Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-08-28
RIO GRANOE IRRIGATION.
Some Interesting Facts Regarding
the Dam Suits.
TO &c A A

n dlspassionate editorial in SUNDAYS
Issue upon the effort CT the Ell Paso
and Mexico clique to rob New Mexico
ana Colorado of their vested rights in
the waters of the Rio Grande.
This river, which is ''grande" only
in length. its width. except in flood
seasons. being contemplate. rises in
the mountains of southwest Colorado.
and runs in a generally southern
course through the entire territory of
New Mexico.
At FL Paso it becomes the boundary
line between the United States and
Mexico. From Ell Paso north to the
sources of the river is 200 miles; from
Ell Paso south to the mouth of the riv-
er is LOO miles. The Encyclopedia
Britannica says that it is navigable
only to K%ingsbury Rapids, 450 miles
from The sea. II might have added,
and that by very small craft and only
at certain seasons of the year.
During the second Cleveland admin
istration. the Rio Grande Dam and I'm.
provement company obtained from the
SNAANAtA SONNA AlAltlN q COllCGsSlOu al
lowing the construction of a dam at
Elephant Butte, New Mexico, and the
use of the waters impounded for irri-
| cation purposes. A company was
formed and the stock taken by English
stockholders.
The site was IN ideal one. By the
construction of the comparatively mex
pensive dam a vast lake could be filled
with storm waters, without interfer-
/. ing with irrigation by regular flow;
and the area ~irrigable from this reser-
voir could extend from 100 miles above
FL Paso to 100 miles below that city.
One would have thought that the Pass
city people would have been delighted
at so magnifcently promising a pros
pect; especially as the scheme was an
Ell Paso enterprise, originated and Off
Cered by FL Paso citizens. and backed
by abundant English capital.
General Arson Mills of the interna-
tional boundary commission and ever
al other prominent men of Ell Paso,
owned considerable worthless land in
the narrow valley of the Rio Grande,
just above Ell Paso. They conceived
the idea that they could induce the ma
tional government to construct a dam
at Ell Paso and their unstable lands
would be overlooked and they could
get a good price for them from Uncle
Sam.
1t was also true that owing to the
constantly diminishing supply of wa
ter in the Rio Grande, and to other
causes, the Mexican valley opposite Ell
Paso had in fifteen years greatly di-
minished in population.
1t did not require a very wise "a
to see that if the Mexican government
could be induced to take up the matter,
claiming damages from the United
States for the loss of prosperity
around Juarez, the probability of the
governments establishing this inter
national dam would be greatly aug
mented.
This cooperation of the government
of Mexico was secured through the in
luence of Captain Juan S. Hart, a man
whose name shows his double nation
ality and who is one Of the ablest and
most popular men in the southwest on
both sides of the Rio Grande.
The result was that the Mexican
government put in a claim against the
United States for $40, 600 600 damages
and under the Mckinley administra-
ton suit was brought by the American
government to dispossess the Rio
Grande Dam and Irrigation company
of their charter, and the ground of suit
selected was that the construction of
their dam would interfere with the
navigation of the Rio Grande, an inter
national stream.
This case was tried in the district
court of New Mexico and decided
against the government. 1t was TAX
en- to the territorial supreme court
and the lower court was confirmed,
1t was taken to the United States su.
preme court and reversed with instruc.
tons to ascertain If the impounding OF
the storm waters at Elephant Butte
would interfere with navigation on
the Rio Grande. Again, the case went
through the New Mexico courts and
again the decision was IN FAVOR OF lne
company, though the government sent
a special attorney from Washington.
d. c., to assist United States Attorney
Childers. Again the United States SUI
rreme court sent the case back on the
fimsy pretext that sufficient time had
not been given the government TO pre-.
Pare its case So, for the third time,
the case will come before the courts of
New Mexico.
Says the News: "Nominally the
suit is in the interest Of navigation,
but really its purpose is to kill off a
legitimate private enterprise in order
to permit certain international promot-
ers and spectators to obtain appro-
priation at the hands of congress for
tn bnfl1fpU of ~, ~utarnatinna dam