El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-11-16

capital is a mass OF blOssOming beauty
and fragrance; that American Beauty
roses can be bought for 81 a dozen and
yet enrich their grower; that the cap
itol grounds OF this supposed desert
state should rival the botanical gar
dens Of Washington and New York.
Great steel towers at intervals of a
Few hundred feet support the wires
Inat carry the power from the dam
over that ~ miles Of country to Ph0e-
nix Not only Phoenix, but Tempe,
Mesa and Glendale get their electricity
from this great enterprise. The Ques-
ton Of fuel no longer troubles the man
or corporation in the Salt River valley,
for the great Roosevelt dam has solved
the problem by giving all the electrical
power that is necessary.
Want Government Aid.
The dam has cost the landowners Of
the valley considerably more than they
expected to pay, however, and there is
government either extend the time in
which the PROJECT can be paid for or
to have the government make an out
and out appropriation TO assist the
project The Phoenix Republican says
that when the project was originally
started, it was not expected to cost
much over three millions of dollars but
that 1t has cost nearer nine millions
or about $40 per acre. Ralph Cameron,
Republican candidate for United States
senator, is advocating government aid
for the project and has made the
statement that if he is elected, he will
make an effort to have the government
make an appropriation to help pay for
the work. The government aids the
seacOast cities to get deep water he
says, and why shouldn't 1t aid the in
land communities to farm2 / am going
to make an effort to have the govern
ment take up q systematic system OF
aiding irrigation enterprises the same
as it now assists the harbors. 1t is
only right"
valley have one Of the finest buildings
in Phoenix for their headquarters, a
handsome mission structure, two sto-
rteS with a basement, surrounded by
large lawn, beautiful, as all Phoenix
lawns are. In the building there is an I
where the farmers can meet |
to discuss the affairs Of mutual inter- I
What Irrigation Does.
The development of the Salt River I
valley around Phoenix cannot but en-
thuse any visitor with the possibilities ]
If irrigation. For miles out of Phoenix |
the houses are almost as thick as in
he town itself, and, while Phoenix is
nOminaQy a city Of 1900 people, the
country 1T has to draw from places it
n the center Of q community of prob
ably 100, 1000. Beautiful mission resi-
lences, surrounded By magnificent
groves and drives Of palms line the
ii L >
while the foliage Of cOttOnwOOds and
willows on either side meets in the
center Of the drives The country Is
verttable garden. Frank Murphy tells
he story that in the early days the
farmers only had to plant ten penny
nails to grow barb wire fences ANY
now, the fence posts which they put
Town into the ground sprOuted and
grew and have made these beautiful
country lanes attractive.
q a
patches and oranges, olives, dates, lem
Dns, grape fruit-and the Salt river
grape fruit has no quin1ne taste In II,
almonds and other
iemi-tropical fruits are grown. Canta-
oupes in season are another good crop.
In practically everything that they
grow the Salt River valley farmers get
10 the market with it several weeks
ahead Of other communities growing
he same products, and, therefore, com
nand the best prices. The oranges, for
Instance, are about ready for shipment
rom the valley now and will be in the
eastern markets several weeks ahead /
II the California product.
Flowers Arc Fragrant.
Flowers that have no rivals for frag-
rance are another product Of the Salt
River valley that have made 1t famous.
A Californian at Phoenix only this
week remarked that California grew
bigger roses, but none with any such
ich color and that their fragrance did /
Tot begin to equal those of Phoenix.
Other Californians agreed with him.
The towns Of Mesa and Tempe, VII
lagos a few years ago. have grown
ntO small cities and are operating
Touring mills, creameries, big cold
storage and Ice manufacturing plants, !
Ind have many stores that would be a
.redit to places several times their
5ize, all TO supply the big population
IF the valley, which is stin growing
It the rate Of several new families a
week. Pretty homes, many Of them in
The mission style, so characteristic of
he capital city, grace the trce-dOtted