Arizona republican., 1910-08-19
ROOSEVELT MAY
 DEDICATE RESERVOIR
FORMER PRESIDENT HOPES TO
 BE IN ARIZONA IN MARCH.
The Dedication of the Big Dam Will
 Be Set to Suit His Convenlence.

That Theodore Roosevelt will be present at the dedication of the great | irrigation project named in his honor is more than a possibility; t is now quite probable. In a letter received to- day by President John P Orme of the water users association, the ex- presidents secretary states that MT. Roosevelt hopes to visit Arizona in March of next year.
 The letter is as follows:
 The Outlook
 ''Office of Theodore Roosevelt
 August 12.
 My Dear Sir-Mr Roosevelt re- quests me to say that he regrets very much that he will not be in Arizona at the time you mention, though he hopes to visit the state the following month. Yours sincerely,
 STUART HILL, Secretary. MT. John P. Orme."
 The dedication of the Roosevelt reservoir has been fixed in a tentative way for February 22, 1911, but when MT. Orme learned that the former president can not be here at that time he immediately wrote asking him to fix on some date between February 22 and May 15, thus giving him all the latitude possible.
 February 22 had been selected chief ly for patriotic reasons. It will in no way interfere with local plans to ac- ceed to any date that the former pref dent may set-provided he carries out his intention of coming to Arizona. Only in a broad sense has the date for the dedication of the reservoir been set. The spring of the year when the reser- voir will be full of water, has been deemed the best time, though the pro ject will be completed before that time The huge lake, filled to the brim, will be a more inspiring spectacle than the halffiled pond now is.
 The following letter was the first of the correspondence which it is hoped will result in bringing the former president to Phoenix. It was sent out August by President Orme and Sec retary Van der Veer.
 Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, Care The
 Outlook, New York City, New York
 Dear Sir-On behalf of the Salt River Valley Water Users association we desire to extend to you an invita- ton to visit Phoenix and take part in the dedication of the Roosevelt dam. This structure with it's accompanying system is fast nearing and has been in partial use this summer, so that the water stored in the reservoir has saved the l farmers what would otherwise have been almost total failure of crops. | The engineers advise us that the dam | and its approaches will be wholly | by next February. It has | been suggested that if the date is con venient to you it would be desirable | to have the dedication of this-the | largest of the projects so far under | taken by the reclamation service and | one which will be the model for the | whole world-on Washington's birth | day, February 22, 1911. We are eX tending this invitation so far in ad | vance in order that we may have the | first call upon your attendance at that | date, and trust that you have no other to interfere with this ten tative program. The exercises would | necessarily consist of trip from | Phoenix to the reservoir for its form al dedication, and also a hurried sur | rey of the valley which is receiving | such great benefits, and will continue to receive them in greater proportion rom this immense structure, which | pears your name"