The Greeley tribune., 1911-08-03
Irrigation Developing the South

Z Irrigation Developing the south
+ Chicago, H.. July .s-Beniamin
\. Fowler. twice chosen president
Of the National Irrigation Congress
and one OF the influential factors IN
deyelopment by irrigation IN the
West particularly in the Southwest
has traced the results OF irrigation
farm settlement in the salt River
valley Arizona 10 the vaults OF the
banks, the books OF commercial
I houses and into the statistics OF IN
dustries and railways al Phoenn'
his home city. and his compilations
show that millions OF dollars o,
improvements and added wealth
have been established in the state
capital as a direc: outcome OF the
corresponding growth in the vaiieS
surrounding IL made possioie
through the building of the hoose-
Welt Dam. l..
Mr.. Fowler. who discussed IN
Chicago recently the work OF the
congress. which meets here next
December. and the substantial ir'i-
CATION improvement in the West.
was president of the eighteenth
congress at Pueblo, Colo, last year
and reelected for another year. he
returned here again from Arizona
70 attend a meeting OF the Board OF
Governors of the congress.
The City OF Phoenix reflects IN
itself. l think, the great dement's
which come 10 communities after
irrigation is established In this
respect Phoenix has prospered as
has Spokane, Boise, Portland. Salt
Lake City. Denver Sacramento and
many other communities. AS the
basis OF wealth is traced to the
farms in the older states so 1t is
as certainly traced to irrigation de-
velopment in the younger, western
states. whose cities have grown in
population and industries not sole
" because OF local attractions and
advantages. but because OF the
wealth and increased production
due to the watering of the deserts.
so-called, and the establishment
thereon of thousands OF farm
homes.
Recently / sought to prepare
reliable data on what such irriga-
tion development meant to my
home city which is located in the
center of the great Salt River VAL
ley, now irrigated by water i'm
pounded by the Roosevelt Dam.
Here is one of the garden spots Of
America and the farm areas made
available through the work OF the
government are rapidly filling up.
But I found any accurate summary
of the results Of such development
vas extremely difficult; only in 4
general way could they be traced.
Primarily we find a rapid in
crease in population. This has JUS
titled the railroads in greatly short
ening their lines between Phoenix
and Pacific coast points and the
establishment of through mail ser
vice between Phoenix and Los An
geles. These improvements, Of tre-
mendous value to the city and to
the inland Southwest, indicate, I
think, both the volume and import
ance of traffic between the points
mentioned.
1.-THE character of farm develop
ment in the Valley is shown by the
fact that last month the Salt River
water Users Assoeiation-repre-
sentative of practically every land
owner in the valley-completed q
general office. meeting and admin
istration building at Phoenix at q
cost Of $4,000.
Right now there are either
building in Phoenix or under con-
tract about 100000 of new struc-
lures, including \ Federal building,
to cost $150,000. Adams Hotel
100000 and a grammar school
building 100000. In addition
large contracts have been let for
work on territorial highways. With
irrigation expansion comes good
roads development. The transcon-
tinental automobile highway along
the thirty-fifth parallel is to pass
through Arizona, giving a highway
open for automobilists all the year
through.
The Ell Paso and Southwestern
Railway have secured a right of
way into Tucson and. 1t is believed,
plans further extensions to the
west. The opening of the new con-
crete bridge over the Gila River At
Florence and the new concrete
bridge over the Salt at Phoenix has
brought the Salt River Valley and
surrounding country into . clos
er touch with the City Of Phoenix.
"Arizona, which owes % much to
irrigation improvement. will partic-
ipate in the deliberations Of the
next National Irrigation Congress.
look forward to this meeting with
confidence that 1t will be one of the
foremost sessions of the organiza-
tion and irrigationists throughout
the entire west have expressed
themselves as convinced that the
congress will. through the Chicago
sessions, attain much and greatly
enlarge its already wholesome in
| fluence."
Seen ON Our Trip to Greeley
The editor of the News and DR..