Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-04-12
NEW MEXICO
is SIGHTED
The Reclamation Service is Too
Slow in Inaugurating Work
in This Territory.
DELEGATE RODEY ANGRY
Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and Montana
Have Secured Recognition But
This Section Not.

The statehood bills career is to be
determined by a caucus of Republican
members to be held probably Thurs
day evening. special rule limiting
debate and providing for vote is ex-
pected as a result of the caucus.
Government irrigation Works.
Progress has been made in the irri-
cation work of the government and is
reviewed in a publication issued by
the geological survey, which points
out the necessity Of great caution and
conservatism in the extension Of the
reclamation work. 1t says that of the
irrigation projects favorably reported
in 1903, which included those on the
Truckee River in Nevada, on the Salt
River in Arizona, on Milk River in
Montana, on Sweet Water River in
Wyoming, and on the Gunnison River
in Colorado, the Nevada and Arizona
projects have been found feasible and
construction on the engineering works
has progressed to a reasonable extent.
The Montana project, however, has
presented unexpected engineering diff
ficulties as well as complications re-
garding water rights, SO the progress
there is slow. 1t was found, necessary
to modify the first plans in order to
achieve early results. The Wyoming
project as first outlined was found i'm
practicable. A better reservoir site
than that on the Sweet Water River
10 1icnnrnrnl tLa A,tl,
Platte so that large system of devel-
opment may be worked out there in
the future. Grave engineering difficult
ties are encountered in the Colorado
project. The amount of arid lands
thereby reclamable is less, too, than
anticipated
Approaching End of the Session.
The present session of Congress will
probably terminate on April %, ac-
cording to the opinion of the Senators
and Representatives The Republican
ieadefs of the Senate altiC' ate hCt'
ing meeting of the steering commit
tee, some time during the early part OF
next week to arrange a general pro-
gram for the remaining days of the
session No call for the meeting of
the committee has yet been issued,
however
Delegate Rodey on the Warpath.
Delegate B. S. Rodey is not only be-
coming impatient at the failure of the
department of the interior to take up
an irrigation project in New Mexico,
but is expressing himself forcibly up
on the subject to the officials of the
reclamation service. For two years
the delegate has been visiting the de-
partment at frequent intervals, has
written scores of letters and submitted
ject but thus far has been given but
little more than smooth talk. Nevada
has only $4,000 inhabitants, yet, the
reclamation service has started work
on $3,00O,000 project; and in Arizona,
a similar undertaking is under way,
While Colorado and Montana are equal
ly fortunate. Yet, the Rio Grande Val
ley with it's 100000 inhabitants and
settled when the English came to
jamestown, is still waiting; all that
has been done being preliminary
survey and investigation. Delegate
Rodey claims that the department OF
the interior had before the passage Of
the reclamation act more data about
the Rio Grande Valley than it had
about any other section of the arid
west, the data having been collected
during many years of labor by Major
Powell. when he was at the head of
the United States Geologic Survey.
Mr.. Rodey finds this neglect OF New
Mexico especially CALLING because he
had taken such an active part in the
drafting and the passage of the recla
nation act During the winters of
1902 and 1908, he attended three times
every week, from p. m. to II p. m.
the sessions of the committee on irri-
CATION in Senator Warren's room in
the north end of the capitol, and care
fully reviewed and discussed every
word, line and sentence of the reclaim
alton bill, finally helping to formulate
out of the fifteen to twenty proposed
measures, the act as it stands today.
For two months the delegate has work
eu uHCedSlHSiy oii IiiC HOol VI 'itG
House for the passage of the bill. Up
on that ground alone. casting aside the
other important considerations, New
Mexico should receive some attention,
and Delegate Rodey has made up his
mind to use his utmost persuasion to
have the department of the interior
begin the reclamation work in New
Mexico in earnest.