The daily sentinel., 1903-01-19
TOO MUCH
elevation.
Engineer Matthes of the United
States photographic Survey
Says Utah Extension is
lmpracticable


geographic survey. who has charge of
the surveying of the proposed high
line canal. to be built under the con-
troll of the government. was an arrival
from the camp on the Utah line this
morning. Mr.. Matthes brought the
startling information that so far as the
extension of the line into Utah is con-
cherned it is impracticable. on accou-
mt of the elevation of the land in that
state above the end of the ditch.
so far as they have surveyed in this
state.
Mr.. Matthes states that the survey
ing party found no verv particular
obstruction in the Excelsior divide.
This could have readily been over
come, but when they had taken their
measurements of the land at the sup
posed mouth of the tunnel which
would have to be built in order to
reach the Utah land. it was at least
200 feet higher than the land ON
this side of the tunnel at the end of
the canal. as far a surveyed.
The Excelsior Divide is about five
or six miles from the Utah line 1t
is high ridge. running from north
to south To carry water into Utah
it would have been necessary to tun-
mel this ridge from a distance Of from
four to six miles. This was not con-
sidered any great obstacle. But
when the surveying rods were run OH
the other side of this ridge at point
where the end of the tunnel would be.
it was found that the land was away
above the elevation of the land on
the eastern side. Here was an OBJ
stacle unforeseen. In fact it was
thought that the land would be con
siderably lower than on this side at
the proposed entrance of the tunnel
It was not however and in the judg-
ment of Mr.. Matthes it seetles the
matter of an interstate canal. so far
as Utah is concerned.
Mr.. Matthes. as soon as the matter
was fully figured out wired to Wash
ington for instructions in regard to
the matter. He stated to The Senti-
mel that the water could be pumped to
the high level of the Utah land. but
that this would entail consid rable
expense and was not in accordance
with the original ideas of the govern
ment for gravity canal to cover with
water the great unoccupied wastes of
land Of eastern Utah and Western Col
orado
So far as the proposition is feasible
for the reclamation of all land in
@ olorado, Mr.. Matthes has no doubt
whatever and this will doubtless be
the tenor of his report. although he
has not said so absolutely. He saws
that in Colorado alone this propo sed
canal will reclaim over fifty thousand
acres of as fine land as can be found
in this country. He says the land in
Utah is also fine and that he is very
sorry that they have discovered the
pre- sent obstacle in the lands eleva-
tion right on the eastern border Of
Utah.
The surveying corps can go no fur
ther with their work. until other in
structions are received from Washing
ton. The corps is now camped on the
river near Fruita. having completed
their work so far as it concerns the
land in this state. Enigneer Matthes
may receive some definite instruction
to 90 ahead and survey the land in
Utah. from his superiors in Washing
ton. pending some solution for the
elevation of the water.
When he was asked this morning if
he could have gone higher up the
Grand river to secure better elevation
he said that it was not practicable.
that he was in hopes that he could
drop down little lower where there
was not SO much shale and where the
cost of the construction of the dam
and preliminary work would not be
80 great