Arizona republican., 1903-04-19

Yesterday was the proudest day in the annals of Phoenix history, for it brought the assurance from an official source that the storage reservoir at the Tonto site on the Salt river will be built, and at the earliest possible mo- ment, if the plan heretofore formulated by the Water Users Association is carried out. What that menas for this city and this valley there is no need to relate at this time, for it has been the subject of countless newspaper articles heretofore and will be the text Of vol umes yet to be written. Sufficient to know that the crisis is passed, That the realization of the hopes and ambi- tions of years is definitely settled; that an expanding and glorious future re- mains in which there will be ample time to talk about it.
 In conformity with the announce ment made yesterday, the board of governors of the Water Users aSsocia- tion, leaders of the so-called minority stockholders of the association and representatives of the press met yes terday morning at the rooms of the association and heard from the lips or Charles D. Walcott, director of the geological survey, the conclusion ar rived at by the secretary of the inter- for, that the Tonto site met his appro- val from an engineering standpoint, that the articles Of incorporation of the Salt River Valley Water Users asso- citation also met his approval, that Di- rector Walcott is authorized to secure rights enabling construction, and that if assural te can be gwen tha ts,ae tc expenditure, construction will begin in the near future
 The meeting was called to order by President Fowler of the association, who wasted neither time nor words in stating its object and presenting MT Walcott Though the assemblage was small one, limited only by the invi- tation and the capacity of the room no audience ever gave 8 man closer attention or listened with more anxious expectation. There was a feeling that on his words depended the immediate prosperity of thirty thousand people, the future prosperity of a countless number And while his message of salvation was anticipated in the mind of each one present, none would per init himself to be assured till the words had been spoken. MT. Walcott, ad- dressing himself at once to the matter in hand, spoke as follows:
 DIRECTOR WALCOTT'S STATE
 MENT
 MT. Chairman, and Gentlemen: As you are all perfectly aware, for the past ten years the geological survey has been interested in the water supply of the west. Through it's Photographic division it has been making investlga- tions and obtaining data as to the water and the feasibility of increasing the supply for irrigation. Shortly after the reclamation act was passed the secretary of the interior began through the survey the investigation of various reclamation and storage projects through the seventeen states and ter ritorieS mentioned in the bill. That in vestigat tion was begun early ill July last.
 II do not recall the date now, but about a month ago, I should say, five plans were submitted to the secre- tary for his approval. One of those projects was the Salt river reservoir. The secretary approved the recommen- dation that the reservoir on the Salt river be looked into further with