The daily sentinel., 1910-09-15
BALL|NGER
MAY Be HERE
NEXT WEEK


retary of the Interior Richard A. Bal
linger may be in Grand junction dur
ing fair week. He is due in Denver
next week. and in letter some time
ago to Louis Meyer of the Mesa Coun-
ty Business association, Mr.. Ballinger
said that when he made his next trip
west he would come to Grand juno
tion.
This may bring him here at the
same time as the U. S. board of army
engineers. as the schedule announced
in Denver may undergo some slight
alterations. The Denver Times has
the following regarding the plans of
the board in regard TO the High Line
canal investigation:
The board of army engineers,
which has been inspecting irrigation
and reclamation projects in the west,
will arrive in Grand junction Sunday.
Supervising Engineer r. F. Walter,
In charge of the reclamation service
in the Denver district. will leave for
Salt Lake tonight. He will join the
board there and accompany it on the
trip through Colorado.
THE importance to Colorado of the
boards visit cannot be too greatly
emphasized" said Mr.. Walter today.
lust how much of the proceeds of
the recently authorized federal bond
issue of $40, 100000 will be spent on
projects in the state will depend al
most entirely on the recommended
tions of the board.
THE engineers" continued Mr.
Walter, will spend three or four days
in Grand Junction and Palisade, de-
voting attention primarily to the
Grand valley project known as the
High Line canal. The purpose of the
proposed canal is to get water on
lands above the level of those now
irrigated. Citizens of the vicinity
have had the project in view for
years. and the board has arranged to
meet people there who are well in
formed on all phases of the situation.
Approximately 10000 acres are now
under water in the Grand valley. The
High Line ditch would mean the irri
CATION of $4,000 additional acres at
cost of about s4,00O,OO0. If the
boards report Is adverse the project
will be dropped; If 1t favors the prop
osition the presidents approval is the
only thing necessary to enable the
reclamation service to proceed with
tne CONSTRUCTION.
From Grand Junction the board
will go to Montrose and spend several
days on the Uncompahgre project.
Their report on this work cannot stop
the construction work now under
way. but 1t is in their power to de-
termine with what speed II shall pro-
ceed The reclamation service can
spend on the Gunnison tunnel only
the money that is allotted to it each
year, and our next allotment must
come ont of this s20.000.0O0 which
the board controls The flow of wa
ter from the Gunnison river through
the tunnel recently. has been down to
500 cubic feet second. while the
requirement is 1900 feet. This de-
ficiency would be made up by the
completion of the Taylor Park reser-
voir. which was included in the orig
inal plans of the project. The reser-
voir will, of course, be constructed
ultimately, but the more money the
army engineers let us have the sooner
1t and other work planned in connec-
ton with the project will be COM
pleted. We shall ask for and hope to
receive this year $1.0OO,O00.
If, then. the board of engineers is
dS iibtrhi WIFI US as we nope, COlO-
RADIO will get s5.O00,OOO. or quar-
ter of the total fund of $20,00O,0O0,
for irrigation and reclamation work
that is urgently needed. We know
that we have a good case to present.
and believe the boards decision will
be in our favor"
The army board is composed of
Lieutenant Colonels John Biddle and
w. C. Laugfitt and Majors William
w. Harts, Charles w. Kutz and Harry
Burgess. With them are General
Marshall. chief of the engineer corps.
and Director Newell of the reclama-
ton service. Walter has invited the
party to come to Denver and make
informal inspection of the irrigation
work that has been done in this vi
cinity and in northern Colorado. II
their schedule permits. the invitation
will be accepted. After finishing it's
work in Colorado the board will go to
New Mexico.