The Florence tribune., 1901-11-23
AID FOR THE SAN CARLOS DAM.

Governor N o. Murphy has been accused of being lukewarm on the question of governments aid for the San Carlos reservoir, but the following ex- tracts from his report to the Secretary of the Interior, just issued, will place him us one of it's strongest advocates. As the case stands now there seems to be no opposition to the construction by the government of this great work for the relief of the Pima Indians espe- cially and the white man incidentally, and if Congress does not grant the app propriation this eomlng winter the universal feeling is that it will fail in its duty Governor Murphy says:
 As heretofore ex xplained, and as forci- ply pointed out by the secretary of the interior, the construction of the pro- posed dam at San Carlos on the Gila river would settle permanently the question of water supply for the In- uisns on the Gila river reserVation, of whom there are 4.00J engaged in an attempt to make living by farming Unless system of irrigation is pro- vlded for them by the government they must inevitably become burdensome charge upon the national treasury, whereas their capabilities in the way of selfsupport are altogether saiis- NraIa sI sI. Carlos reservoir provide these Indians wish permanent water supply, but many thousands of acres of vacant land would be available for homeseekers. The revenues from the districts thus irrigated, even though based on a very moderate charge for the water service annually, would be sufficiently large to more than pay good interest on the money necessary to be invested in construction Complete information as to the cost of the proposed reservoir is within reach of congress. and it is to be hoped that the coming session will authorize the beginning of the work. No better opportunity could be offered for trial of the plan of the government construction of reservoirs.
 
 believe that a further mainten- ance of the tribal relations as now conducted and the reteDtion of reservation agencies. around which the Indians cluster and live in idieness upon rations issued by the goveru- ment, most seriously retard the civili- zation of the Indian. The great ex- punse of maintaining the present system can also, in my judgment, be greatly reduced. If in making farm CTS of the Indians after lands have been allotted it is found beneficial to aid them with farm implements and seed and reduced rations for time until they are fairly started, it should be done, and consider it entirely wise and proper for the government to build reservoirs for the storage of water for irrigation in suitable localities, with canals leading to the allotted lands and for this purpose Indian labor could be very largely utilized. A site for a dam on the Gila at San Carlos has been approved by government en- gineers and estimates have been su b. mitted for the construction of the dam. It is stated that this dam when built will store enough water to ir- rigate land sufficient 10 maintain all of the Pima Indians and a very con siderable acreage besides which could be utilized by white settlers, and that tue government now expends enough money annually to maintain these In- dians in comparative idleuess to more then pay liberal interest upon the cost of the dam. It would therefore seem to be good business move on the part of the government to make thit investment.
 The Pima or Gila River reservation consisting of agricultural lands ouly and which with sufficient water foi irrigation can maintain large popula tion, should be made available foi public use, especially the acreage within the reservation in excess of ths Indian requirements. When it is de sirable for the Indians to engage il farming, land should be allotted il severalty, and whether in lots of 40 O 100 acres, the Indian individual O family would be better. happier ant beeome quicker civilized if fowning am working his own farm or homestead
 A.. mN.