Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1909-05-20
BIG MEETING SATURDAY
Orange Culture Will Be I'm
dertaken Regardless of
Fact That Homesteads are
Not Within the Water
Users District.

new enterprises that are constantly
coming TO the front in this section OF
the valley, ]. Beal one of the original
promoters of the idea of pumping
water in the vicinity of Higley for ir-
rigation purposes, has been asked TO
explain the real status Of affairs on
the desert to the south and cas-. of
Mesa. which he has done as follows:
Probably ore o. the most fertile and
promising irrigated districts in the
Salt River Valley will be that known
as Queen Creek, embodying the land
lying south of the Highland canal.
This land - a sos. loan of a reddish
color and is heavily covered with sage
brush and mesquite, the soil continu-
ing of the same character to great
depths.
1t is unfortunate that this land can
not because of its elevation be irri-
gated from the Tonic reservoir. yet it
is nearly twenty-five feet higher than
the new Highland canal being built by
the government. Nearly every acre of
this land has within the last two years
been filed upon by hOmesteaders. who
have associated themselves together
for the purpose of exploiting the I'M
derground water possibilities with a
view to irrigating from wells and
small pumping plants II is the pos
sibility of such a water supply that
has prompted the location of home
steads in this locality and from a study
of the underground water of the dis
trict west and south there can be no
question as to its existence in large
quantities
With a railroad siding at Higley and
the prospects OF a townsite in the i'm
mediate vicinity, II will not be many
wears before another town will con-
tribute its share towards the prosper
itv of the Salt River VALLEY. Several
wells have been dug on the old
homesteads and show that water is
found at a depth of from seventy-five
to 100 feet, and while water pumped
from such depth can not be made
profitable if used for irrigation Of
grain or alfalfa with fuel at its pres
ent price, it can be pumped at even
three times this depth and yet be made
very profitable if used in the irriga
ton of orange land. as may be seen
from California practice-or 1t may be
used for other fruit. garden stuff and
the like at this or even greater depth
than 100 feet.
meeting will be held Saturday aft
ernoon at O'Clock at the town hall
for the purpose Of organizing and
electing officers and subscribing for
the stock which 1t is proposed TO issue
to meet the expense of purchasing a
large and modern well drilling rig and
to meet the cost of the first shipment
of we'll casing. 1t is proposed to issue
100 shares of stock at n value OF 500
each though it is not expected that
more than forty shares will be sub
scribed for at the present time. How
ever. this will provide ample funds
with which to commence operations.
The plans are to purchase material and
equipment at wholesale prices. giving
the individual the benefit of such
lower prices.
A subscriber desiring a well may
then have it drilled, by the co-opera-
tive company. for just what it costs
for labor fuel, well casing and a reas-
enable depreciation of the well rig.
Should the rig not be in use constantly
by the stockholders it may be engaged
in drilling wells for others than mem
bers of the stock company, thus 1t will
be possible to keep the drilling outfit
busy. r Rowland, a very competent
well driller from the east, and who has
been employed by the government in
the drilling of wells on the Chandler
ranch and at Sacaton, will probably
be in charge of the drilling outfit and
his thorough understanding of the val
ley viii render his services very valu-
able
In proceeding in the manner outlined
it will be possible to purchase the
pumping equipment, engines or motors
| for the individuals in quantity, thus
obtaining lower prices and better
| freight rates. The exact nature of the
plants to be installed has not as yet
been determined and will not be until q
test we'll has been put down and the
4 quantity of water, the depth and the
effect upon the water plane have beer
determined. though it is presumed thai
at least sixty inches can be depended
upon from one well at depth of moi
| exceeding seventy-five feet and thi:
| flow if used continuously would give
| annually 1880 acre feet of water, OIL
equal to duty of two feet upon 54l
| acres of land. From this it will b'
seen that if orange land required tive
feet of water per year, even one plan
of only sixty inches capacity would b'
larger than necessary. if operate con