The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-21
HARTMAN SAYS HE'LL DO 1T.
PRESIDENTS DEMAND 10 STOP
COLORADO RIVER BREAk.
Uncle Sam Couldn't Act Quickly Enough.
Diplomacy Being Too slow 90 Fight
Floods Lively Correspondence de-
= tween Hartman and the white House.

WASHINGTON, Dec. D.-President ROose-
Welt this afternoon sent q peremptory
telegram to E. II. Hartman, president of
the Union Pacific Railroad Company and a
controlling influence in the California De-
v~elopment Company. Flood waters from
the Colorado River threaten to inundate
hundreds Of square miles Of territory in
southern California and to create a per-
manent lake, covering a large and valu-
able area. Mr.. Roosevelt, after an investi-
CATION, reached the conclusion that the
responsibility for this damage rests upon
Mr. Hartman.
The California Development Company
ia operating in Mexican territory under
a concession from the Mexican Government,
and it il said to be due to the construction
of works on the southern side OF the border
that the overflow of the Colorado River
now threatens disaster.
A telegram was received from Mr.. Harri-
man yesterday asking that the United
States Reclamation Service erect works
on the river where a break has occurred
to prevent disastrous results when high
water COMES as it probably will come very
soon. For the consideration of his appeal
the President called into conference with
him this morning Director Walcott of the
Geological Survey, Chief Engineer Newell
Of the Reclamation Service and Senator
Flint of California. They talked over the
Hartman appeal and a similar application
from Gov. Pardee of California. Al the
close Of the conference the President sent
the following telegram TO Mr.. Hartman:
Replying to yours Of the 18th. Reclamation
Service cannot enter upon work without
authority of Congress and suitable convention
with Mexico. Congress adjourns to-day for
holidays. impossible to secure action al
present. II il incumbent upon you to close
break again. Question OF future permanent
maintenance can then be taken mp, Rec
clamation Service engineers available for
consultation. This is all the aid that there
il in the power of the Government 10 render,
and it seems to me clear that il is the impera-
| tive duty of the California Development
Company to close this break at once. The
dangers ultimately due only TO The action Of
that company in the past in making heading
completed in October, 1904. in Mexican terri
tory. The present crisis can at this moment
only be met by the action of the ompan
which il ultimately responsible for IL. and
! that action should be taken without an hours
delay. Through the Department Of state
am endeavoring to secure such action by
the Mexican Government AZ will enable Con-
gress In III turn TO act. But at present Con-
gress can do nothing without such action by
the Mexican Government, This Is a matter OF
such vital Importance that | wish TO repeat
that there is not the slightest excuse for the
California Development Company waiting an
hour for the actio of the Government. II
IL their duty to meet the present danger i'm
mediately. and then this Government will
take up with them. as II has already taken mp
with Mexico. the question of providing in
permanent shape against the recurrence OF
the danger. ROOSEVELT.
At the same time the President tele-
graphed the Governor Of California "a
follows
Telegram received. Am doing everything
in my power in matter. Break il on Mexican
soil and we have absolutely no power TO do
anything until permission is granted by
Mexico. We are hurrying forward in every
way the negotiations for such permission,
Until IL il granite Congress cannot act, ]
have notified the California Development
| Company that It il it's clear duty to act. as it
! has the power and as the entire dana ge arises
from the work which il began on Mexican soil
outside the jurisdiction Of the United States in
October. 1904. II is the clear duty of the
in,n,sdi.Ia dancer Tbsn Ills Governn,snt
viii taLe mn with HON as we'll as with Nexico
Inc nnestion or permanept protectlon of onr
neonie
t,
inis evening '"e Li"SNie"' o0ei'"N ~
following reply from MIR. Hartman:
New YORK. Dec, 20. 1893.
, TO The President, Washington,
Replyinx 70 your telegram this date. YOU
seem to be under the impression that the
California Development Company is a South
ern Pacific enterprise. This IL erroneous.
onanino ~ tho canal W. ara moi interested
IN ins stocL and in M wsv control II We
havs Iant q soms money m ossist In dealing
with the situ,tion What the Southern
paciec Counanv has done was for the nro-
tao,ion Of tho aettIsr. a q we'll as oF its tracks
hn, W. have datsrmirad IN move the tracks
onto higher ground ANYWAY. However.
in view nj your MESA 10 7 am giving au-
,hority to the Southern Pacific osBoers in
the Wsst 10 nroceed mr. onoe with enor,s 10
rsnair the break trusting that the Goyern-
msnt as aeon as Won can nrooure The necessary
ssionaI lsctionI will assist us with
| the burden y "A HAERtNN.
~. D-.u 1 .u.m
INC riouon' INC" Son' III '"H'""s'
To Mr.. Il. II. Hartman. NoD York:
Am uellEDIeu 10 receive your IeleKfhn.