Arizona republican., 1909-09-05
OVER ON THE GIlA.

'1h Wv inG 1lIA.
Colonel Tom Weedin of the Blade
Tribune, Florence. always is alert TO
boost for the great Casa Grande val
ley. whereof Florence is the metrop-
oils But sometimes his fiery zeal out
runs his consideration-then he's liza
BILE to make a mistake He has lust
made mistake in jealousy jumping
The Republican because of an inno-
cent news story published in this pa
per the other day, in which reference
was made to report from Tucson to
the effect that resumption of con-
struction on the Phoenix & Eastern
railway might be delayed because of
opposition of the location of the line
through the San Carlos reservoir site
The militant colonel IN his excellent pa
per leaps to the conclusion that the
mere publication of the report in The
Republican implies desire on the part
Of this paper TO have the projected
railway go through the reservoir site
and thereby destroy the great storage
project on the ella.
Tut, tut, Col. Weedin II is the
business of The Republican to give
the news-albeit it is not always pos
sible to verify interesting reports. As
a matter of fact, we have been unable
TO ascertain what truth, if any, there
is in the story from Tucson. II is to be
hoped that the railway company will
be satisfied to take a higher grade
line. and thus avoid interfering with
the San Carlos reservoir site. The
completion Of the Phoenix q Eastern
would be a big thing for Arizona; the
construction of the San Carlos dam
would also be a big thing for Ari-
IONA Every good citizen is friendly
10 both projects. The irrigation of
the Casa Grande valley would create
many millions of wealth, and Phoenix
would gain a splendid tributary terri
tory
We fancy that Colonel Weedin
makes another mistake in his assump-
ton that the reclamation officials are
hostile to the projects for irrigating
the Casa Grande valley, and we know
he is mistaken in assuming that busi-
ness men Of Phoenix are hostile to
these projects On the contrary. he
and the people of Pinal county may
rest assured that they may draw on
the Salt River valley at all times for
every bit of boosting for the Casa
Grande valley that can be done in any
way.
ii we were in Col Weedins place
we should do our utmost to reach, on
behalf of the people Of Pinal county, a
good understanding with the reclama-
ton authorities. We should point out
to them that not only is the San Car
los project a good thing. but that
diversion dam on the ella at a point
near the Buttes is one Of the most
meritoriOus projects that the govern
ment can take up. We should point
out to the reclamation people that an
expenditure Of half a million dollars
for this diversion dam, and the proper
expenditure for a capacious canal,
would supply water for winter crops.
at least, to more than thirty thousand
acres Of the most productive land in
the world. And the installation of a
pumping plant on the river at the
head of the canal Operated possibly
by electric power from the Roosevelt
damp would supplement the flow OF
the river into the canal, and thereby
give a fine. supply of water the year
round. We should urge the govern
ment to take up the matter of this di-
version dam as the first step. while
pushing the San Carlos storage prof.
ect, for the diversion dam and canal
can be made ready for service within
a year from the beginning of work.
Indeed, these projects, and several
Others-notably a dam across the Col
orado river at Parker, which would
supply water for 100000 acres-should
be kept before the government by the
people and officials of this territory az
enterprises which must be taken up.
Within two years the government will
begin to receive from the people the
return payments on the Roosevelt and
Laguna projects. These revenues will
annually amount TO more than half a
million dollars. The money received
by the government from the ranchers
of Arizona should be expended in Ari-
IONA on other irrigation enterprises
and it is reasonable TO expect that this
policy will be followed by the govern