The Arizona sentinel., 1910-01-13
RAIL ROAD MILLIONS @
FOR VALLEY CANALS
Southern Pacific Plans for Great
improvements in Irrigation
System

this session of congress to pass
the bill to reimburse the South.
ern Pacific for the actual cost of
closing the break of the Colora
do river ;sin fulnllment of the
promise made by the President
of the United States when be
asked the railroad to do the work
that the government was unable
to do. The railroads original
bill was 81. 600, 900, which includ
ed maximum charges for freight
on material. hauled to build the
dams and for fees paid to law
yers for going to Washington,
but that was scaled down by
Engineer Grunsky, to whom the
account was submitted for ex-
animation, to 81, 100, 600 and that
is the amount asked for in the
bill before congress.
1t is the purpose of the South
ern Pacific, as stated by an off.
Ger of the California Develop
ment Company, to put the irri-
CATION system of the valley in
perfect condition, if permitted
by the court to supply to the re.
ceiver the requisite funds for
extensions, and then turn the
works over to the water users
on a bond basis that will secure
the railroads investment. The
plans include substitution of con-
crete structures for all the wood
works now ia the system, and
possibly the construction of a
high-line Canal on the east side
of the valley. The cost of the
contemplated improvements may
run up to So, 5Oo,O 900, and if con-
gress should keep faith and
repay the million spent to bring
the Colorado, under control, the
final cost of the system to the
settlers of the valley would be
reduced by that amount. Either
Uncle Sam or the people who
have reclaimed the desert and
added an empire to the product
i've area of the country will have
to redeem President Roosevelt's
plain pledge some day.
3 Southern Pacific officials have
said repeatedly that the railroad
company desires to get out of
the irrigation business as soon
as possible, but realizes that the
canal system should be perfected
and equipped with permanent
structures. before it is turned
over TO the water users. The
people of the valley have not
the capital necessary to recon
struct the system. The railroad
is willing to supply the capital,
considering the. investment
good one in every respect and
recognizing the fact that devel
opment of the valley means
great increase in the business
and profits of transportation, and
is confident that the work eau be
done more efficiently and eco
nomically by its own engineers
than by such engineers as the
government employs in reclama-
ton work, or under the condi-
tions that would exist if the set
tiers should undertake to handle
the job for themselves.
There is another apparent rea-
son why the Southern Pacific
desires to complete the system
before reiinquishing control
to the settlers directly or by way
Of the reclamation service. The
proposed high line canal on the
east side would convey water to
some hundreds of thousands of
acres of desert land owned by
the railroad in the northern part
of the valley, and probably that
land and water rights could be
offered by the railroad on more
terms than those which |
obtain under government pro-
iects. The sooner that high line
canal is built the more certain |
the supply of water to reclaim
the north part of the valley
Valley Press.
Notice Of Stockholders Meeting.