Arizona republican., 1906-05-26
BEST ROCK DAM
 ON SALT RIVER
Fir. Heard speaks of the Work at the
 Arizona Head.

! Dwight B. Heard who visited the
 Arizona head Thursday with Engineer Hill and B. A. Fowler was asked yes | terday concerning his impressions of l the work accomplished and being done | by the Arizona Canal Water Users as sociation. The question was put to
 him for the reason that while he is | largely interested in the valley and keeps in close touch with irrigation af- | fairs, he is nevertheless but slightly in 1 terested in personal way in the sec | ton under the Arizona canal and had not visited the Arizona head before for 1 several years. MT. Heard's answer was enthusiastically complimentary to all who have contributed to the present pleasing conditions and especially to R. H. Collins, who has had complete charge of the construction of the rock
 dam.
 MT. Heard said he considered it the
 best rock dam he had ever seen thrown
 across any of the Arizona streams and
 it has the appearance of considerable
 permanency. The rock used is large
 rough edged stone from the hillside
 quarry, the size and roughness of the
 rocks in contrast with the round
 smooth boulders generally used in sim
 liar work suggesting that in such ma
 terial the water will find a barrier that
 means something and no slight press
 ure will disintegrate or disturb it.
 Nature has been lavish in making this
 project possible. The big quarry seems
 to have been found right where it was
 needed as also was the sand and boul-
 der bed from which is drawn the ma
 terials for pudding the dam. The tim
 bers on which the rails of the tempo
 raFy track are resting were largely
 saved from drift and the rails were loaned for the time being to the asso- citation by the Southern Pacific rail- road. MT. Collins, he said should be given great credit for doing very ef- fective work in a limited time and at a minimum of expense.
 Though am but slightly interested in Arizona canal lands" said MT Heard, II am glad that the lands I am interested in are all signed to the asso- citation for that l believe was a good investment and the only thing for the salvation of the valley"
 The question has been asked if there | was not danger of getting the dam too l high so it might the more easily give ] way in time of flood. The answer is | no. The bigger and stronger it is | built. every additional rock that is put | on it now, makes more secure the en- l tire structure. It will be less likely to | go out in an ordinary flood and may | possibly withstand the winter freshets | On the other hand, if there comes a 1 flood big enough to take the dam out. | the size of the dam is luther insurance | that it will swing the river channel to | this side of the bed. where it formerly | was. And once the channel is turned to | this side and sufficiently washed out to | stay there, the dam will no longer be | needed. for the channel will cut out | the Extension almost down to the rock | heading, the very thing desired if con ditions are to be disturbed at all
 It is timely to mention again that | the books of the association are not | closed and those who have not yet | signed their lands may do so at the | same cost as the original members of | the association. There is no penalty | though the old members have the satisfaction of knowing that they | have accomplished that hitherto inn possible feat of lifting themselves by | their bootstraps. They are now in a | position to lift their neighbors if the latter will only help a little bit. The | presence of water in the ditches is hay ing an effect on few who have al- [ ways been in sympathy but were of [ little faith and had to be shown, and every day there are one or two addi- | tions to the list of new members. But l there ought to be more