Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1910-05-23
BOND WITH
WATER FILING
w. B. Freeman of u. S. Geo
logical Survey Deems 1t
Wise
GOVERNOR GONE TO ROSWELL
Appoints Three Notaries Public
Before He Starts on
Trip.

Governor Mills and Adjutant Gen
eral A. S. Brookes and military stan
left bright and early this forenoon for
Roswell going via the New Mexico
Central railway to Torrance where
thew take several automobiles for the
Magic City of the Pecos valley where
they expect to arrive early this even
ing. They will stay several days dur
ing which Governor Mills will deliver
the commencement address at the
New Mexico Military Institute. He
returned Saturday evening from Ra-
ton. where he was given an especial
ly cordial reception
U. S. Geological Engineer on Bond
With Water Filings.
w. B. Freeman, of Denver district
engineer of the U. S. Geological Sur
vey, was in consultation with Terri
torial Engineer Vernon l.. Sullivan
this forenoon on irrigation matters. He
spoke as follows to representative
of the New Mexican on the recent rul-
ing of the engineer of this territory re-
curing bond to accompany water fl
ings:
MY work as district engineer in
charge of the water supply investiga-
tions of the United States Geological
Survey in several of the irrigation
states of the west, brings me in rather
Intimate touch with matters pertain
ing to irrigation. l am always very
much interested in changes and inno-
vations in the administration of irrl-
cation laws.
The development of irrigation laws
has been a very slow process Varl-
GUS states have eXperimented with
variety of irrigation codes and many
of them have adopted laws which
have some very good features. The
states with the newer irrigation laws
have profited by their earlier expert
ences and those of their nelghbor
states and naturally have tried to Sc
lect the best from other codes. New
ertheless no state has an irrigation
code which is by any means perfect
The best could be modified and added
to in many important particulars.
with respect to irrigation Law,
New Mexico must be classed with the
newest among the states and terrific
ries. Until the establishment of the
office of territorial engineer some
three years ago luere were no Syste-
matte methods of filing and all mat
ters pertaining to the use of water
were in a chaotic condition. I have
watched with interest the remarkable
development, which has taken place
along those lines, in so short a time,
under the efficient direction of the
present territorial engineer and that
office must be source of much pride
to those interested in irrigation and
the use of water, which is the great
est resource of the territory. New
Mexico has profited by the mistakes
of her neighbor states. At this time
the administration of her water laws
is not eXcelled by any western state,
and constant improvements are being
made.
Il am particularly pleased with the
new regulation of the territorial en-
gineer's office, requiring a bond with
water filings of over two second feel
for irrigation power, mining and man
ufacturing purposes. | am sure tha
this ruling will meet with the approya
of all those interested in legitimate
irrigation and power development. As
far as | know, no other state ha;
a similar regulation though many o
them might well have adopted one
long ago. 1t is a we'll known fact tha
all stream systems in the west have
been filed upon for a great man!
times the amount of water they carr,
even in the highest floods. There arr
few states where there is any law tt
prevent a man from filing on NOR
water than he can use Or which tn
stream can supply. In most states,
the filings are made in accordanc
with the law and seem to be in gOO
faith, it is practically up to the stat
engineer to approve them. The fac
that he approves the filing does no
mean that he admits that the perso
filing can use the amount of waite
claimed or that it is available, thoug
that is quite a general impression. A
some later date adjudications of VIZ
ter rights are made based upon priol
tiles and beneficial use. Often, ther
being few records of the flow of
stream man is adjudicated muc
more water than rightfully belongs
him, largely because he originally file
for a generous amount of water. Nor
over, a party disposing of water SUI
ply to be used in connection wit
an irrigation proposition is very al
to do so on the basis of the size of hi
water filing, which has been approve
in the office of state or territori