Bisbee daily review., 1912-01-26
SAN CARLOS PLANS fOR DAMS|TE ARE
 IN THIS MEASURE
Project Put Up to Federal Government By
 Stephens Bill
AID IS LONG SOUGHT


 Pima tribe oi Indians in Arizona th,
 use of the low water mark flow O
 the water of the Gila river for Irriga l. ton of ther lands and that an appro ! priation of s500000 has already beei made 10 provide for the establish | ment Of system of irrigation of these lands by the use of well water, witt i the probability Of q further expendi ture of over sl,00e,0 900 for electrical i energy, Congressman Stephens ol | teNas, on January IS. introduced a i bill m congress. providing for the construction Of irrigatiorf works i'm pounding the water of the Gila river and it's tributaries. Under the terms of the proposed measure, this i'm. pounding of the water of the Gila shall be done by means of the con- struction of a dam, at or in the vicin- ity Of the San Carlos reservoir site. and shall be for the purpose of irri. gating the lands of the Gila river valley and for the protection of the interests of the Pima and other h. dian tribes, and for other pufposes. lt IS stated in the preamble of the proposed bill that the construction of dam on the Gila river presents what is deemed to be a feasible plan for impounding the Gila. It is also shown that the practicability and de slrabllity of constructing such an ir- rieation system has been advocated by such eminent engineers as James DIX Schuyler whose report was sub mitJed 10 the secretary of the ill terior February l, $500. with supple mentary reports upon two later oc. casions by Arthur P. Davis, J. B. Lip. pencott and John II. Quinton.
 Incidentally attention is called to the fact that it has been fully demon strated that the use of alkaline well water for irrigation will soon render the lands unfit for agricultural pur- poses, while the construction of such wells, canals, dams and other equip ment will, when completed irrigate less than one-third of the lands nee essary for che support of these h. dicns as well as leaving without wa ter the lands of the settlers in the Gila and Casa Grande valleys.
 With these facts before it. the com mittee on Indian asairs is asked to make law of the following measure:
 Be it enacted by the senate and house or representatives of the United States of America in congress assem. hlCd, That the secretary of the in. terior be, and hereby is, authorized to locate and construct a dam and necessary works in connection there. with at or in the vicinity of the loca- ton known as the San Carlos reser- yoir site on the Gila river. in Ari- zona, for the purpose of irligating Pima and other Indian lands. together with the lands of the Gila river val ley; and in carrying out said plan 10 locate and construct irrigation works for the storage, diversion and development Of waters. including ar tesian wells, and for the purpose Ct impoundins water and providing for the irrigation of said lands: and the authority granted by the act approved JuHe r., 1902 (thirty-second Statutes al Large. page 33S), entitled An act the receipts from the sale and disposal Of public lands in certain states agd territories to the construction of irrigation works for the reclamation Of arid lands" so far as applicable and not inconsistent herewith, is hereby extended and made 70 apply to the provisions of this act.
 Sec. ,. That in carrying out the provisions of this act the secretary of the interior is hereby directed to make suitable provision for the pro- lection of the Pima and other tribes oi Indians affected thereby, or who may be benefited thereunder, and t) fraf sT.- Le first retained ouI Of the impound ed waters sufficient to properly irri. gate an allotment of ten acres Q; land for each members Of the said Pima Indian tribe: Provided. That il inc secretary of the interior con cludes that the reports of reputable have not sufficiently deter mined the suitability, for foundation purposes, the rock formation of the sites proposed for construction Of the reservoir and irrigation works. be Is hereby authorized. in his discretion, to request the president 10 direct the secretary Of war to convene a board Of not less than three engineers of his department, of wide reputation and large experience. 10 make further xation thereof: and in event the reports and recommendations Of such engineers Of the army thus se- lectcd shall show that the rock lorna tiOn is suitable foT the construction Of the proposed dam and other irri- gatiOn works. the secretary of the interior shall proceed with the con of the said irrigation works as authorized herein II the Teports and recommendations o{ the said en- eineers Of inc army are to the effect that suitable rock foundation can not be secured for the construction Of suitable dam for impoundine the waters Of the Gila. the secretary of the interior shall submit the reports of sdid board of engineers, together With his recommendation in the matter 10 congress. on or before the first Monday in December, 1912.
 Sec E. That the sum Of s1O.0 O.0OO or so much thereof as may be required, Is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, 10 make any further h. Kf gf lsaftDu As 91ffhorizpd h. fha pra