Arizona republican., 1903-05-30
Will Soon Force Other Res
 eryOirS to Front
TEMPE'S KICK PHASES
But Remainder of the Valley Must Get a Hump on Itself Quickly. Future Repentance Will Not En- able Kickers to Get in Band Wagon It's Now or Never.

Washington, May 29.-(Special. .)-It interior today that communities in Colorado, Idaho and Utah are asking that reservoir projects in those states be taken up ana that the construction of the Salt River reservoir be post poned. The applicants urge that an opportunity has been held out to Ari- zona for many months; that the people of that territory who are to be directly benefited do not appear anxious to have a government reservoir. and that i. would be unjust to other portions of the west to wait longer for Arizona people to settle their squabbles. Some of the petitioners take for their text the figures given by the general land office last week showing that of the nearly eight millions in the reservoir fund Arizona mas contributed less than enc hundred thousand dollars, and they ask why the territory in question should be given preference.
 Hitherto, it was explained at the de- IL, vanced by the officials for beginning the initial reservoir on Salt river was that the project in question was farther advanced than any other, and that the government was anxious to demon strate at the earliest possible moment the benefits which the whole country will receive from water storage. But, it was admitted today, this argument is tsa,v T loci f@,- F IaA Montana. Oregon, Washington and Colorado are getting in line with great celerity and clearing up all obstacles with a vim. It was pointed out as q curious circumstance, that the plan of organization devised for the Salt River valley and approved by the govern ment, is the very plan which has been accepted as the model so far by every other community which is clamoring for the government to begin work, and the only objections raised have been offered from Arizona.
 Who at Phoenix is objecting?" I in- quired. The government itself is taking no note of the enemies of the enterprise" was the reply We are concerned only in the failure of the people in Arizona to accept without hesitation the plan already approved. However, the man from whom we have had the most objections is ranch manager or owner named Heard. MT. Heard, it is understood, represents a ranch of seven or eight thousand acres which he does not wish to subdiyide and sell, but for which, notwithstand- ing, he wishes to get the benefit of stored water. The national reclamation act, of course, contemplates that no single beneficiary shall own more than 160 acres. MT. Heard also claims to represent many other ranchers in his objections, but it seems that he is strongly interested in having the plan of organization so amended in other ways to give him some advantages and enable him and his partners to hold the ranch as great hacienda"
 But if he cannot gain his ends he does not have to lose anything, does he?" I asked. Certainly not" the official replied. At least, not as I un- derstand the situation. It seems to be admitted that the building of the Salt river dam will double the value of all lands in the Salt River valley, and the Heard people could doubtless sell out at a great profit before the service of stored water begins. MT. Heard has been informed, I understand" he add