Arizona republican., 1900-07-27
TRESTORAGEQUESTION.
Opposition to It Is Gradually
 Melting Away
What Remains Is Based Mainly Upcn A Fear That the County May Not Be Secured in Its Rights in the Enterprise.

county to encourage the construction of a storage reservoir is steadily ac- cumulating. The matter is being more and more widely discussed. Whatever objection to it is urged is mostly based upon the misapprehension that there is going to be no guaranty to the county of it's rights after the bonds are issued As a matter of fact that is one of the many details of the project which will be presented for popular approval De- fore an expression will be asked for on the bond question itself,
 Among the gentlemen seen on the subject yesterday was Mir. w. B. Cleary of the Arizona Water company As to the advisability of issuing the bonds, MT Cleary said, he would ex- press no opinion. but he suggested one answer to the objection made on behalf of the land owners under the Buckeye and St. Johns canals, in which there is plenty of water, despite the absence of it in the upper canals. That they have had plenty all this season is due to the circumstance that there has been so little water in the river. The usu-
 
 the heads of those canals and pending their repair they would have carried no water notwithstanding the river might be full. A storage reservoir would regu- late the flow in the river, prevent the destruction of heads and give the lower canals more reliable supply than they have during normal seasons.
 Said General M. E. Collins: II don't see how there can be two opinions about the bonding of the county, as The Republican has suggested l do not think there will be any opposition of consequence anywhere in the county when the matter is once understood. There must be a guaranty that the county will be protected and that the rights of farmers under the water storage system will be respected. Of course the promoters of this enterprise as business men, will give this guar anty, and all opposition to the bonds will melt away. We've got to have water storage That is certain. There is no use to discuss that point and I can see no other way to get it than by the plan proposed by The Republican,
 J. A. R. Irvine said: 'I am opposed. in principle, to issuing bonds."
 Would you be opposed if you knew that thereby we could have water stor- age and a permanent water supply?"
 ''I would want to know also that the cOuntys interest in the enterprise would be safe and that the rights of land owners would be protected. In that case I would be in favor of a bond issue. Everybody, I think. would favor it, for we must have water"
 MT. Kay. a member of the Live Stock Sanitary Board. said: T think you are in a good cause and hope you will carry it out to a successful conclusion. We need the water badly and must have storage. It is quite possible We will never have so dry a season again, but the constant fear of it causes farmers to use more than they need when there is plenty. Many of them. whenever they get a good run of water. fear it will be the last one and soak their land as thoroughly as possible. some times to the detriment of their crops. This. of course. is also wastefuI and tends to increase the scarcity of the water. but it cannot be avoided under present conditions. With a knowledge that there was plenty of water to be had there would often be a great say ing over the present methods. I have not read all that has been printed on this subject, but I am in favor of storage"
 F. F. Pascoe said: "'I have read every word of the interviews printed ill The Republican and all seem to cx- press in generality the same idea, that we want storage and if We can get 1t by voting bonds We can't do it too quickly. l am in accord with this senti- ment. Surely if capitalists are willing to put up their money to build us reservoir we can afford to go to some slight expense to show our faith Tn the proposition. The interest tax on bond issue of $50O000 will be a very small matter and any man that has $1 900 worth of property could afford $2.5O investment. even if he did it as an experiment. It is a small thing to hesi tate over at a time like this. when the necessity is So apparent. We have been talking water storage for years in a theoretical sort of a way as very desirable thing and have been backing up the arguments with nothing but a well emphasized hope that some day it would materialize. The time has ar rived for something more practical. Faith without works is dead says the Bible. We put up our faith long ago, and the time is now ripe for work. Put me down as favoring the bond issue" :"
 Frank E. Moss said: T believe the government ought to build a reser- voir. but if it won't do it someone else will have to, and l guess we will have to help"