Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-06-04
FORCE Of MEN To
BEGIN REPAIRING
BRIDGE TODAY
SPAN SAID
TO BE THREATENED
Commissioners Hold Meeting
at Which Report of Surveyor
on River Is Listened tO--AS-
SeSSment Increases.

County Surveyor Pitt Ross will ac.
company a force of men and a pile
driver to the Corralles bridge acros,
the Rio Grande north of the city ear.
ly this morning and work will at once
begin on the repairing Of the bridge
whera forty feet was carried out sun
day by the river. The piling of only
one bent of the bridge was carried
away, taking with it, however, the
flooring Of two spans of the south APP
proach.
County Surveyor Ross. after max
ing an examination of the break yes
terday morning, reported to the
county commissioners at their meeting
at 10 o'clock yesterday morning. The
latter ordered hat the break be
bridged at once, the surveyor esti-
mating the cost at $500.
1T is possible still another bent
may 90 out before the break is re-
paired said the county surveyor last
right. The old work is not very Sc
cure and the entire force of the cur
rent is now concentrated against the
south approach. There will be no
difficulty, however, in fixing the
break"
1 it AiOuDlt al int biINEt ~ NduStAl.
strange as it may appear at first sight,
by the success Of The county's fight
against the Rio Grande along the east
bank. The river has been baffled in
its usual stunt of flooding all the val
ley north OF the city and crowded
back into its original channel, is talk
Ing what revenge il can get by ham
mering the bridge. The big dams
built this year by the commissioners
across the numerous openings to the
enlarged Chamisal channel, formerly
irrigation ditch, and running par
allel with the old channel of the river
the east side. have succeeded in
throwing the river back into the old
west channel. Sunday morning the
current changed suddenly and took q
from the west side above the
bridge "diagonally toward the south
approach. Previously before the i'm
were made the volume Of
the river ran in the Chamisal chan
and washed clear around the
south end Of the bridge, leaving it
i'm the middle of the river. The stream
is now confined between its original
banks and has no chance to encroach
on the Alameda dyke which protects
the valley above the city.
Surveyor Ross also made an inspec-
ton of the river south of the city
yesterday and found everything in
good shape. The river is still about
the five foot stage.
The whole trouble north Of the city
Is directly due to uncontrolled and
un~supervised and unscientific irriga-
ton during the past few years. by
making bitches and intakes where
they pleased water users diverted the
water of the river entirely out Of its
original channel. The value Of the
new system Of territorial inspection
by an irrigation engineer is at once
evident.
with half the water, the irrigators
along the valley, if they use the wa
under expert direction, can do
lands twice as much good and
great damage Will be prevented to
roads, fields ana other property"
said a prominent citizen yesterday
who is Interested in the valley. 1.-THE
of dollars now being spent
o repair damage caused by unskilled
irrigation ought to be a valuable les
son to the county"
Salaries of $295.23 for men employ
in the river work were ordered
paid by the commissioners yesterday.
The probate clerk and surveyor
authorized to advertise bids to
Construct an cmbankmeut approach to
he east end OF the Barelas bridge. II
S estimated 1000 yards of earth will
De necessary. Residents of North
Fourth street who have been flooding
he road by careless irrigation were
complained OF and the supervisors
we're instructed to see that it was
stopped.
Surveyor Ross was instructed to in
-estigate the grievance of Francisco
Apodaca, who alleged that a resident
the stock ards has built a fence
lcross a public road.
Lorenzo Padilla complained that he
been assessed for goats which he
lid not NV and the assessment was
cancelled.
The resignation of Timoteo sails as
constable I'm precinct 1 was accepted
lose Maldonado appointed.
The reports of several justices of
he peace were received and filed.
Assessment Increases.
The report Of County Assessor |
irunsfeld was received and passed
ipon. II was decided to increase the
aNation of The Albuquerque Gas,
Electric Light, Heat and Power COM
Dany $12.3O0 making a total Of S5o,-
700. The total amount of increase i'm
county assessment was $153.-
The board will meet on Monday. !
fully 1, as "a board of equalization, To
any complaints ON the part of
property owners against their as !
easements.