The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1911-03-23
OPEN LARGEST DAM
GREATEST RECLAMATION PRO-
jest IN WORLD SUCCESSFUL
LY COMPLETED.
COLONEL is HoNoRED GUEST
Cheering Crowds Congratulate Former
President to Whom 10 Due Honor
Of Starting Project - Roosevelt
Makes Principal Speech.

Roosevelt, Ariz., March 1S.-Amid
the cheers Of thousands assembled to-
day to witness the formal opening Of
the largest dam in the world, the
Roosevelt structure across the canyon
Of the Salt river, Miss Ethel Roose-
velt, under the direction of her father,
touched the button that sent the Inn
prisoned waters of the Arizona river
ripping through the vast system OF
canals that will transform this sun
baked construction town and 100000
acres of shifting desert sand into a
veritable Garden of Eden.
The arrival of the Roosevelt party,
who motored seventy-1ve miles across
the desert to attend the ceremonies,
was a signal for wild hilarity among
those assembled to witness the event.
The cheering crowds pressed about
the little group of prominent state
and government officials to offer
thanks and congratulations to the col
onel, to whom in a great measure they
owed the successful completion of the
project, and he repeatedly removed his
hat in acknowledgement of their cor
dial welcome.
These ceremonies mark the success
full termination of one of the greatest
reclamation projects the world has
ever seen. They mean the reclama-
tion of miles of burning desert, the
termination Of years Of toll under the
blazing Arizona sun, and the addition
to Arizona's farming lands Of terri
tory whose productive wealth will
equal that of the most favored farm
ing districts of the world.
For countless ages the principal
stream of Arizona, the Salt river, swol
len to torrential proportions In the
spring by the melting SHOWS Of the
distant mountains and diminishing tC
| tiny creek under the blazing sun OF
| summer, has wound its tortuOus
course through hundreds Of miles OF
sun-seared desert land that needed but
the application of water to blossom
into luxuriant vegetable life. The
waste of this rich territory was called
to the attention of Colonel Roosevelt
when he occupied the presidential
chair, and he, in turn, ordered the gov
ernment's reclamation department tc
| investigate.
Engineers were sent to explore the
valley of the Salt river. Maps were
made Of its winding course and sam
pies of it's soil we're forwarded tt
Washington, with lengthy reports
Here the reports were passed upon by
the reclamation department, the sol
was analyzed and the matter referred
to the president, whose warm interes
had given the scheme life.
All of this is produced without di
rect cost to the people of the United
States. The government builds the
great dam and canal system. 1t doei
not call upon the taxpayers, but util
ICES for this purpose fund derived
from the disposal Of public land. Thi!
fund is not given away. 1t Is invested
in these works, and then the people
who are benefited must pay back tht
cost of the investment at so much PEE
acre in ten annual installments. Th'
money coming back is used over again
every dollar being reinvested in add
tional works as fast as payments ar,
made for those completed.
This in brief, is the story of th'
great Arizona, reclamation project, a
outlined by the many speakers whit
followed Colonel Roosevelt at the dedi
cation exercises, each of whom pai'
enthusiastic tribute to the prosecu
tion of the project by the engineer
I'm charge and the support and interes
Of Colonel Roosevelt that made tn
scheme practicable.