El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-01-25
INCREASE PER ACRE
FROM LAND MEN
Irrigation Project of Ele-
plant Butte May Total
$50 an Acre.

Washington, D. c., jan 25.-An in
crease in the construction charge per
acre of from $40 to s56 will probably
be made on lands which will be irri-
gated under the Elephant Butte irri-
cation project, if the recommendation
of the board of army engineers is
carried out in the report of their trip
to the Rio Grande project, which is
just from the printers.
Concerning this matter, the report
says:
"Assuming the total cost at SO, $685. 900,
and deducting 100000, the amount
appropriated by the United States TO
cover the cost of meeting it's treaty
obligations with Mexico, there will re-
main S8,665,0 900 to be paid by the own
ers of the 155, 600 acres Of the project
in the United States. equivalent to sos
an acre. The character of the soil and
its productiveness when irrigated are
such that the land can bear this
charge.
Two water users associations have
been organized on this project, and the
par value of the stock in each is $40
an acre. Provision is made in the by
laws for increasing the par value OF
the stock if the building charge per
acre exceeds this amount. AS this
seems probable and as the liability of
the land for an amount greater than
the par value of the stock is question
able, the water users associations
should be required to increase the par
value of the stock to not less than
$685.
1t was originally estimated that the
dam would cost $1,000, 900.
The Governments Part.
In the original estimates however
when the price was set at $40 an acre,
the United States government, by the
provisions of the treaty with Mexico.
agreed to pay $1,000, 900 towards the
construction of the dam. this repre-
senting the $40 an acre of the $4,000
acres in Mexico which will be irri
gated by the project. In considera-
ton Of this. Mexico agreed to with
draw all claims against the United
States arising from the failure of the
water in the Rio Grande at the Mex
lean diversion dam, due to the ex-
cessiye irrigation from the river in New
Mexico and Colorado. With the gov
eminent paying $1,O00.000 for the 25,-
600 acres in Mexico, this left S6,200,000
to be repaid by the 1850 acres which
would be given water in New Mexico
and Texas, or an average of $40 an
acre.
Thus it will be seen in the estimated
cost of the dam. that the government
and the land owner shared alike. each
paying $40 an acre, the government
discharging its obligation to Mexico
by paying for 0e0 acres, and the
owners of $4,000 acres assuming the
balance.
In the recommendation of the army
engineers. however, the increased cost
is assessed only against the water us
ers in New Mexico and Texas. raising
their amount per acre, to SIS. while
the government is still getting water
for $4,000 acres in Mexico at the rate
of $40 an acre.
If, taking the latest estimates avail
able. the dam costs s9.655, 900 and Will
irrigate 10000 acres. the average cost
per acre would be s5364 If the gov
eminent is going 10 guarantee the ir-
rigating of $4,000 acres in Mexico
then under the increased cost its por-
ton would be s1,341. 900. leaving. then.
a balance still due on this basis, Of
sS41, OO0
Cost of Other Projects.
Even at $50 an acre, however, the
Rio Grande valley farmers would be
getting off cheaper than many of the
landowners under other projects of II
reclamation service. The following
table of construction charges per acre
has been compiled from the engineers
report of the projects visited:
.UD