The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-02-19
SAGE BRUSH DESERT
COMPACTSETTLEMENT
IRRIGATION HAS WORKED a MOD.
ERN MIRACLE IN SALT RIVER
VALLEY. ARIZONA.

Washington, ID. G.. Feb. l9.-The
into compactly settled, intensive'N
cultivated agricultural community is
one of the modern miracles. One o!
the most inspiring examples of tne
benefcen results of national irriga-
tion can be found today in the Salt
River Valley in Arizona. Here is
probably the oldest irrigated resion in
the United States. Parts of its canals
were constructed centuries before the
first work of our nations history was
inscribed
From 1867. the beginning of irriSa-
tion by the white settler, up to 1904
all irrigation here was by private en-
terprise The erratic and insufficient
flow of Salt river, and the occur
renee of severe annual floods put a
limit upon development and rendered
farming so hazardous that the growth
of The valley was practically at "A
etandstill if it was not actually going
back. Large areas planted in or
chards and vineyards perished
throu-h drouth and the desert began
TO encroach upon the fertile farm
lands. Recognizing fully the import
ance of obtaining permanent and a.
sured water supply, the settlers i'll
the valley raised the funds required
of the storage possibilities on the
headwaters on Salt River. Before
the work was completed the Reclama
tion Act was passed and upon request
of the peoplee thte Salt River
irrigation project was initiated. Act
i've work began in 1909. Since that
time the great Roosevelt dam with its
enormous STORAGE of flood water has
been completed, hundreds of miles Of
canals have been eXcavated and en-
consolidated and unified, and las.
year $4,000 acres We're actually ir-
rigated. The crops of 1911 had an cs-
timated value of more than $5.000.00n
or an average of $40 per acre. The
increase in land values during the
past six years has been amazing. In
1905 the assessed valuation of the
taxable property in Maricopa county
which is practically the Salt River
valley, was $10,SS66,435 and in 1910
valley,was SiO,S66, 73i or nearly double
The Salt River Valley Water Users
Association composed OF the iandown
ers on the project now has a member
ship of 2657. an increase in 500 mem
bers in two years. Since 1908 there
have been 3343 transfers of farm pro
perty on the books of the association
which illustrates the rapidity with
which the large holding are being sub
divided as well as the increased de
mands for homes since an abundance
of water has been assured. This as
sociation in few years will assume
full charge and management of he
project, will operate and maintain the
elaborate canal and pumping system
and a large power plant costing
more than a million dollars, which is
now delivering power to all the mum
icipalites of the valley. These great
public utilities, the irrigation system
and the power plant, are to become
the property of the farmers, 10 re
managed for them for thteir benefit !
and profit The large surplus of now
er which is being developed is already |
in demand for the trolley systems |
which are now being extended o all
parts of the project, and by numer-
Gus manufacturing enterprises. SaV-
eral of the municipalities are now