The Glenwood post., 1908-08-01
HIGH Line DITCH
IS A SURE GO

will be moving on the high line canal
within the next nine months if the peo
Pile of the Grand valley back up the
federal government in the work of con
structicn during the season of 1909.
This was the practical result of the
visit of Secretary of the Interior James
R. Garfield to Grand Junction yester
| day. The secretary reached Grand
Junction at $3.50 and was held here un.
| til $3.50 yesterday afternoon on account
of washout on the narrow gauge. He
then went to Montrose where he will
inspect the Gunnison tunnel.
Depends on People.
The initiation of the work on the
high line depends entirely upon the
spirit of the property owners along
| the proposed line of the canal. If
these men will subscribe q fund, in
cash and labor equal to the amount
that the Secretary of the Interior de-
cides upon as the proper allotment for
the first year S work, the contract with
the government for the construction of
the big ditch will undoubtedly be
signed and the project opened.
In Final Stage.
The preliminary work on the canal
is now in its final stages. The consult
ing board of engineers for the govern
ment will probably be in Grand June
tion by the latter part of August
to inspect the work of the surveyors
and make their report to Director New
ell of the reclamation service. Director
Newell s recommendation to Secretary
Garfield will be based upon the engin-
eer s report and Garfield will be large
ly governed upon Mr.. Newell s findings.
But One Hitch.
There remains but one more negotia-
tion of importance in regard to the
right of way of the canal to be con.
cluded. This is with the Denver o Rio
Grande railroad. The proposed line of
the canal cuts into the railroad s right
of way above Palisade and as soon as
the engineers of the government have
concluded this matter their work will
be completed.
LESS than year ago gentlemen,
came here and told you that we would
appropriate funds enough to survey the
ditch. Now I am here to tell you that
the ditch will be built.
II don't believe in making promises
that I can't fulfill but will tell you
gentlemen now that the high line ca
nal will be put through. The consult
ing bord of government engineers will
make report within short time to
Mr. Newell of the reclamation service.
If he finds that everything is in right
and proper condition, as it should be
before the government could go into
the matter, will take up his recon-
mendation. When the engineers decide
upon the line of canal shall be in
a position to figure on an allotment
This was the simple statement of
Secretary of the Interior Garfield at
the LaCourt hotel yesterday morning,
that gave to the people of the Grand
Valley definite assurance that the high
line canal, which means the reclama-
tion of 10000 acres of desert lands,
would be taken up by the federal gov
ernment as a government project and
be completed. 1t meant to the fifty nine
members of the Chamber of Commerce
and Water Users association, who were
assembled around the tables at which
the Secretary and his party had TN
entertained at breakfast that the hopes
of the citizens of the valley for the con
summation of the big project were at
last on the verge of naturalization
Ills words sounded the opening "f
lew era of prosperity and increasing
wealth. There have been few d"c:ara-
ticns fraught with a like portent, ever
uttered in this city
| Director of the Reclamation Service
F. H. Newell then spoke:
| "When the project was given up
some years ago and the Gunnison Tun-
mel taken up in its stead / will frankly
say that / saw the action taken with
sincere regret. believed that the high
| line canal was more feasible project,