El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-26

him. He promised to do all he could.
I found, however, that the delegation
from New Mexico had preceded me
and they had taken care of their side
of the case. The Elephant Butte peo-
Die are the ones who are causing the
trouble They seem to occupy the po-
sition that unlss they have their rights
we shall have nothing, and their rights
they seem to claim, mean the entire
flow of the water in the Rio Grande-
They have insisted and continue to in
sist before the department of state
that they are entitled to all the water.
The government of the United States
has given to New Mexico the right to
grant charters for water rights, and
New Mexico having given. them char
ter they claim they are entitled to
build the dam and get the benefit of
all the water.
THAT was the special point of dis
cussion before the ambassador from
Mexico. He stated that he had no re-
port in his possession which would
show that there was a sufficient flow
of water in the Rio Grande at any
time to supply the demands of the
Elephant Butte people and leave his
people anything. L will never agree
to cancel s35.OOO,O 900 worth of worthy
claims against your government for the
uncertainty of getting water after the
Elephant Butte people have built their
dam and taken what they want said
he.
After discussing this matter with
him for several hours l took it up
again with Senator Culberson and laid
the whole matter before him. I told
him that we wanted peace and that
was authorized to amend the bill in
any way that would facilitate bringing
the matter to the desired end By the
way. our n-Stephens-was
present with me during my interview
with the Mexican ambassador. He and
Senator Culberson are of the opinion
that unless we can get through bill
that will meet the wishes of the people
on the Mexican side the whole thing
will stop right there
Mr. Martinez: LAS 1 understand it
then. the Elephant Butte people would
like to have control of the water and
try to kill the possibility of building a
dam here?"
Senator Turney: They say so in
writing. They say to the government
in substance: We have got you in
this peculiar hole. You have permitted
us to get a charter under the laws of
Mexico to build a dam or a succession
Of dams. On the other hand you have
-aken from the people of old Mexico
he water that they have been entitled
o for the past two or three hundred
Years. You have permitted us to take
he water from them and the people of
Texas-now what are you going to do
about it? -
In answer to the query as to whether
he was of the opinion that the bill
could be passed irrespective OF the Ele-
plant Butte people. Mr.. Turney replied
that hethought it could.
In my judgment it could have been
passed long ago if there had been peo-
pie to interest themselves in the mat
ter. But l would not go to Washing
ton again to work for a bill that would
give us only a mud hole. 1t would be
a disgrace to the people of Ell Paso to
spend two million of government
money simply for the benefit that
might accrue to the town during the
course of its construction. | would
not take any part in it. If we know
from the reports that with their dam
above there would be lit
tie or nothing left for us, would not
take any stock in it. If two promin-
ent citizens of Ell Paso had gone to
and stayed there two
months in the interest of the matter.
this time
Senator Turney then went on to re-
late several stories that had been
spread broadcast in Washington re-
lecting upon the motives Of those in
terested in the erection Of the dam
here. and said that these stories had
not ben denied because there had been
10 one on the ground to deny them
He further stated that Senator Culber-
ION had agreed to push the bill through
the people wanted it. and he (Tur-
ley) believed he could do it in a day.
PURE HYGIENIC WATER.
do ID