Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-11-04

ton for dams In vain private and
corporate interests studied the situ3-
ton, somo insurmOuutahlc difficulty
either iu the engineering work or nuan-
cling the scheme was always encounter
ed, And 80 the amount of water avail
able became less and less, and the land
enriched by ages Of silt-laden floods lie
came more and more desolatc
The National Irrigation act was tha
herald of New MeXico's redemption. II
was the signal for those modern magi-
clans, Uncle SANS engineers. TO iuggle
with the forces OF nature. Land and
water, What potent worts to conjure
with Already New Mexico is prepar-
ing Ia swing In limo IN the forward pro-
cessi0n Of the age, Down near Ros-
well. 10000 acres OF land viii be sup
piled with water I'm 1906, and plans are
being formulated by which the entire
Pecos valley eventually will be brought
under a comprehensive system Of ir-
rigaton. Investigations are also being
carried on in the La Plata valley and
I'm the vicinity Of Las Vegas, and the
underground waters of the territory are
being carefully studied,
ENORMOUS IRRIGATION DAM.
But by far the most interesting work
in New Mexico is the project designed
TO reclaim the Rio Cirande valley In
the southern portion Of the territory
IN addition 10 the obstacles already
mentioned any scheme to reclaim these
lands is complicated by interstate ana
international questions which require
careful handling to avoid friction be-
tween citizens residing In this portion
Of the valley The engineers have found
suitable reservoir site near Englc.
and a wonderful dam 255 feet In height
from bedrock 20 top OF parapct walls.
has been planned, The reservoir thus
created viii be 80 miles long
and VIII have capacity Of
1000 900 acre feet, can acru'foot
Is one acre one foot deep An in
genious arrangement OF sluicc gates
VIII provide for'the disposal Of silt from
time 20 time, and as the reservoir VIII
be relatively deep IN proportion TO It's
surface area there VIII not be excess
siye evaporation, The Las Cruces sys-
tenn win be utilized for distribution
purposes, and tho main canal extended
along the valley on the east eide of The
river. Water may be taken across the
river I'm Pipe, to irwSatc The west side;
electric power generated by drops In
the canal mag Doe used 90 run pumps
for that purpose or @ separate canal
can head a. the west end 0f the di-
version dam, Other diversions win be
made a,ove this point as found ncces-
sary or urHc.irIhe. Below the Pass or
IntCri Jtianpl dam size, existing canals
win De used Co distribute Water TO the
lands i'm Texas ana Mexico, The great
darn win make possible the Develop
mcut Of power by which the under
ground water may be pumped 10 the
surface, and thus increase The irrigJ-
bic acreage; 81 will also,preyeut for all
time the destructive floods which annu-
ally visit The valley
FORTUNES IN THE SOIL,
The wonderful fertility OF the soil Ia
evidenced wherever sufficient water is
properly applied. Last year one onion
grower realized n profit IN excess OF
5000 from less than an acre OF Bermu-
d9 onions, 40 the 81. Louis exposition
% farmer exhibited stalks OF sugar cauc
grown IN The Rio Grau1e valley ana
was awarded the gold medal over 8I
competitors including those from cuba
ana Hawaii Marvellous Yields uf all
fuIfa. cereals, vegetables and fruit are
also produced. The settlers are fully
alive 10 the benefits which viii accrue
DO them by the construction OF this
system, and are eager TO cooperate
With the government by piedglug their
lands through the Water Users assorl-
otlona formed for the purpose In both
Texas and New Mexico, to return the