The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-12
ROOSEVELT DAM NEAR READY.
soon worlds Greatest Reservoir
VIII Begin to Transform Desert.

soon worlds Greatest Reservoir
VIII Begin to Transform Desert.
From the Chicago RecOrd-Baaid.
The last stone is practically set IN
big wall across the Salt River Valley in
Southern Arizona. To give figures would
be 70 say that the wall is 2S4 feet high.
Put IT beside the Metropolitan tower in
New York and It would reach over a
third Of the height Of the tower. II would
hide the Capitol at Washington to the
dome. Two forr-in-hapd teams could
pass it on the top so wide is it. and you
could make a sprinting course on the
crest. for it Is nearly a quarter OF mile
long. Such is the Roosevelt dam.
For nearly four years men and ma
chlnery have been raising this barrier In
a mountain rift OF the Southwest. It is
one Of the worlds greatest engineering
feats, and gives America the largest
water reservoir In the world for the pur-
pose OF nourishing the land
In 1902 a little party OF dust-covered
men dismounted from their burros In the
Salt River Valley. II was not an invit-
ing spot, the place where they pitched
their tents. True. Salt River flowed near
by-a shallow stream, thick with what
had once been alkali dust blown into it
by the desert winds. Unfit to drink. the
river water was suitable only for wash
ing, and the men had to sIake their
thirst from the casks in the water
wagons.
The mission of these men was TO learn
II that rift In Arizona could be walled.
because right here in the desert was an
opportunity to control forces of nature
for the use and convenience of many.
This rent in the earth, If barred. would
cause the Salt River and It's branches
20 swell until they were turned into a
lake, and this lake could be made TO
turn the waste into land Of plenty.
The valley Of the Salt River is so sit
uated as 10 form enc OF the most arid
portions of America. Yet here the world 5
greatest water supply works has been
created. The quantity of water 10 be
stored is much larger than the velume
held In storage by the greatest Nile
reservoir.
To build the Roosevelt Dam caused
the creation OF a town named after the
project.
Roosevelt talks and telegraphs 10 Phoe-
nix and other towns. and keeps in touch
With the railroad by q model highway
over which everything brought for the
dam and the town was hauled by team;
but Roosevelt viii soon be no more,
When the thing is done and the reser-
volr ready 10 water the desert. this town
viii be stripped Of ali that can be taken
away, and left to be submerged. It's
not worth while 70 tear il down 1t would
| cost too much 20 take Il away.
When President Taft sends the electric
signal to open its gates for irrigation
/ the Roosevelt Dam WIFI have cost s.75o.
| COO but when any one says anything
| about it TO Chief Engineer Newell. h'
points out on the map the land of desc
| lation, a barren waste from want o.
water that will be turned into towns
and farms. That 1900 square miles Il
be reclaimed viii make 25.0Oo farms, eaci
/ large enough TO support at least fv'
people. so mat the work means hom'
/ land FOR fully 12s.eo0 Americans. From
what irrigation has done on the deser
each acre, II Is estimated. viii yield thu
I farmer yearly crops ranging from g
TO $50.