Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1902-08-30
RIO sRANDe IRRIGATION.
TO DC HEARD AGAIN.

Inc Denver News has q very clear
and dispassionate editorial In Sundays
issue upon the effort Of the FL Paso
and Mexico clique to rob New Mexico
and Colorado Of their vested rights in
the waters Of the Rio 0rande.
This river, which IL "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 Ell Paso Il becomes the boundary
line between the United States and
Mexico. From I'll Paso north to che
sources Of the river Ia 700 miles; from
FL Paso south to the mouth Of the riv-
err is LOO miles. The Encyclopedia
Britannica says that 1t is navigable
only to kingsbury Rapids. 45O miles
from the sea. 1t 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.
I provcnefit company obtained from the
general government o concession al
lowing the construction of q 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 an ideal one. BY the
construction of the. comparatively mex
pensive dam vast lake could be filed
with storm waters, without Interior
ing with irrigation by regular flow;
and the area irrigable from this reser-
voir could extend from 100 miles above
Ell Paso to 100 miles below that city
One would have thought that the Pass
city people would have been delighted
at SO magnificently promising pros
pect; especially as the scheme was an
Ell Paso enterprise, originated and off,
cered by Ell Paso citizens. and backed
by abundant English capital.
General Arson Mills Of the interna-
tional boundary commission and sever
al other prominent men OF FL Paso
owned considerable worthless land in
1 luS u0iiOW N0tCy Va lnC INV 0l0nuCs
just above Ell Paso. they conceived
the idea that they could induce the ma
tional government to construct q dam
at Ell Paso and their unstable lands
would be overlooked and they could
get o good price for them from Uncle
Sam.
II 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 FL
Paso had In fifteen years greatly d.
minished In population.
II did not require O very wise man
to see that II 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
nuence Of Captain Juan s. Hart, man
whose name shows his double nation
Glity and who Is one of the ablest anG
most popular men In the southwest on
both sides Of the Rio Grande.
The result was that the Mexican
government put In claim against the
United States for 100000 900 damages
and under the Mckinley administra-
ton suit was brought by the American
government to disposress 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 II was TAX
en- TO the territorial supreme court
and the lower court was confirmed.
II was taken to the United States SUI
preme court and reversed with instruc-
tons To ascertaia n 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
agsia the decision was In favor OF the
company. though the government sent
o special attorney from Washington.
ID. c.. to assist United States Attorney
Childers. Again the United states su.
creme court sent the case back on the
flimsy pretext that SUFFICIENT time had
not been given the government to pre-
care 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 It's purpose Is to kill on a
legitimate private enterprise In order
to permit certain international promot-
ers and spectators to obtain appro-
priation at the hands Of congress- for
L r. hutldtuu ~ an iutapn ntio0a1 dam