The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-07-28
Big Irrigation
Project is
Planned

ZAPATA, Tex, July 2..@The
most gigantic irrigation project in
the world is to be carried out in the
valley OF the Rio Grande. At least
$4,000, 00e acres of land, situated on
the two sides of the international
boundary stream, will he made
variable for cultivation by the
scheme.
1t Is planned to build dams across
the Rio Grande at four different
places between its mouth and the
point where the Conchos River en-
pties into IL on the Mexican side. In
part employing the immense anyon
OF the sfream. Ii is roughly estmat-
ed that the cost OF these dams and
their attending canal and ditch sys-
tens will aggregate 22,0OO,00O.
A number OF the larger American
and Mexican land owners on the res
pectlye sides of the river are jointly
interested in promoting the big en-
terprise. The Pimentel financial in
terests Of the City OF Mexico will
furnish a large part of the money
necessary. The Limantours of Mexi-
co. both Jose, who is the minister of
finance of that country, and his
brother, Julio. who own a big body
of land. situated close to the Rio
Grande. are largely interested in the
proposition. The Terrazas syndicate
in which Governor Enrique Creel. of
Chihuahua, is largely Interested. is
giving the project substantial support.
as is also General Geronimo Trev1no.
OF Monterey, who owns about 2,000,-
O00 acres of land along the upper
course of the river.
Before these large conservation
dams can be built across the Rio
Grande a treaty sanctioning and gov
erning the storage and distribution
of the water will have TO be entered
into between the governments of
Mexico and the United States. When
the treaty is formally entered into
the gigantic work will be launched.
1t is stated that it will have a capitol !
stock of S50,000,O0o.
The new irrigation subsidy law of
Mexico makes the reclamation OF
lands in hat country a very attrac-
tive proposition. II is stated that the
number of acres on the Mexico side
of the river which are involved in the
project is approximately 5000, 0O0.
The irrigation act of Mexico will en-
able the men who put water upon
this land to draw from the federal
treasury a subsidy OF IS in gold for
every acre so reclaimed. This sub
sidy alone would therefore, amount
to approximately $4S,000, 600 in gold
or more than double the. cost OF in
stalling the irrigation system.
This subsidy, however, is the
smallest part of the enormous profits
that are in sight for the promoters
of the big enterprises, 1t has been
amply proven that an almost fabu-
1ous increase in land values in this
semi-arid region is obtained the
moment water is made available for
the highly productive soil. This Is
shown in the valley below Zapata,
where land in its raw state was pur-
chased at So to SO per acre five or
ST years ago and is now selling readi-
ly for SIS to 800 per acre, merely
because it has been placed within
easy reach of water from irrigation
systems that have been constructed
in that RECON.
The present value of the land upon
the Mexico side of the river which is
to be placed under irrigation from
the system of storage reservoirs and
canals now being planned is " 10
IS e acre, while upon the Texas
side it ranges from s. to So per acre.
The sites of these four proposed
international dams have been tenta-
lively selected. The first VIII De
located about four miles above
Roma, Tex, just below where the
San Jose River empties into the hlo
Grande, on the Mexican side. A