El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-10-17
WORK At DAM IS
HIGHLY PRAISED
Officers Of Water Users As
ISOLATION Make First
Trip to Project


Berino n. H., Oct. 1.-THE officers
and directors Of the Elephant Butte
Water Users association have made
their first annual trip of inspection to
the dam.
They were very agreeably surprised
with the progress Of the work, with the
thoroughuess with which every thing is
being prepared for the big job and with
the efforts Of the officers and engineers
Of the reclamation service to hold the
cost down to the smallest amount con-
sistent with a good piece Of work
Some Of the people who are to be ben
Gifted by the dam seem to think the
work is progressing rather slowly and
It is impossible to realize the immensi-
ty Of the project without going to
see It.
Some Of the things for which the
money has been spent and which have
taken the time are,
Twelve miles Of railroad. several miles
of which are along the side of a noun
tain where the rOadbed must be blast
ed out Of solid rock, and two high
bridges for this road
Seventeen miles of wagon road, built
also along the side Of the mountain with
q maximum grade Of Z percent and IL
or "A miles across the plains to Engle
took s34, coo of the money.
Part Of this road VIII be link in the
great scenic highway from FL PasO to
Denver, and viii be one Of the best as
well as one Of the most interesting
pieces Of that great road
Houses have been built to accOmmO-
date about 1000 people An office build
ing, sta bles and cOrrGls- A water works
system, supplies all the houses as well
as being piped to the work TO supply
water for the men and water for the
engines
Machine shops, carpenter shop and
Z
with the latest machinery, SO that any
part for any machines can be made or
repaired without delay.
A cOmmissary supplies the men with
provisions at prices no higher than
those prevailing at Las Cruces or FL
PasO, as the aim is only to cover run
ming expenses.
a sanitary system qs good as that of
Ell PasO. OF possibly better, IS in opera
tiOn. A hospital with resident physi-
clan who takes care Of all cases Of sick
ness as wei as making regular inSpec-
ton OF the men and quarters, makes II
one Of the most healthy places in the
world a garbage man helps by remOv-
ing and burning all the trash every day
and for all this the water users are not
taxed. as the expense is covered by an
assessment from each man.
The houses also viii be no expense to
the water users. as they are rented to
the men at a price which will cover the
cost of erection with interest before
their usefulness is over. Those which
are above the water line of the big lake
are built Of adobe, nicely finished in
side and out and when they are not
needed by the reclamation service can
be rented or sold for sumner cottages
or the larger ones for hotels
Every bit Of material bought is tested
before being accepted and If not up to
standard is promptly refused A chem
list with a wen equipped laboratory
tests all oils paints, cements, etc, as
well as the coal which Is bought on the
basis Of the heat units it viii produce
Possibly one of the largest savings
will come from this laboratory as q re-
suit of experiments being carried on
in the substitution of powdered basalt
(the rock Of which the EIephant