Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1912-02-19
Practical Irrigation Agency
That Transforms the
Desert Into Guilt
vated Farms
WONDERFUL WORK
IN THIS VALLEY
Arid Section Has Been Re-
claimed and Thousands
of Dollars in Value
Created .
Especial C6yrcSboHdcnccI

4 ?
WASHINGTON, d. c.. Feb. IS
1e transformation of sage brush
desert into a compactly settled. inten-
sively cultivated agricultural commun
ItN is one Of the modern miracles
. one OF the NOSE inspiring examples
Of the beneficent results of national
irrigation can be found today in the
Salt River valley i'm Arizona. Here is
probably the oldest irrigated region in
the United States. Parts OF its canals
We're constructed centuries before the
first word of our nations history was
inscribed.
rom 1867. the beginning of irriga-
ton by the white settler. up To 1904,
all irriS Sttion here was by private en-
terprise. The erratic and insufficient
flow of Salt River. and the occurrence
Of severe annual floods put limit
upon development and rendered farm
ing So hazardous that the growth Of
the valley was practically at a stand
still If IL was not actually going back
Large areas planted in orchards and
vineyards perished through drouth and
the desert began 10 rncrOach upon the
fertile lands. Re, Ugnizing fully the
Importance of obtaining a permanent
and assured water supply. the settlers
in the valley raised the funds required
L" make a preliminary investigation OF
the storage P"Ssi Iilities on the head
waters on SAT- River Before the
work was completed the reclamation
act was passed and upon the request
of the people the Salt River irrigation
project was initiated. Active work be-
gan in 1908. Since that time the
great Roosevelt dam with it's enormous
storage of flood water has been
completed hundreds of miles of can
ais have been eXcavated and enlarged
most of the systems have been con-
sOlidated and unified. and last year
ll5.000 acres We're actually irrigated.
The crops Of 1911 had an estimated
value of more than $4,000 900 or an
average of $40 per acre. The increase
i'm lnd values during the past six
ears has been amaZinS I'm 1905 the
assessed valuation of the taxable
property in MaricOpa county which is
practically the Salt River valley. was
s10.Ss6.435 and in 1910 it rose to
River Valley Water Users association
composed of the landowners on the
project now has membership of
2657. an increase of So members in
two years Since 1908 there have
been 354S transfers Of farm property
on the books of the association which
illustrates the rapidity with which the
large holdings are being Subdivided
as well as the increased demand for
homes since m abundance of water
has been assured This association
in few years will assume full charge
and management of the project, will
operate and maintain the elabOrat"
canal and pumping system and a
large power plant. costing more than
a million dollars. which is now de-
IiveTing power To all the municipali
ties of the valley. These great pub
lie utilities. the irrigation system and
the power plant, are to become the
property of the farmers. to be man
aged by them for their benefit and
profit The large surplus of power
which is being developed is already
in dem md for trolley systems which
are now being extended to all parts
of the project. and by numerous
enterprises. Several Of
the municipalities are now being
lighted from this plant. This expert
ment in community ownership and
control of these important utilities
will be watched with interest by peo-
pie all over the country and especial
~ by those who are residing in the
arid country Cooperative manage
ment of the irrigation system is
principle on all of the
government projects. The inevitable
tendency of such management has
been cooperative organization which
today is being extended To all OF the
farmers activities. individual, edu-
rational and social. The arid west
is solving the great problem Of keep
ing the people op the land by making
life sufficient.