Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-13
Roosevelt UrgesQuick
Action to Close
Break
Congress Gets a Special
Message on the
Subject
President Charges California Develop.
nent Company Made Fraudulent
Representations to
Settlers
BN Associated Press.

By Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.-The presi-
cent today sent to the senate a message
urging some action by congress toward
remedying the situation caused by the
break in the Colorado river four miles
below the international boundary line
in Mexico, and which threatens the
property interests in the Imperial val
ley of California.
The presidential message contains a
long review of the situation and says
that prompt action must be taken, 9TH
erwise conditions will become so ex-
treme as to be impracticabe of remedy
Probably with an expenditure of $1,000
O0O he says, the river can be restored
to its former channel and held there
indefinitely. The question of what, if
any, should be paid to the Southrn Pa
cine Railroad company for work done
since the break of November A is one
for future consideration.
The president says that at present
there appears to be only one agent
equal to the task of controlling the
river, namely, the Southern Pacific rail-
road.
The reclamation service should be au-
thorized to take steps at once for the
construction of an irrigation project,
under the terms of the reclamation act,
for the lands. in the Imperial valley and
in the lower Colorado River valley.
ITO accomplish this the United States
should acquire the rights of the Cali
fcrnia Development company and its
subsidiary corporations in the United
States and Mexico upon such reason
able terms as shall protect the interests
of the government and of the water
users. The United States should obtain
by convention with Mexico the right to
carry water through that country un-
DER reasonable conditions"
Says Company Defrauded
Referring to the California Develop
ment company, the president says it
began its work by making representa-
tions to possible settlers of the great
benefits to be derived by taking up this
land. The claims were not only eX-
travagant, he says, but in many cases
it appears that willful misrepresenta-
tions were made.
1.-The money thus obtained from set
tiers was not used in permanent de-
velopment," the president says, but
apparently disappeared either in profits
to the principal promoters or in the
numerous subsidiary companies which
to certain extent feed upon the parent
company or services to obscure it's op-
erations, such as construction COM
pany, a company to promote settle
ment and company to handle securi-
ties of the various other corpora tionS." ="
Senator Flint talked with the presi-
dent and secretary of state today re-
garding the matter and said that he
would shortly introduce bill to carry
the presidents recommendations into
effect.
The message says:
1.-The governor of the state of Cali
fornia and individuals and scommuni-
ties in Southern California have made
urgent appeals to me to take steps to
save the lands and settlements in the
sinks or depressions known as the I'M
perial valley or Salton sink region
from threatened destruction from the
overflow of the Colorado river
1.-THE situation appears so serious and
urgent that l now refer the matter to
congress for its consideration, together
WITH my recommendations upon the
subject.
Describes Conditions
"Briefy stated, the conditions are
The Imperial valley so called, in
San Diego county, California, includes
n large tract of country below sea
level. Southeast of the valley and con-
Siderably above it's level is the Col
orado river, which flows on a broad,
slightly elevated plane, upon which
the river pursues a tortuous course,
finally entering the gulf of California.
The lands in Imperial valley are 200
feet or more below the level of the Col
orado river. Down as far as the border
they are protected from inundation by
low-lying hills. South of the boundary
i'm the republic of Mexico the hills cease
abruptly and only the broad low mud
banks of the river protect the valley
from being converted into an inland
sea or lake. In order to get any water
to this tract of fertile land, or, on the
other hand, to protect 1t from too much
water, works of supply or of protection
must be built I'm Mexico, even though
they may lap the rived In the United
States. The United States can neither
aid nor protect the interests of it's citi-
zens without going upon foreign soil.
Mature has through many centuries
protected this great depression from
oVerfiow, bVt the restless river has an
nually threatened to break through the
banks. only little human aid was
needed TO cause ii 10 do so. This con-
dltion has been long known, and
through many years schemes have been
discussed either to convert the Salton
SINK area into lake or to irrigate the
desert lands below sea level by making
cut IN Mexico through the west bank
or the Colorado river. 1t was also we'll
understood that II the cut in the bank
was not carefully guarded the river
Continued ON Page Four.)