Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-06-16
FILL UP THE RANKS.
The Effort Now is to hake the STORAGE
Area Solid.

Area Solid.
There was another good days bust
ness at the office of the Water Users
association yesterday, though the acre
age signed was not so large as that
OF the days of last week. The matter
that is rushing more than anything
else now is the work of corresponding
with non-residents who own tracts
more or less surrounded by residents
who have signed up and which owners
are probably just as anxious for stor-
age as anybody but being away from
here are neglectful and not in so close
touch with the situation. The energy
of the association is now devoted to the
work of making as solid as possible
that portion of the valley that has gem
orally signed up rather than canvass
ing for acreage in more distant locali-
ties.
To illustrate, all concerned are more
interested in getting signed up any
small tract of land in the neighborhood
where the adjoining property is signed,
than they are in securing as much
somewhere else. The reason Is obvi-
Gus, and II is that ii will facilitate the
distribution of water and the admins
tration of the association and the gov
eminent. In short, the acreage now
signed covers the greater part of the
old lands except the region under the
Tempe canal, and II is greatly to be
desired that every strs ggling acre in
these older lands shall be gathered in,
making a compact area to be watered.
Those who live out on the fringe of the
desert and have made no move to get
in are now in a position to do the walk
ing. The government and the asso-
citation have been moving around pref
~ lively for some time and the letter
received yesterday by Mr.. Fowler from
Hon. F. H. Newell. chief engineer of
the geological survey, and published
below, indicates that the government
has no idea of building a pipe line TO
isolated ranches that may plead for
water after the books have been closed.
| If it is necessary to take in desert land
the government knows where it can
get plenty of it and in large tracts
Following is the letter:
Department of the Interior
United States Geological Survey,
photographic Branch.
Los Angeles. Cal, June 10. 1908.
! Mr.. =. A. Fowler. president, Salt River
Valley Water Users association
Phoenix, Ariz.
Dear Sir: Your letter of June 10th
| has been received. stating that yol
! have nearly 10000 acres signed up.
! think it would be well to proceed some.
/ what cautiously in receiving more sub.
/ scriptions and endeavor to consolidate
as much as possible. In other words
/ il is not desirable to receive signature:
/ for lands indiscriminately, but study
the situation and limit future member:
/ to localities where best economy car
be secured in future administration.
Now that apparently the success O.
the association is assured, it is impera
tive to consider administrative func
tons and discriminate along line
which viii insure the best success.
think it would be we'll TO state publicl,
that some limit must soon be set an,
consider very carefully each new appli
| cant for membership.
AS soon as / receive the diagram
showing the location of lands, tn
owners Of which have become members
and have had opportunity of analyzin
the areas involved, l can probably sug
gest indefinite limits for future guild
ance. Meanwhile, as above noted,
think it only fair to let the people un
derstand that it may not be possibl
to admit new members without yer
careful consideration on the part of tn
association as 4 whole. Very trul
yours, F. H. NEWELL.
Chief Engineer.
Aside from this letter little OF specis
interest occurred yesterday except tn
receipt of a telegram last evening b
Mr.. Fowler from Director Walcott aC
knowledging the receipt of a length
document prepared by Judge Kibbe
and forwarded by the associa ton. Tha
document is to be placed before tn
day and is in the nature of n brie
giving the whole history of the move
ment in this valley, with a synopsis c
the situation as ii now is, anu wit
references to all the irrigation laws c
the territory that may in any way al
} feet the storage enterprise. This brie
is to facilitate the work of the secre
|, tary in carefully going over the situa
| ton before giving his final decisio
whether or not the Tonic dam shall b
built. 1t is not the argument or plead
ing of the people, for that has been &c
ing on for years, but 1t Is a compre
hensive statement of the law and tn
facts.
The board of governors OF the Waite
: Users association held short meetin
. yesterday, at which nothing of eXCitin
! I,tf