Semi-weekly herald., 1910-06-02
dig IRRIGATION Project,
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Pennington Enterprise.

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Pennington Enterprise.
As promised In the Enterprise last
week, in this Issue we furnish our
readers full particulars regarding the
Orchard Mesa Irrigation district. This
is more familiarIy known to the peo
pie OF Pennington as the Illinois Ditch
project. and is the first irrigation dis
trict to be organized in tho territory
of New Mexico under the new law.
The district includes all that terri
tory between Aztec and the La Plata
river north OF the Independent or other
present bitches and under the new
proposed Illinois ditch. In this terri
tory there are somo IL 900 acres OF
| irrisable land and as fine soil as can
be found outdoors. The new ditch will
head two or three miles north OF Aztec
and the lands to be watered lie west
OF that place and north OF Flora Vista
and Aztec, clear to the La Plata. Par
ties outside the irrigation district ara
| talking OF an extension which is in.
tended to water many thousands o,
acres more land on the west side OF
/ The la Plata, but this is entirely fo;.
oign to the district and Will not be
taken up at this time.
In the notice OF election which fol.
lows this article. 1t will be seen that
the Standard Construction company OF
Durango has water rights which II Is
desirous OF selling to the district.
namely those of c. w. Thurinser and
tine Pennington Electric Light & Pow.
er company. There are two questions
which the land owners in the district
are to vote upon. First as TO whether
they shall authorize bond issue of
| $3.50 900 for the purpose of acquiring
water rights and constructing the
ditch, and second. the question as to
whether or not the district shall award
the contract for building the ditch to
the Standard Construction company.
With the water rights now held by
| the latter concern the district would
have 100 second feet of water. which
estimated at 100 acres to the second
foot. would rrigate 1900 acres OF
land II Is proposed TO furnish water
for the land at the rate OF $40 per
acre to the land owners, but out of
this amount the first years interest on
the bonds Is to be paid. and about 81
per acre will be set aside for fund
for repairs and maintenance of the
big ditch for the first year. Should
the irrigation district accept the con
struction company's proposal, the wa
ter which they will acquire from the
Pennington Light and Power company
will be diverted at a different point,
namely the headgate of the Illinois
ditch, two miles above Aztec. In that
case the light plant will have to be
operated by steam. or. what is more
likely, they will simply turn their fran
chise over to the Animas Power com
pany of Durango.
Should the bond issue carry and tn,
contract be ratified by The land own
ers of the district, II will mean that
one of the biggest enterprises evei
launched In San Juan county will be
commenced and pushed rapidly to com
pletion. The Standard Construction
company agrees to assume the respon
sibility OF disposing Of the bonds and
In the meanwhile will get right to
work and construct the big ditch. The
bonds Will be placed in escrow with
the Durango Trust company, and as
coon as the work Is finisked they will
be turned over to the construction
company, which will then proceed to
dispose of them as they see fit.
Every Indication at the present time
points to the success of the bond Is.
sue and the ratification OF the contract,
The Enterprise hopes that this will
prove true. for this project means a
great deal to San Juan county. Fol-
lowing is the notice of election and
the proposed contract: