Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-01-14
Bill
introduced
SENATOR'S RADICAL MEASURE
WOULD CRIPPLE IRRIGATION
WORK.
Special to The Optic.

DPGSIdI " IHt OpIiC.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. January
10, 1904.-Senator Hansborough's
latest introduced irrigation bill pro-
yiding for the appointment Of a CON
~structing engineer to build govern
ment irrigation works. at d salary Of
$4,000 a year. Is receiving a good
deal of unfavorable comment in CON
%gressional and official circles. The
measure practically takes the work
out of the hands of the present re-
clamation service which has spent
the last ten years in a close study of
western photographic conditions and
irrigation projects. II is the most
radical legislation which has been pro-
posed in connection with irrigation
and has attracted some attention, fol-
lowing is it does, the presidents sug-
gestion that no amending of the irri-
CATION law is desired until the gov
eminent plans are further worked out.
A conscientious constructing EN-
gineer,' it is held by the engineering
fraternity, must personally direct the
construction work under him, and he
cannot be In two or more places at
the same time. In other words, each
OF the big government irrigation works
needs its own construction engineer to
watch and pass upon every inch of
progress.
The present head OF the reclamation
service is Frederick II. Newell. He
has the general supervision of the en-
tire work including all the questions
arising under the irrigation law-the
selection Of sites, the social question
OF the use Of the water by settlers, !
the legal phase of the repayment to
the government Of the cost OF the
works, etc. When a site is decided
upon and the plans approved, after
being passed upon by a board of con- |
sulting engineers including the best
engineering talent in the United States
men drawing civil salaries of $20,-
900 or s25. Newell designates
a constructing engineer for each par
ticnlar project. For instance Arthur r..
Davis is the constructing engineer for
the big Salt river dam in Arizona,
which will cost $3,0O0,00 He will
personally watch the building Of every
foot OF that dam. Were his services
valued at 100000 q year, he could in
the three years which ii will take to
complete that work do no more than
make the Salt river dam d success:
he could not be expected al the same |
time TO be the constructing engineer
of the Gunnison tunnel project IN Col.
orado not the Truckee ditch project
In Nevada because in that case he
would be dividing his time and atten-
tion between two undertakings and he
could not certify as to the construc-
tion Of either. No reputable engineer
would undertake II Is stated. to act In
any such dual capacity. The Gunni.
o project has its own constructing
engineer who has alrcady given two
years Of hard study to II: likewise the
Truckee project has is engineer.
Senator Hansbrough is anxious to
C an immediate report on this
bill. The measure was introduced
without consultation with any Of the
officials or the reclamation service Of
the geological survey nor " the
secretary Of the interior, who is charg-
ed with the execution OF the irriga.
tion law and IL Is believed that II will
have very rough shedding before Il
receives favorable consideration by
the senate. or even the committee TO
which Il was referred.
GUY +. MITCHELL
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