La Junta tribune., 1911-10-14
tce.t,...a fro. v,r., p..e.l
a-.ss.s. as.s-s'r - Dan s's'.

! -
being unable u disposs of their hold
lnss as they had planned. to the Bent
aud rrowsrs irrisattoa District. they
were forced In 1919 70 organize the
Mammoth Irrigation DISCREET, and sell
out to II TO prevent TIE entire tosa
Of the project ON account Of Its being
speculation.
The Mammoth Irritation District.
~ organized BY the agents Of the
Puryxtoire Deve lopnent Company.
comprises some 5000 acres OF land.
about 5000 acres patented. lying
north OF the Arkansas river in Prov
els county. The district authorized
The issue OF 33.s00.o0s In six per
,ent bonds TO develop the reservoir
and build the necessary canals. out
Of which II paid the PurEstoire De-
yeiopment Company 100000 for the
Mammoth reservoir. \ deed TO six
tenthx OF which was turned over to
the district. the remaining foar-t.nths
being held in escrow. subject to \
contract between the district and
the Puryatoire Development Com.
pany. pertaining to the sale OF the
remainder OF the bonds. AT the pres
en-. time the landowners In tn. Nam
moth Irrigation District are pay ing
six per cent interest on 100000
worth OF lexslized bonds paid for a
reservoir which they cannot use.
Chief Engineer Lewis. OF the Ben.
ton Canal and Reservoir Company. In
search :or reservoirs and an addition
al water supply from the Purgatoire.
found a side outlet from this same
reservoir. through heretofore I'M
considered gap In the hills. which
would enable his company TO use
the water from ~. Mammoth reser-
yoir. and negotiations were immedi-
ately opened by J. f. Gsug.r. Of the
Benton Canal and Reservoir Company
TO acquire the four-tenths interest in
the Mammoth reservoir held by the
Purgatoire Development Company. Ey
increasing the height OF the proposed
dam and making REASONABLE Gu,
through this ~sidedoor gap the en-
tire fiow Of the Purgatoir. river can
be stored and taken as needed to
irrisate 100000 acres of practically
virgin land. lying Ia a compa q body.
short distance south and vest of
La Juna. on both sides OF the main
line Of the Santa Fe IL il ths choic.
leo .oG0 acres II a body OF over coo.
600 acres
On September esth an electsaa was
held In the Mammoth Irrigation Dis.
triet for the purpose OF rztifying or
rejecting the contract ent.r,d q into
between the board OF directors OF the
district and }. u. GAns-r,. r.pr.s cnt-
Ing the Benton Canal and Reservoir
Company. The landowners OF the
district almost unanimously ratified
the contract. by tn. terms Of which
the Benton Canal and Reservoir Com.
pany becomes the owner OF a -four.
tenths interest in the Mammoth res.
eryoir.
Engineers have been at work for
many months completing the p.rma-
n.nt surveys OF the reservoir and
tAe proposed canals. The lenxth OF
the main canal viii b. approximately
seventy miles from the RS, rsoir To
the lands south and N,st of La
Junta- Thsr. are no crossings with
other bitches, or with rsiiruads. no
fumes, tunnels or syphoas. very lit
Tie rock. and no Unusually heavy con
structlon. I, Is proposed 10 run the
water from the reservoir down the
main canal into Timpas creek or
Crooked arroyo and then down the
Arkansas river to ih, lands Ct the
Mammoth Irrigation District 10
Prc~srs county Duriug the iorr n
tial food periods fOr which the Pur-
satoire Is famous it Wili be possible
70 lmpound sufficient wat.r In the
Mammoth reservoir 10 Irrlxate iea..
900 acres Tor several years The total
Gust of the prcJ'ct. N Is estimated.
eill b. In the neiyhborhood of g. 400 +.
600. which II IN proposed to finance
at once and commeare The work Of
construction.
The io,ooo acres OF land south and
vest OF Ia Janta which IL is protos.
ID TO irrigai. from this system Is
practically all prairie In its naii,e
state !, l. closely covered with
the finest Of winter forage. gramma
and buffalo grass. no sag. brush. no
large cactus. or anything tina, would
prevent immediai. cuiihatSor. The