The Delta independent., 1904-04-22
TO TAP THE GuSslsos.

R'neefb can tdhe u tue WIN az "eeh .
notice. and from 800 To GOO laborers can
be rushed to the spot within am, n h
after the word is given.
Two thirds OF the privately owned
acreage has already been subseribed.
aud with all necessary engineering daia
at hand, Secretary Hitchcock OF the 10
ferior department has practically deter
mined TO begin construction al once
Tho only formality to be observed be-
fore the secretary and the board OF en-
gineers Of the reclamation service give
their Official acquiescence is the visit oil
| a commission OF three experts. personal
ly representing the secretary, who are
already 10 the West. and are expected
to view the tunnel site within very
few weeks. Engineers and others famil-
lar with the history and nature Of the
project. declare that there is not Que
chance 10 1000 ot This commission
reaching a decision contrary 10 the fa.-
orabie views airead, held by the officials
at Washington. Indeed. so thorough is
the mutual UNDERSTANDING OF all CON
cerned that the completion of the con
| missions visit may practically be con-
sidesed signal for and assurance Of the
| i'm mediate prosecution Of actual con-
struction.
The project for the diversion OF the
waters Of the swift, flowing Gunnison
river for the reclamation OF the lI6.ooo
acres Of the Uncompahgre valley was
one OF the 6rst TO be considerably the
reclamation service in this state; pre-
Iiminsry surveys were made in 1871.
The turbid Gunnisou aud the sluggish
Uncompahgre rivers run parallel fur
thirty live miles. aud by tunneiing the
range y ZOO second foot fos. amply
sufficient for the greatest possible irri-
cation demznds a; ali seasons, can be
I obtained.
-Uf the 10000 acres under the pro-
ject." said Engineer A. l.. Fellows. who
is conversant with the scheme from ills
tirst Inception. $4,000 are owpeu by the
government, and by the terms OF the re-
| cismation act, persons filing thereon
subsequently are subject TO the charges
then being paid by private owners. just
I l0l ,26S acres are owned b. individuals.
aud of this amount 7o.ooo acres have
been subscribed already. The resident
farmers, acquainted Thoroughly with
the siguitiraoce OF the success Of the
project. have practically subscribed 70 a
usan. and the privately heid isnd no,
vi subscribed is mostly held by non
| ~esident cspers, not cSrnixant OF the
] benefits TO bS x.sirsi trera ,ne anrrcse'
/ 6Snt. EyxI stnesu u-pxnsis -rscurU~tis
sill come Into. the agreemrnt. as their
Isnd rs II Stands i practically worthless
unless served 10y irrigation works.
The plan Is tor the interested farm
ers 10 subscribe for one share OF stock
for each acre 10 be served 10y the pro
iect. The assessment is Saoo anuusll,
for each acre for ten years for tue cost
Of construction. 10 which mnst be added
very slight percentage for ms,uien-
srce. The company formed VIII be
known Ms The Uucompahgre Vaiie,
Water Users' association. lie govern
ment simply advances the ss'3vu.Voo
needful. to be paid back IN eas, install
ments, without interest.
That this plan OF government con
s,tuctiou is immeasuraoiy superior TO
construction by private concerns Is cas
tly shown. BY accepting The disinier-
es,cd offer of the department OF the in
terror. under the reclamation act. the al
fec,ed farmers can depend in the iirst
place that the money paid for construc
ton 10 we'll spent, and ths, the WORKS
! will be durable. This fact assures those
served that the cost ot maintenance VIII
| be an ius,gniticanily small item. Ga
| The other hand, experience has shown
/ that 10 the usual canal construction by
pr,yatc companies. the quality OF the
drst construction has frequenuy I'm
poscd burdensome cost of maintenance.
while the government demands no
interest even IL the priuripai remain un-
/ paid for twenty yeare. private capital IN
yee,ed iu the district bonds issued Will
demand interest Of not less than 6 per
cent. With even this low rate. the
farmer could better afford TO pay, II nee
cssary, for lasting construction by pri
va,e capital. for s.o at per cent Tor ten
years smounts to sa66o. OF SLIGO an acre
more thau under government supesyis-
| ion, 40 q matter OF fact. the discrep-
sncy will be greater. as the private
bonds must be uiscounted. aud private
capital 10 rarely sunk III such improve
meuts al less Than $ per cent.
There are now len experts represent
| Jog the secretary of the iuserior travel
juv throughout ihe West. engaged IN
looking into the exa.t state OF the many
projects OF the reclamation serv,ve
which are in various stages OF compile
lion. These men are scattered All along
tho Pacific coast, from southern Cali
fornis to Washington state. From these
zen experts, "a commission of three will
shortly be delegated to make the last
aud determinalive inspection Of the
Guunison tunnel site. Their report 10
Washington will probably be brief and
to the point as the entire situation IL
well understood there aud tho forth.
comiug decision will be final.
"rrom 5uo to 800 men, from all over
the country could be rapidly rushed to
the spot. The work preliminary to con.
lstructiop. granted tho favorable report,
will cousist of Ieyeing, ditch constrac-
1 81. f..r.