Arizona republican., 1910-06-26
DATE OF DED|CAT|NG
 THE ROOSEVELT DAM
IT WAS TENTATIVELY DECIDED UPON YESTERDAY FOR
 NEXT SPRING
Irrigation Congress Will Probably Be
 Invited to Meet Here in 1912.

A conference of gentlemen repre- senting the larger interests that are
 concerned in the matter. was held
 yesterday morning in the office Of the
 Water Users Association, to discuss
 the question of fixing the date for a
 celebration for the dedication of the
 Roosevelt dam, and also to discuss
 the advisability of an effort to secure
 the holding of the Twentieth session of the National Irrigation congress in
 Phoenix in 1912 The result of the
 conference was a decision that the celebration should not be held earlier
 than February 22, of next year, and
 many thought that a month or so lat CT would be still better. Respecting the irrigation congress it was decid-
 ed that Phoenix would be in po-
 stion to entertain that body very
 nicely by the fall of 1912, and it
 was recommended that the Water
 Users Association tender an invita-
 ton to that effect. B. A Fowler. the present president of the congress,
 announced his sympathy with the movement. and agreed to do what he could to that end if it is desired
 Several months ago The Republican suggested the desirability of big celebration for the dedication of the Roosevelt dam when the proper time arrives, to which should be invited Theodore Roosevelt after whom it is named. the ranking officials of the reclamation service. and everybody else who can be prevailed upon to come. Until now the reclamation of ficiAls have not been able to designate any proper date that seems apprO- priate for such a celebration, though in certain quarters there has recently been an effort to establish a date next fall and work up a great deal of enthusiasm for the celebration so projected. The matter having been given serious consideration it was thought best by the officers of the Water Users Association and the reclamation service to hold a confer ence on the subject by those who would be most concerned in such a celebration and decide upon the mat ter with some definiteness Most of them are agreed that next fall will be an appropriate time for such a cele- bration.
 The gentlemen participating in the conference yesterday were Engineer Hill, representing the reclamation service; President B. A. Fowler. rep resenting the Irrigation congress: President J. w. Floss. representing the board of trade; President J. P Orme. Joe Cope and others, represent ing the Water Users association; F. J. Bennitt Harry Kay. w. J. Murphy, Dwight B. Heard and others. repre- senting the realty men; Col. J. IT. McClintock as a representative of the Rough Riders association. which may entertain Mr. Roosevelt in the event of his coming; Aaron Goldberg, S. J Nicholson and Secretary Chas A. Van der Veer, of the Water Users associa- tion
 There are many reasons for delay ing the celebration until spring one is that while the dam will be prac- tically finished this fall, it will have a rather ragged appearance until the final cleaning up is made by the re- moval of old buildings, machinery. etc Then too, unless there should oe heavy rains this summer there will be only a mud puddle above the dam by next fall. skirted by lot of pie COW tracks, for the reservoir has never been full and the draft on the supply last spring is now constant and promises to be long continued.
 Another thing is that nothing will inspire a crowd of visitors like a fine looking country and active oper- ations The fall is the most unin- teresting season here, when every thing is brown and parched except the watered fields. while in the spring the whole country is green and a de- light to the eye. By spring present work will be practically at Roosevelt and there will be little in the valley of that sort to show, while in the spring also 1t is expected the work on the new Crosscut and power plants will be under way. But most of all it is desirable to show the big reservoir full of water and if possible. rushing over the spillways and the country green and promising