The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-11-22
Details of a Scheme to Save
$50, 100000.
AN IRRIGATION LAKE PROPOSED

| of the st. Louis Republic. Upon Uncle
SANS inquring as to what he owed
Mexico $20,O00,000 for lie was in
| formed that certain citizens OF his
country residing in Colorado and New
Mexico had used such quantities OF
water from the Rio Grande river that
the Mexican farmers had not been able
| to obtain enough water and in con Sc
quence had suffered loss and injury to
| the amount of the bill
| But Uncle Sam could not see how lie
| should lie held responsible for this, and
| though the collector called frequently
lie could never make Uncle Sam ac-
| Knowledge that what his people did in
| Colorado should he grounds for dam
ages to people in Mexico. Another fea-
| ture was that if the bill for S20OO0,O0O
was settled, What benefit would the
farmers whose crops had been injured
! by lack of water receive from il?
| The last proposition evidently set
Uncle Sam to thinking and finally. out
of bis Yankee slirewdness. he evolved
Il scheme Which for business and dip
lo,natic iim"sse is almost unparalleled.
Wien tie collector called again Uncle
| Sam delivered himself somewhat in
this way:
Sec iierc. absolutely refuse to ac-
knowledge that owe you 100000 eco.
Ii | did ] would settle it. but l don't.
| Now. will make YOU Il proposition,
which is fair, and will repair ell the
1 damage which YOU claim my people in
| Colorado and New Mexico have done
10 Your people. | will supply free OF
Charge to the farmers in Mexico. whose
crops yau SLY are ruined. eo,000 acre
| feet of w;ttfl-in other words. enough
water to irrigate GO.OG0 acres OF lanti--
| if you will receipt that bill or throw it
away. ! don't care which, just so you
/ do not call ON me again for money"
The bill collector. or. rather. the min
ister reported the proposition to the
Mexican government and as the offer
was more than generous. it was &C
cepted The only question was how
was it to be done, but Uncle Sam had
planned that out
Sixty miles north of lei Paso. in New
Mexico. the Rio Grande flows through
a deep canyon. sometimes as q mere
trickle Of water and again us q mighty
food. almost filling the canyon. To
build IL dam at the end of this canyon
and thereby make Il lake forty miles
long and twelve miles wide was sim
pie proposition anil required an ex.
penditure of only S72Oo,GOo. But, even
more, the country around Eagle neal
where the dam is to he built needs wa
; ter badly
Therefore the dam Is; to he built bic
enough and strong enough to hold as {;
reservoir most of the water sent dow
In fool time. not preventing in tho
/ least the usual flow of the river. but tt
! supply enough water to irrigatc 10000
acres of land in New Mexico and Tex
! as. as We'll as furnish abundance TO
i the G0,GC0 acres in Mexico
: The expenditure of $7.oCO.00O to sat
/ isfy Il $20.00o.000 claim would strils'
\ the average business man as fairl,
L good stroke of business. but Uncle San
! had planned deeper than that
/ The 100000 acres in New Mexico AN,
! Colorado we'll irrigated. will brin:
/ forth abundant crops. and farmer
! would lose no time in taking advan
/ tase of the opportunity of securing thi
! land, especially when tile government
/ was behind the irrigating privilege
! Therefore the farmers have been not
/ fled that for the first ten years the
\ will be required to pay 81 a year al
{ acre for water. after which the waite
I would be supplied to them free.
i 1t is evident that il 81 year be pal,
I upon each acre for 10000 acres TO
/ ten years the total will be $500,
I 600 and that Uncle Sam will recove
all of the money which he expended Il
! making the dam build up many pros
{ porous farms satisfy Mexico and no
Y lose IL cent on the transaction.
d 1t is proposed that this dam shall b.
Y completed in five years. Bids hav
B been received at Washington for tn
y preliminary work. costing 100000, TO
3 the diversion of the river by means O
y q canal in order that the dam mas b
b built with the least possible delay
y The canal will be dug near Lcas &ure
d N. NJ. and will be big enough to ALLOW
n the river ample room fer all the waite
h it brings down.
In connection With this deal of Unc
d Sans it should be borne in mind tina
\ the flow of water which orIiia"il
1 courses down the bed Of the ri
y Grande will be rather increased tllal
i diminished. rs the dam Will h. co,,
y structed with gates to ALLOW = stead,
] current. but the lake will hold il r.
! serve much of the flood wa;e... VIC
/ heretofore swept everythin. before i
: and disappeared in Il short while. lsi!y
i Ing the river in that section of u.
! country but Il pitiful brook. en- ;rc,.;l.
i ingly Inadequate to the farmers need
4 Nsrth Cnrolina... Grave. t-f,