The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1905-06-14
LkGUNA DAM
CONTRACT LET
Project Invaluable to
Los Angeles Territory.

The contract for construction
OF the great Laguna dam has
been awarded to the lowest bid
slers, j. G.. White & Co. Of New
York. The bid is 500, $40. The
Los Angeles Examiner says this
means that Yuma viii become
the metropolis Of Arizona. OF
the Importance Of the Yuma pro
ject and its bearing upon the in
terests OF Los Angeles, the Elk
aminer says:
The construction Of the dam
means the reclamation Of hun
dreds Of thousands Of acres OF
The finest farm lands, which,
when fully developed, Wilt fur
nish market for the products
of Los Angeles manufactures.
Los Angeles, also, will be the
principal market for the pro
ducts OF the farms.
lii discussing the matter yes
terday, George B. Mclaughlin,
president Of the California Land
Syndicate, said:
The city of Yuma is the gate
way for Southwestern Arizona
and Of all California tributary to
the upper Colorado river. J be
ieve that the future of CaEfor
ria depends upon the success OF
several projects now being eper-
ated from Yuma and It's surround
ing territory. Even Goldfeld or
Virginia City, in the height Of
their prosperity did not produce
the amount Of real money that
has been taken out Of the mines
in the vicinity OF the Colorado
river and tributary to Igma.
From the farmers standpoint no
better land can be found III the
United States than that sOuth OF
Yuma in the Yuma and Imperial
valleys. The extent of the ara
bic land can be doubled when
Soth sides Of the river have
proper irrigating systems.
The question /of navigation
of the Colorado river is now be-
ing gone into thoroughly by ex-
perts who are in a position. to
raise sufficientmOney to proper
ly equip steamboat lines and OPP
crate them on the Colorado river,
with Yuma as the distributing
point. This means that the
Southern Pacific railroad and its
eastern connections will unload
quantities OF freight for the
mines, for the farmers and for
the settlers in and around Yuma,
Imperial, Gutenberg, and other
points.
Some steps should be taken
TO acquire the mouth Of the Col
orado river, with sufficient land
en each side, and make this mag
aifcent stream American prop
erty. | feel sure that the United
States, government will loo6
further into the future OF Eass-
ern California and Southwestern
Arizona and acquire this land
now owned by Mexico and devote
it to the use of Americans.
Los Angeles capitalists have
in contemplation some projects
sf magnitude as a result OF the
assurance OF the construction of
she Laguna dam, but their plans
have not been formulated suf1i-
GENTLY to warrant publicity"
Bids for the construction of
tlle Laguna dam and sideways
which are to be built on the Col
orado river about twelve miles
northeast Of Yuma, were opened
in the Office Of the United States
reclamation service in the Braley
building in Los Angeles, by Su-
pcrvising Engineer Lippincott,
on Monday last. The bid Of j,
g. White & Co.. New York, for
S797 $50 Was the lowest. This.
rs So, 600 lower than the lowest
regular bid, that Of Orman &
Crook Pueblo, Colo, received
on March -.
j. G.. White & Co. is one of
the strongest and most expert
enced contracting tir1Es in the
United States.
The work involves the exc&-
waiting Of about 305, 600 cable
yards of solid rock ard 2S2, 900'
cubic yards Of earth, the placing
of about 800, 900 cubic yards Of
solid rock in the dam and mason
~ core walls; building Of aboet
q, $50 cubic yards Of concrete;
laying $4,000 cubic yards of pay
ing, and furnishing and driving
about 53, 900 linear feet Of sheet
piling. Each bidder enclosed d
check for $40, 900 with the bid
aud specified that the entire work
should be awarded if the bid was
she lowest received.