Arizona republican., 1902-01-15

from which water is pumped by power transmitted from the electric plant at the Consolidated falls.
 But the field for pumping is closely restricted by two vital factors-the vol tune of the underground suppiy, and the limited power available for pumping. As Mir. Davis of the geological survey. in his book. Irrigation Near Phoenix" roints out.
 The irrigation possibilities from un- derground development are 1lndoubted- ly important, but it Is not intended here to emphasize this fact. for the popular mind is already filled with very exag- gerated ideas of such possibilities. EN- travagant estimates of the quantity of "underfiow" are rife on all hands, and it is recognized as an important though thankless duty to disabuse the public mind of such erroneous ideas so far as possible.
 and he has shown by experiments at number of wells In the valley which had been described to him as ''inex- haustible" that a pump handling l5 or 20 miners inches quickly exhausted such wells for the time beIng. In short, people generally do not take into con- s;deration that the underground flow is exceedingly slow. and that it's vol ume varies greatly according to the quantity of water in the r:ver and the degree to which the surface has been irrigated recently. Thus the bedrock dam on the Agua Fria. a short distance below Frog Tanks, which was carried down through the sancs 40 feet to bed rock, made according to Mir Davis. little Or no perceptible increase in the permanent volume of water flowing at that point" And he says further,
 A measurement was made of the water flowing through the sluiceways of the dam in April. 1896, and this showed a discharge of only three and three-quarters cubic feet per second, which is said to have been about the ordinary flow previous to the construc- tion of the dam. Another measurement made the same day about mile above this point showed a discharge of three cubic feet per second. The difference between these measurements may per haps indicate the increase in the stream due to the development of the under flow, though even this is by no means certain. While the experience in this case is of course not conclusive with respect to all other streams, it is an emphatic refutation or the popular theory that such water as falls in rain must be found either flowing in the surface streams or underground. At tempts at extensive underground de- velopment should in all cases be pre- ceded either by careful and judicious experiments or thorough scientific in vestigation.
 And. of course, the underfiow under stream beds is greater thany anywhere else. As MT. Bone points out, undoubt- edly the best point for a system of wells would be near the head of the Salt and Maricopa canals. 4 considerable quantity of water, assuredly, could be developed there by pumps. and every encouragement should be extended to any project of that nature. But all the
 water possible may be brought to the surface by pumps, and 1t will not be drop in the bucket" to what the entire valley needs. The great well at the Phoenix water works can furnish on an average perhaps 70 miners inches about enough for one ordinary farm. To bring this volume to the surface re- ouires 55 horsepower. How soon would all the potential power in the various falls of the canals be exhausted in pumping plants? The new power plant l of the local electric light company will | develop a minimum Of 400 horsepower perhaps sufficient if 1t were all | utilized in pumping to supply a hall dozen ranches. There is a crying need for all the pumps that can be brought | into play, and they will help greatly but they would hardly begin to solve
 the greater problem.
 MT. Bone is in error in supposing that The Republican "favors voting g, 900, 900 | in bonds as the only way out. We have tried to show to the intelligent people or the community that it is sheer | folly to expect the government to come | to the assistance of the valley, and we for the people themselves to own the | reservoir, or private capital can be ob tained if only the necessary local
 friendship is shown. We very much
 doubt, as does MT. Bone. whether the
 people would vote the necessary issue
 of bonds to construct the dam-al- ! though it is clear that 1t would be to ! their profit to do so.
 The Republican believes that the
 most practicable plan of securing stor-
 age is yet to be suggested to the public. We know that capital stands ready to
 take hold of the enterprise the moment
 it can be made clear to investors that | they will not meet a hostile reception
 with our citizens. There has been much
 foolish talk of "confiscation" of honest | ly acquired and vested interest, and a