Bisbee daily review., 1908-02-07
WATER SWEEPS AWAY 90 FEET
 ARIZONA DAM
Huge Flow of Water Over the Roosevelt Dam, But No Damage To Farmers Is Looked For This Time.

PHOENIX, Feb. 6.--At 1 o'clock this afternoon 3,000,000 miners inches water was passing over the Tonto dam at Roosevelt, 50 feet of the Ari- zona canal had been washed away, the joint head near Tempe was par tially washed out, and the inuIrAuOns were that the crest of the flood would pass Phoenix some time tomorrow morning.
 After two days heavy downpour in the Salt watershed, the river began to rise at Roosevelt last night and early this morning there were about 2, ,SOO,0O0 inches of water sweeping over the dam. By noon this had in creased to 5000, 900 and this afternoon is receding.
 An early report from the Arizona canal dam was that 200 feet of the rock work had been swept away, put at 1 o'clock the reclamation offices here announced that but fifty feet had been taken away.
 The crest of the floods has not yet reached the Arizona dam, and when it does some time tonight it is feared that more damage will be done there. It is possible that before the flood subsidies the first estimate Of POO feet taken out will not be an exagger- ation.
 Enough water was passing down the river this morning to do consid- eralbe damage, and it is figured that the big flood will almost entirely take out the joint canal head near the Maricopa & Phoenix bridge across the Salt river. It is possible that lower down the river and in the vicinity of Buckeye considerable damage will be done.
 President B. A. Fowler of the Salt River Valley Water Users association stated this morning that not in three years has the valley been as well prepared for heavy flood in the Salt river as it is at the present time.
 At the head of the Arizona caaal there is a cable across the river, with which six men can I'll a few days re- pair any damage that may be done All that is necessary to begin repIac- ing the sections oI the dam swept away is to get up steam.
 The taking out of the joint head will work no hardship. Recently the lower canals have been getting their water through the head of the Ari- zona canal, and it is probable that the damage done at the joint head will not be repaired.
 When the officials of the reciama- tion service and those of the Water Users association do not find cause for alarm over a flood there is no oc- casion or the farmers to take right. At both headquarters this morning it was stated that the big Hood will nOt cripple anyone, and that as soon as the water goes down, repairs can be quickly made.
 The immense amount of water that passed over the Tonto dam this morn ing can best be judged when it is stated that the water was high enough to sweep away a small oot bridge across the river channel short dis tance above the dam. This was 26 feet above the river.
 Work has now so far progressed at Roosevelt and at Granite Reer that the flood will do no damage in eith- CT place. At Granite Reef the o..s, loss will be that caused by the floods filling the excavations made with san. These can be cleaned out in 9 Few days
 All day today the water in the Salt river below Phoenix has been grad ualiy rising It is expected to be running bank full by noon tomorrow. The flood that is now coming down the Salt is said to be as large as auy last year.