Bisbee daily review., 1902-07-23
SAN CARLOS vS. ToNro BASIN.

In Maricopa county those interested in securing better water supply for the Salt river valley have abandoned the plan of bonding the county for the purpose of building the Tonto Bas- in storage reservoir, and will now make an effort to convince the govern ment that the first money spent under the new irrigation law should be ap- piled to the construction of the great dam at Tonto. It is given out that the secretary of the interior favors San Carlos as a more desirable place to begin the work of building storage zona lands. Efforts have been made for four years to secure the appro- priation of money for the construction of this work. A dam here would sup ply water for the irrigation of the lands owned by the Pima Indians on the Sacaton reservation, which has be- come non-productive in recent years for the want of water.
 There is no doubt but what both the Tonto Basin and the San Carlos irri- gation propositions are feasible and if a reservoir was constructed at either the result would be the reclamation Of a large body of arid land and the creation of new homes, where now is only desolate and barren waste.
 It is true that the persisten efforts of the people of Florence, and the influences they have enlisted in the east, to induce the government to build the San Carlos dam, has had a. much to do with bringing about the present national irrigation law, if no; more, than any other agency in its favor The San Carlos dam has been carefully surveyed by the government engineers and pronounced to be an ideal location for the conservation of water; it has been approved by the secretary of the interior, who recon mended that it be be built in his last annual report. President Roosevelt in his message also recommended the San Carlos dam proposition as worth. of the favor of congress.
 The San Carlos dam, it is estimated will cost in the neighborhood of one million dollars, while the Tonto Basin dam has, we believe, been estimated to cost twice that sum, or more.
 Under these conditions it is not likely that the Salt river valley people will be able to conivnce the govern ment that it is advisable o abandon the San Carlos proposition The cost of the San Carlos work ii in its favor The first work under the national irrigation law will be an ex- pertinent and it is not probable that the secretary will feel like spending two million dollars on a dam at Ton to Basin when half that amount spent at San Carlos will be as demonstrative of the feasibility of the great irrigation work in which the government pro poses to engage.
 There will be a great rivalry be tween storage reservoir sites in ev. cry state included in the national irri gation bill Localities will fight har for their favorite sites, just as locali ties fight for all manner of public im provements when they are proposed The people will strive for individua benefit and there will be scramble for this irrigation money, just as there is a scramble for all public money when it is placed within reach of the public
 The Tonto Basin reservoir would ac complish much for Salt river valley the San Carlos reservoir would accom- plish much for the Gila valley at Flor ence and below and for forty mile: south of Florence. including the beau tiful agricultural district about Cass Grande. We believe that the SaI Carlos dam will be adhered to by thu secretary of the interior as the first tt be built in Arizona, but the people ( Phoenix may be depended on to mak' a stubborn fight for the Tonto Bash site; the people of Florence will hav' something on hand until the matter Il settled. f.-Jss T