Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-07-18
IRRIGATION WORK OF
INDIANS IN NEW MEXICO

large portion %. .hf good land at tn
I Pueblo o. C0chlu, and the service
/ caused two pefties and a dyke across
one channel OF the stream 70 be built
so successful sas this that the wash
Ing was stopped entirely. and the bes,
Of the community land saved
Many other projections and repairs
because OF high water last year were
made Particular trouble was exper-
fenced on the San Juan river Last
July this stream reached the highest
point recorded since the whites occu-
pied me country. and In October, IN
preceduted rains surpassed this rec
ord by five feet This spring the Rio
/ Graudc was higher than ever record
ed before. and this caused great
deal OF trouble and delay 20 prolerts
river protective works and 20 .rriga-
tion works
Floods az Laguua Pueblo on 'Hf
Rio San Jose. damaged the dams al,
Mesita badly. but this was repa-ed
last spring Several interesting fea-
lures are connected with this dam
one OF them. an improyised pile
driver which the Indians rugged no
and operated under supervision
Heavy work was done al Zunl last
year on one OF the largest OF the In
dian projects This Is a dam which
stores the water OF stream on the
reservation and impounds It's flow
between two mossas One OF these
was later found 20 have somewhat
porous structure across its base. and
a stone wall has been built almost ne
entire distance across this MESA 10
shut of The flow or seepage which
the fractures and opening 90 the rock
allowed
Tho Indians of this Pueblo last year
built nineteen miles OF laterals al
their own expense. and are showing a
remarkable adap'abiliiy 70 improved
methods OF cultivation and irrigation
being introduced among them
Tho service has found D. both eco
uomIcal and advisable 10 employ a.
great q proportion ~ Indian labor as
possible and most Of the work on the
different projects has been done by
the Indians themselves whites being
used for direction where necessary
No white man has been employed
however. where an Indian could be-
found 10 do the work Even In the
hiring OF teams for breakers and |
plows. me Indians have had the pref
erenco Indian labor has been easy |
TO secure most OF the time, but ~
speaks we'll for their farming ability |
that when planting and harvest times
draw near. they leave the government
employ and go 20 their farms
The proportion " moneys paid In
dams for labor is 27S per cent. or
more than sGG.3o0 out Of total eH- /
penditure for labor. supplies and ma /
terials % sl7i,S2G.
So much OF this expenditure has /
been placed in permanent improve /
ments which will return interest 20 /
the Indians. ON the money invested |
that u may actually be said 20 have /
increased their prosperity hy 'ha' .
amount IN addition 20 this. the fact /
that SO much Of the cash expended /
has been paid 70 Indians has placed +.
a sum In circulation among them /
which will do much 10 alleviate any /
possible dry wear IN the future. which I
has often enabled them 20 purchase .
needed farming equipment. and in /
deed has been q blessing 10 then 10 /
many ways As time goes on and 4
adequate water supplies are arranced /
for an the land the Indians will cul- /
tivate on each OF their reservation I
and pueblo grants, and as the latter |
are generally located on the mos,
fertile lands In the different valleys .
b. will become more and more evil 4
dent as the Indian farmer learns 20
use the water wisely. and 10 cultivate
intcnsyely. that ne Is becoming pros
porous. and can hardly be called ans /
longer Poor Lo."