Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-02-28
GREEN BEHIND BIG
IRRIGATION
PROJECT
Copper Magnate Back
ing Storage Reservoir Scheme
in the ella Near Florence,
Arizona,

Phoenix. Ariz., Feb. CIV. c,
| Green and associates have filed an APP
preparation on all the previously unap-
priated water in the ella river near
Florence, and viii proceed to con-
struct a huge canal for the irrigation
Of all that area known as the Florence
and Casa Grande valleys. The canal
| will be designed to extend ultimately
| as far as the town of Casa Grande;
perhaps further. Mr.. Greene, II Is
| understood, has no considerable and
holdings there and possibly does not
intend TO acquire any, his project be-
ing primarily a water enterprise TOT
| the irrigation of the lands in thai sec
ton, most of which are now patented
or held by settlers.
The above facts are stated on au-
thority that is believed to be absolute
Is reliable and il is also stated that
Mr.. Greene proposes to begin work at
once. The charter of his company
calls for the digging of main ANA 200
feet wide for a distance Of several
miles back from the river. q ditch
thai will handle practically all the
water available in the river at that
point except in time Of flood. The
project will naturally nvolve the
building Of a permanent bed rock
dam for the diversion of the water.
The new project Is for watering, II II
secures the patronage, practically the
same land served by the Casa Grande
Canal company. Naturally the pro-
iect of Mr.. Greene suggests q battle
for supremacy between the two canal
companies.
John w. Sharpe, OF this city, when
seen in regard to the matter, said he
believed the report of the Greene en-
terprise. Mr.. sharpe is the man who
sold the Casa Grande Canal company
to Charles Il. Sigh and associates,
while the property WAS in the hands
of u receiver, and which receiver Is
still in charge at the request of he
buyers. Mr.. Sharpe says the Sigh
management has failed to make the
improvements promised; in fact, has
lone little to carry out the plans pro-
posed. and now Greene and his as
sociates have stepped in and will I'M
doubleday wage a finish fight. Mr..
Sharpe says that half the money spent
on the Utopian scheme Of a storage
reservoir by the present management
of the Casa Grande company. would
have put the canal in good shape and
furnished water to the lands in culti-
walton under it.
Concerning Mr.. Greene it was a
matter Of common report n year or SO
ago Thai he was broke" and it is
true tnat many OF ms Dig mining en-
terprises did slip away from him.
Nevertheless he was a bit prudent
during the days Of his prosperity and
ii is said put a million or so away
whore it would be safe against a
rainy day. In the %wrecking of his
plans. however, he saved an immense
area of the finest timber land in the
world, in Old Mexico. This, it is I'M
derstood, he has now sold to an Am
erican syndicate Tor a big sum-, so that
altogether he is rated at between two
and three million dollars, ever though
he is now u comparatively poor
man.
OF that amount It would only re-
quire the odd change between the mil
lions to build a pretty likely sort Of q
ditch and the gentlemen he is as
ISOLATED with, whoever they are, arc
reported to have good credit at the
banks. The most appealing feature
Of the case. however, is that Mr,
Greene, who has rid himself of all his
big mining projects, so far as his per-
sonal management is concerned, now
proposes to personally take charge Of
the new canal enterprise and push II
forward with the same Nigor he used
in exploiting his mines.