Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1909-06-09

forty miles to the south Of Prescott,
has been decided upon, and from au'
,horitati, sources the Journal Miner !
is permitted 10 chronicle this import
ant fact. Luther Wagner, n civil
engineer Of note, passed through the
city few days ago, en- route to his
home in Los Angeles, after completing
a general survey Of the domain owned
by the Walnut Grove Water Storage
company.
twenty-five years ago Mr. Wegoncr
performed similar service for the
old company, and the two dams were
constructed on the lines he then out
lined. His ENTRY again 10 perform =
similar service IL bu, to be expected,
~ the field notes he possesses have
naturally been preserved, permitting
him 10 run the many lines over again
more cxpcditiously than If otherwise
was the case. Mr.. Wagner stated
that tho proposed new dam nj the
Grove would, however, be materially
different in elevation and construction
from the old one. and that the new
one would he built on modern lines
throughout. in short, il would be
patterned after the curve dams now
in service everywhere under the rec
lamaiion service, having what is term
cd rs the apron or overflow character.
The old dam, IL will be remembered,
wns constructed along the principles
~ horizontal lines, and was not in.
tended TO be filed with water, obser.
vations showing that the water shed
Of it's flow would never be tho means
of filing il up. \ dam Of 10 feet
in hcighth was built, and shortly af-
tcrward, in the first year Of its oper.
alton. the heavy rains caused il TO
be filed To the surface. II was then
decided 10 reconstruct or enlarge the
waste way on the left, and this served
the purpose of permitting the overflow
to pass through that channel thus
saving the dam from destruction
But in the year following the rains
were inccssant for a period Of thirty
consecutive days and under the ter
rifle pressure Of the water with the
gates opened and the waste way run.
ming full, the structure broke in tho
center, and the frightful disaster that
caused the loss of over 100 lives. with
many thousands of dollars in per.
sonol property, resulted. This was in
February, 1890. In that disaster the
TWO dams went out. The storage dam
in Walnut Grove was 4iO feet across,
with a depth Of 10 feet. Below,
about fifteen miles, was tho service
dam, Of smaller dimensions, with
which was connected the nume. four
by six feet and four miles long, which
was to convey water TO the placer
beds several miles distant, and to DO
operated with hydraulic apparatus.
Mr.. Wagner says that the plans Of
the new project will differ materially
from the old, and that while the
identical sites Of the old will be- so.
lcctcd, 1t is tho intention 20 make the
storage service much more capacious
than formerly, aud to this end II will
have depth up the stream OF at
least $50 feet, with the same width M
formerly, the lower or service dam 10
be about sixty feet In depth and
about $50 feet across. The water
from the upper dam will be permitted
to How down the Hassayampa on the
natural grade Of the river bed, and
on reaching the lower dam will be reg.
ulated in it's flow into the Humc as
cccasion demands.
Linked 70 this gigantis water stor.
age project there is the compound
proposition Of mining and farming to
DO considered, and in either event the
solution OF any Of the questions In.
volved Is Of the most vital import.
anee, The placer beds II is proposed "a
operate are very extensive and that
they will afford profitable returns un.
der the hydraulic method there 10 but
little doubt. The ground TO bc worked
has been tested at hundreds Of points
and In a majority of sampling tests
made gratifying returns were 70.
ceived.
The question Of the reclamation OF
the arid lands adjacent is also to be
taken into consideration, and In the
operation Of the hydraulics II Ia pro.
posed TO convert tho water used TO the
soil on a gravity basis, and TO thi.
end thousands Of acres Of land that an
OF fertile makeup can bs husbanded
and made productive. Surveys run