The state herald., 1904-10-21
Example Of the Working Of Re-
cent National Irrigation Act.
HIGHEST DAM IN THE WORLD
Gigantic Reclamation Works In Arizona
How Irrigation Fund Is Created
and How Il Will Be Used-End.
less Chain Of Arid Money.

Hon. Alexander o. Brodie, Governor
of Arizona, In an article on Irrigation,
appearing in the October number of the
Cosmopolitan, referring to the operations
of the National Irrigation Act in the
arid regions of the West, says in part:
1.-The first application of the new lrri-
CATION law has fallen to the territory of
Arizona. Three millions of dollars have
been set aside by the Secretary of the
| Interior from the reclamation fund for
the construction of dam at the mouth
of the Tonto creek on Salt river. Work
upon this dam is now under way. &C.
ment works to manufacture the cement
needed in the construction of the great
dam are being built, also an electrical
power plant The river is being di-
vcrted by the construction of tun-
mel through the mountain in order that
there shall be no interference from that
source during construction.
| Immense Reservoir.
"The Tonto reservoir when created by
the construction OF the dam, will cover
1900 acres. The height of the dam
will be 245 feet and the depth of the
water stored at the dam will be 100
feet: the dam will be 1G5 feet thick at
| the bottom and 16 feet thick at the top.
In length it will be 200 feet at the base
and G53 feet at the top. This will be
the highest dam in the world. The stor-
age capacity of the reservoir will be
greater than that of almost any three
artificial reservoirs ever built, sufficient
to cover 1900, 900 acres Of land one foot
| in depth.
"The reservoir will supply water sufii-
cient to irrigate 100000 acres of land.
There are in Salt River Valley about
100000 acres of land suitable for irri-
CATION. Under the present system Of un-
certain water supply, only 10000 acres
| are under cultivation-more land. how
ever, than the supply of water warrants.
| 1t was estimated that the flow of wa
ter last year would bring n full yield of
crops from about 1000 acres.
| Crops Always Sure.
"The benefits to accrue in Salt River
Valley can thus readily be seen. When
we consider that from four to seven cut
| tings of alfalfa are possible during the
year in the Salt River Valley, what will
be the yicld-made certain by water
stored and ready for use-under the con-
ditions created by the Tonto dam?
| with the certainty OF pasturage in the
valley. cattlemen will engage more ex-
tensivcly in stock raising: hay, grain and
vegetables will seek an open new market
In the interior mining districts, and thou
sands of farms will become more profit
able. 1t is estimated that n million
and n half dollars worth of alfalfa hay
and fat cattle are exported from Salt
River Valley annually. With full crop
OF from 100000 TO 10000 acres, the
wealth-producing capacity of alfalfa
alone will be sufficient TO pay for the
reservoir in less time than is allotted by
laws TO the farmers.
| 81 have felt that the creation of the
Tonto reservoir is but the forcrunner
| Of further systems Of water storage in
aid Of irrigation in Arizona: that event
ually upon all streams In the territory
where proper sites can be found, irriga.
| ton works will be constructcd: that
where the flood water supply is found
| sufficient to guarantee, more than one
reservoir will be created upon n single
stream in order that the control Of all
surplus water may be had.
THE new era Of progress In the arid
region Of the United States has set in
with nm enthusiasm that means success
for MS Emerson wrote. Nothing great
was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
| ."
II may thus be seen by the slight ref
crcncc to this one project. what the gov
crnmcnt Is already doing In the arid
States Of the West. There are about
ST. 100000 now In the reclamation fund
ms n result OF the sale of government
| L.. a. -
operations are Ia be established. IL take,
but little stretch Of the Imagination {,
perceive the incnlculable benefits dcs
tined to come 10 arid America" durini
the next quarter Of century under III,
operations Of this wholesome American
project.
| Explanation Of Irrigation Fund.
| We frequently see mentioned In pa
pcrs not thoroughly Informed on thi'
subject. that such and such fund hni
been set aside for rcclaiming the nri,
West. Other publications. equally igno
rant Of the true status. hcwnil the fac
that the people Of the entire Unite,
States ARE To he taxed for the bench
Of the spar-cly populated West. Botl
positions are untcnablo aud nrc equal,
widely divergent of the facts pertain
Ing TO the situation ms II exists.
Again let II he said for the informn
tlon Of all Interested, And all who ear,
TO become Interested, that no definite o
specific amount of money hns been vote,
by Congress for the reclamation Of III,
arid West. The act provides that al
moneys received from the pnl. OF pub
lie lands In the thirteen States aud thr.
Territories described ARE TO hc turn.,
Into the fund for irrigation purposes. les
. per cent.
Easy 10 own n Home.
The Act further provides that the Ian,
shall hc sold TO actual occupants. VIII
shall return TO the government. In Il.
equal annual inHtnllm"ni-. the cost o
bringing water to the lnnd. that II III
reclamation ~ body of 100000 ncres q
land should cost si.OoO,oDO. of $40 pc
acre, then the actual occupant would b
expected Ia reimburse 10 inci. Sam IN
$40 per acre In ten equal annual install
mcnts Of ~ per mere each,
After ten years the entire amount q,
pended IN the construction ~ reservoir
dams nnd irrigation systems general
viii return again Ia the treasury Of III
, United States. mud emu thus bc sen, OF
! nTnln IN Its fruciifying mission of pl
nnthropy nnd home building, Mcnntin
/ tho most beautiful troaa In tho wori,