The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-01-02
UNCLE SANS KEEN DEAL
Details Of a Scheme to Save
$1,000, 900.
AN IRRIGATION LAKE PROPOSED

AN IRRIGATION LAKE PROPOSED
United States government Is Build
ing n Dam In New Mexico Near Ell
Paso, Tex. Which Will Pay For
Itself and Thvvart Large Mexican
Claim-How m Will Be Aided.
About ten years ago q Mexican col
lector called at the Office Of Uncle Sam
and presented a bill for $2O,OOO,0OO,
says an Ell Paso (Tex.) correspondent
Of the st. Louis Republic. Upon Uncle
Sans inquiring as to what he owed
Mexico $2O,OOO,OOO for, he 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 conse-
quence had suffered loss and injury to
the amount Of the bill.
But Uncle Sam could not see how he
should be held responsible for this, and
though the collector called frequently
he could never make Uncle Sam &C.
knowledge that what his people did in
Colorado should be grounds for dam
ages to people in Mexico. Another fea.
ture was that If the bill for $20,000,00O
was settled, what benefit would n
farmers whose crops had been injured
by lack Of water receive from It?
The last proposition evidently set
Uncle Sam to thinking and finally, out
of his Yankee shrewdness, he evolved
a scheme which for business and dip
lomatic fnesse Is almost unparalleled.
When the collector called again Uncle
Sam delivered himself somewhat In
this way:
"See here! l absolutely refuse to &C.
knowledge that I " you $2O,QOQ,O0O.
If l did I would settle 1t, but I don't.
Now, l will make you a proposition,
which is fair, and will repair all the
damage which you claim my people In
Colorado and New Mexico have done
to your people. I will supply free Of
charge to the farmers in Mexico, whose
crops you say are ruined, 10000 acre
feet of water-in other words, enough
water to irrigate 10000 acres of land
If you will receipt that bill or throw it
away, I don't care which, just so you
do not call On me again for money"
The bill collector, or, rather, the min
lister, reported the proposition to the
Mexican government, and as the offer
was more than generous, it was ac-
cepted. The only question was how
was it to be done, but Uncle Sam, had
planned that out.
Sixty miles north Of FL Paso, in New
Mexico, the Rio Grande flows through
q deep canyon, sometimes as a mere
trickle of water and again as a mighty
food, almost filing the canyon. To
build a dam at the end Of this canyon
and thereby make a lake forty miles
long and twelve miles wide was a sim
pie proposition and required an ex-
penditure of only 81 1900. But, even
more, the country around Eagle nea1
where the dam is to be built needs wa
ter badly.
Therefore the dam is to be built big
enough and strong enouoh to hold as d
reservoir most Of the water sent down
in food time, not preventing in the
l0uSJ luc usual uON u luC IlNcl, OuI ~
supply enough water to irrigate 100000
acres Of land in New Mexico and Tex
as, as well as furnish abundance FOL
the 10000 acres in Mexico.
The expenditure Of $7,20O,OOO to sat
isfy n $2O,OOO,OOO claim would strike
the average business man as a fairly
good stroke Of business, but Uncle San
had p10nuod deanor than that
The 100000 acres in New Mexico ant
Colorado, we'll irrigated, will brtns
forth abundant crops, and farmers
would lose no time in taking advan
tage u" the npportunity Of securing thi
lal ,'~r. 'ly when the government
was benin. the irrigating privilege
Therefore the farmers have been mott
fed that for the first ten years the.
will be required to pay 81 a year al
acre for water, after which the waite
would be supplied to them fee.
It is evident that If 81 a year be pal
upon each acre for 10000 acres 70
ten years the total will be $780,
600 and that Uncle Sam will recove
all Of the money which he expended 4
making the dam build up many pros
porous farms, satisfy Mexico and no
lose a cent on the transaction.
It is proposed that this dam shall b
completed in Ave years. Bids hav
been received at Washington for th
preliminary work. costing 100000, fo
the diversion Of the river by means Q
q canal. in order that the dam may b
built with the least possible delay
The canal will be dug ear Leasburi
N. NJ, and will be big enough to allo'
the river ample room for all the waite
It brings down.
In connection with this deal Of Uucl
Sans it should be borne in mind the
the flow Of water which ordinaril
courses down the bed Of the RI
Grande will be rather increased tina
diminished, as the dam will be co,
S<r,,otod with uotoc fo allow a efooh