New-York tribune., 1907-01-13
SALTON SEA MESSAGEd
PRESIDENT URGES ACTION
Would Hare u. S. Acquire Cali
fornia Development Co. Rights.

low the interna tional boundary line In Mexico.
which threatens the property interests in the
Imperial Valley OF California The Presidents
message contains long review of the situation
and says that prompt action must be taken.
otherwise conditions viii become SO extreme az
to be impracticable OF remedy. With an ex-
psnditure OF probably 100000. he says, the
river be restored to its former channel and
held there indefinitely.
The President says that at present there ap-
pears to be only one agent equal to the task OF
controlling the river. namely. the Southern Pa
ciho Railroad Company. The question of what
sum. II any. should bs paid to the Southern Pa
ciho Railroad Company for work done since the
break Of November is one for future oonsid-
GRAFTON. The President says:
The reclamation service should be authorised
irrigation project. under the terms of the Recla-
nation act for the lands In the Imperial Valley
and In the lower Colorado Valley.
To accomplish this the United States should
acquire the rights OF the California Developments
company and its subsidiary corporations In the
United states and Mexico upon such reasonable
terms as shall protect the interests OF the gov
ernnent and of the water users. The United
States should obtain by convention with Mex
ico the right to carry water through that country
upon reasonable conditions.
The President says the California peveIoo.
nent Company began its work by making r.p-
reservations to possible settlers of the great
DEMENT'S to be derived by taking up this land
The claims were not only extravaxant hs saws.
out IN many cases 1t appears that wilfuI mis-.
representation was made
Tho money thus obtained from settlers waa
not used In permanent Development" he CON-
unues but apparently disappeared either In
pronts TO the principal promoters or In tbs
numerous subsidiary companies which 20 =
certain extent feed upon the parent con,panv.
OF served TO obscure its operations-such as =
CONSTRUCTION company, company to promotes
setuefnent and a company to handle securities
OF the various other corporations -.
senator Flint talked with the President ana
'he secretary OF State to-day regarding tho
matter, and said that he would shortly intr,.
ouce Dill 10 carry the Presidents recommended
tons into effect
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Inc Fresidents message in full follows:
To the Senate and House of Representative.
Inc Governor of the State OF CaIIfornfa -
individuals and communities in SouTharr 6,aI;
1ornia have made urgent appeals to me, to 4sL.
s.sps 10 save the lands and settlements IN ths
sink or depression known as the TroneriaI vi.
ley. or Salton Sink region from thraafensd Dc.
s1rucuon by the overflow Of the Colorado Rivar
Ihe SITUATION appears serious and rrganr
Sna G.at ~ now Te1er the matter 10 the Congress
TOT tne consideration. together with nv rscorn-
nendations upon the subject
Briefly stated. the conditions ara tbssa- rbs
imperial Valley, so called. in San Diego COUNTY,
CaL, includes a large tract OF country below
sea level Southeast of the valley and consid-
erably above its level is the Colorado River
which flows broad slightly elevated pIain
upon which the river pursues tortuous COURSE
nnally entering the Gulf OF California The
lands in the Imperial Valley are two hundred
feet or more below the level OF Colorado River.
Down as far as the interna tional border thew
are protected from inundation by low living hills
South OF the boundary in the Republic OF Mex
leo 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 10 this vast tract oe
fertile but desert land. or, on the other hand,
to protect IL from too much water works OF
supply or OF protection must be built in lrex-
leo. even though they may tap the river in the
United States The United States can nether
aid protect the interests of its citizens with
out going upon foreign soil
Nature has through many centuries protected
this great depression from overflow but tbs
restless river, constantly shifting, has annually
threatened TO break through the banks Only
a little human aid was needed 70 cause II to
do
THE CALIFORNIA DEVELOPMENT co
This condition has been long known ana
through many years schemes have been dis
cussed either TO convert the Salton Sink ares
into lake TO irrigate the desert lands be-
low sea level by making cut in Mexico through
the west bank of the Colorado River. II waS
also well understood that II the cut IN ths
bank was not carefully guarded the river would
quickly get beyond control Finally, after manv
plans had been tentatively tried. the CALIFORNIA;
Development Company. a New Jersey corpora
ton actively undertook the work To insure
the safety of Imperial Valley the head Of tbs
canal on the river was first placed on United
States territory near where the river was
bounded by hills. The canal then swung south
west and west away from the river through
Mexican territory to connect with naturai de-
pressions leading to the valley and pack fnt0
the United States. The organizers OF this COM
pany I'm order TO carry on the work In Mexico.
caused to be created a subsidiary company IN
Mexico acting under Mexican laws. Concessions
were made for the employment OF a Mexican
engineer to be designated by that government In
to see
ONT The dangerous character OF the attempe
was thus recognized in this concession
The California Development Company began
its work by making representations 10 possicte
settlers Of the great benefits to be derived by
them bv taking up this land A large amoune
of money which might have been used IN neeusu
works was expended m aGvertlSlI,S anu IA p Pr.
noting the enterprise. The claims were nos
only extravagant. but in many cases II appears
that wilful Misrepresentation was made Many
of the operations of this company ana OF its
Subsidiary organizations tended to mfslead un-
Informed settlers. At first the success or tns
company was great. and II disposed OF water
rights TO settlers at prices suincientN la,se 20
obtain a fair revenue. either in cash or In se-
curittes OF value.
The money thus obtained from settlers was
not used in permanent development. but appar-
entIv disa ppeared either in profits to the princt-
nal promoters or IN the numerous subsidiary
con,nanies which to q certain extent feed upon
the parent company, served to obscure itS
construction company,
company to promote settlement. and a company
to handle the securities of the various other
corporations- The history or tnese deals IS so
cor1nlIca TED that ft would require careful
search extending through many months 10 un-
ravel the devious ways by which money ana
valuable securities have disappeared In brfers
it is sufficient TO state that the valuable consid-
erattons which received for water rights
were obviously not used in providing necessary
and permanent works Tor FURNISHING water %
the settlers.
CUT CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE
49, ~