Arizona republican., 1905-12-20

pair work, but in an emergency might be excused.
 "There are also two gravel bars washed into the canal that will have to be removed.
 "In my estimate of the cost I have l figured the banks at eighteen feet thick at the bottom at the grade of the canal, though this is much less than it should be if the banks were to be completed. This is also poor construction if the completed repairs are to be made, but is adopted for the reason given above. It will not be safe to make them any narrower. 'I estimate that the cost of these re- pairs will be about $1,S50, using as unit prices 30 cents per yard for build ing the banks and 10 cents for moving the sand, and a lump sum for the gravel bars and removing the debris at the head-gates.
 "The water in the river at the pres ent time is just at a level with the floor of the head gates. and even with the canal in shape no water can be drawn except during raises of the river.
 Respectfully submitted.
 This matter had been brought before c. J. Hall, the representative of the receiver of the canal company by Messrs. Etter and Murphy and on the recommendation of MT. Hall the inves- tigation was undertaken by MT. Robin son. The committee waited on MT. Hall further in the matter yesterday. There will be a meeting of the farmers under the Arizona canal at Glendale tomorrow.
 Mir. Hall said that in view of the fact that no charge had been made for wa ter since Get. l, that $15000 had been spent for repairs that availed nothing and that the canal was out of business and not selling water, he had no ob- jections to their utilizing it to their own salvation if they could. He rather favored the project for the reason that he desires the farmers to suffer as lit tie as possible. It was then decided to call the meeting for Thursday to see what could be done to raise the money fo~ the repair work.
 A still more comprehensive project Is under consideration and was dis cussed by MT. Hall and the committee. It Is not likely however that it will materialize just at present, though it may later on as an alternative mea- sure of protection. That enterprise Is the extending of the upper end of the canal some distance farther up the river to the proposed site of the govern ments new diversion dam. It is the theory of its originators, that at this point, where there is a rifle, by means of a temporary brush dam such as is maintained and annually repaired at the joint head, sufficient water can be diverted to furnish a very material ir- rigation supply. This project would involve considerable excavation, con- cerning which opinions vary greatly and no definite estimate can be made until the ground is carefully pros pected and tested by an engineer. It is not proposed to dig this new ditch as far back from the river as the gov ernment would probably go in build ing the new head ditch from the diver sion dam but only to follow up the river bank with as cheap a ditch as could be dug for temporary purposes.
 MT. Hall told the committee that in his opinion this project had better be abandoned for the time being, at least for few weeks as the expense would undoubtedly aggregate ten or fifteen thousand dollars even with the best of good luck and it Is hoped by all con- cerned that within the next ten days or two weeks some action may be taken by the government that will indicate what it is likely to do in respect of buying the Water company's interests. If the government should take charge at once it is hoped some arrangement will be made by it or at least with it's cooperation, to secure a temporary water supply during the coming sea- son. If the government takes no steps to buy it is believed the fact will be made known very soon and then this other project can be considered as a necessary alternative. MT. Hall spoke as farmer rather than as a repre- sentative of the water company in this matter for he said the water com pany's interests would not be affected and he was only desirous of seeing the farmers make the best move possible Whatever expense would be incurred would have to be paid by the farmers and he thought it unwise for them to undertake the making of such a debt unless there was no other alternative The committee seemed to agree with him and it is likely this greater project will rest in abeyance for the present But it is equally as probable that at the Thursday meeting the farmers will take the initiative toward repairing the canal and cleaning it.