mestic n other purposes. in those
scasons. such waters to be equitably
| distributed between the two republics;
| and
whereas. q was Afterwards discover
ed that other ike projects Of large
| dams and reservoirs were contemplat-
80 above said proposed International
| dam and reservoir; and
Whereas. the two governments
| Jointly directed the international
| boundary commission h~ereinbcfore
mentioned to investigate ana report
| upon the feasibility OF the project, and
Whereas, said commission reported,
| that, in their Judgment the project
was feasible. but that the now g a. In
| sufficient for more han one r, servoir;
and
whereas. the two govcrnm'n were
| unable to agree upon the construction
OF said proposed international dam
and reservoir until some method OF
restraining the building and US OF
other dams and reservoirs, which
would destroy tn usefulness Of sa'd
proposed International dam ana reser'
voir. had been devised. Now. III r.
fore.
BE It enacted by the S,nate and
House Of Representatives OF the Unit
ed states OF America In Congress as
sombled. that nothing in the acts ol
March third eighteen hundred and
n~inety-one. January twenty-hrst
eighteen hundred ana ninety-fve
February twcnty-sixth. eighteen u
dred and nlnety-seven. and May elev'
enth. eighteen hundred AMI ninety
eight. shall be- 80 constructed as TO au'
thorize appropriation and storage OF
the waters u the RIO Grandc river, o.
it, tributaries, In the Territory Of New
Mexico. TO which others have right b!
prior appropriation; and every persoi
and every corporation which shall b.
guilty Of thus ~unlawfully appropriat
ing and storing said waters in this &C
mentioned shall De deemed guilty Of
mlSdemeanor. and on conviction
Thereof shall be punished by a fin no
exceeding i've thousand dollars, or b!
imprisonmont lin the case OF a natura
person. not exceeding one year, or b,
such punis hments. I'm the discretion o
the court. The unlawful appropriation
and storing Of the water in this &C
mentioned may De prevented, and III
dam, reservoir, or other means use'
for ~lmpounding the water may b. ~
! moved. by the injunction OF any cir
cult court exercising jurisdilto on
: any district In which said water ma
DC appropriated or stored; q prope
proceedings In equity to this ,nd ma
: Doe instituted under the direction @
The attorney general ~ the Unite
States.
Sec. 2. That the secretary o. stat
| Is nHlkNN AAAlliDl Ah'A ~ 49, W.
i. communication Of the proposed trea,
between the United States Of Amerlc
! ana the United states OF Mexico, an
= II the United states OF Mexico sha
: accept the construction OF the prop1'
q ed dan and reservoir, with the cond
: tons that the flood water impounde
by it shall he equally distributed l.
tween the w. countries, as liquidatlo
Of all past and future claims for watt
. appropriated in the past or to be a.
propriated in the future by citizens
the United States otherwise than
a lmpounding Il In large dams and =
u s%crv0lrs IN New Mexico. then the so
rotary 90 state is further authorized
Il proceed with the construction Of "a
II plans and specifications submitted
I. the report OF the International boa
dairy commission as published In Sc
ate document numbered two hundr