Arizona republican., 1911-03-19

chairman (nCw deceased), W. D. Full
 wiler Charles Goldman. Dwight B.
 Heard and Jed Peterson. to pursue the
 study of a storage project Later they
 also reported favorably on the present
 site. but always the matter of finan-
 cling seemed an obstacle impossible to
 overcome
 In 1900. F. A. Fowler as a member
 of a committee of twenty-five ap-
 pointed by the National Irrigation
 congress. which included also George
 II. MaXlfen. Senator Francis c. New
 lands. Representative Frank w. Mon-
 dell and other notable western men.
 to visit Washington and take up the
 matter of the irrigation needs of the
 west with President Mckinley Tn
 December. 1900, in furthering this
 work. MT. Fowler addressed a letter
 to the secretary of the interior offer
 ing his personal guarantee of $1J0O
 for expenses for field investigation.
 Resultant therefrom, Arthur r. Davis
 was again sent here for further
 studies He reported first on the
 Verde. site unfavorably. and later
 made his second investigation of the J. CO., operation with the water storage commission. and reported favorably.
 During the stress of these years inc idea Of national irrigation waxed strong. under the leadership of able western men. notable among whom was George Fl Maxwell. and on June IT, 1902, the anniversary of Bunker Hill. the national irrigation act. bet ter known as the reclamation law. was signed by Theodore Roosevelt. president of the United States Un- der its provisions the United States reclamation service was organized as a branch of the United States geolog- ical survey. of which Charles D. Wal colt was then director and Frederick H. Newell was chief hydrographer. The first annual report of the United States reclamation service embraced the period from June r to December 1. 1902. and included the surveys of the Roosevelt site by Arthur P Davis. his favorable report and his plans for the building of storage dam. Those plans have since been modified in many particulars. but the essential features of the construction remain as he conceived them.
 Then followed much correspondence and many visits of officers and com missions in the education of the peo- pie of the valley in what would be ! required of them. notably the neces- | sity of organizing an association to | deal with the government X lnca. | committee of some thirty members | was appointed to wrestle with the | scores of seemingly insoluble prob | lems that confronted such an under | taking. At the head of the commit | lee was E. A. Fowler. who possessed | the needed qualifications for the of flee, namely. an acquaintance in that commanded respec. Df the powers that be and person. llity that on a hundred different oc- ,asiOns spread oil on the trouble,. waters when it seemed that the whole would fail through a con 'lict of interests that could not be larmonized For many weeks this committee of the best citizens of the 'alley. representing all interests. and many Of whom have not survived to witness the glorious achievements of pday. was in daily session and finally 'n the 4th day of February. 1903. .he Irticles of the Salt River Valley Water Users association were filed with the county recorder Acting Ipon the good faith of the people. Secretary of the Interior F. A Hitch ock. on the 18th day of March. 1903. entatively authorized the construction f the Salt River project.
 From that day to the present time he interests of the settlers have been ared for through the Water Users ssociation. the articles of which were rawn by Judge J. H Kibbey and ( ater adopted by the government as ( he general plan for similar associa- | ions under every government recia- , nation project. The course of the ssociation has been marked by a core of crises. all of which have been y assed by a persistent recognition of a he fact that whatever the contin- ency arising. there is a way out, and 2 le question must be settled harmo- V iOusly and fairly at whatever per a Dnal cost It is probably the best Il lustration in the industrial world of C