Weekly journal-miner., 1914-09-02
RESERVATION NOT TO
 BE OPENED JUST YET

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22.-Edit- or Journsi-Miner, Prescott, Arizona. My dear sir:-The following quota ton from a letter addressed to me by the First Assistant Secretary of the Interior gives the present attitude of the Department respect ing the opening of the Colorado River Indian Reservation to set clement: c.
 Referring to various bills design cd to secure the opening of the Colorado River Indian Reservation to disposition under the Carey Act, and to numerous conferences in which you and other members of the Arizona delegation have parti- cipated, in an effort to fix some plan which will secure the reclama- ton and disposition of these lands, l have been unable, after very care ful consideration, to find that any of the plans so far suggested are practicable and feasible. As you are aware. many Carey Act projects undertaken in other States have re- suited in utter failure, leaving set
  fer loss and disappointment. Other projects which have been carried to construction have become involv- ed in financial difficulties, resulting in loss, both to the promoters and to the settlers. It would not be fair or just to open these lands to settlement in their arid condi- ton, nor under any proposed plan of reclamation, unless we had req sonable assurance that water could be made available for the irrigation of the lands at reasonable cost.
 'I find that although there has been some investigation and con- siderable discussion with respect to these lands, that there is not ex- istent data sufficient or accurate to warrant private capital or public enterprise in enlbarking upon the reclamation of these lands. I am advised by the engineers that addi- tional investigations and borings in the bed of the Colorado river will be necessary before it can be de- termined whether a diversion dam at this point is practicable, and ii so, what kind of a structure should be built and the approximate cost thereof Furthermore, there are no definite surveys of canal lines or other structures incident to a proper irrigation system for the lands in the reservation. 1 have therefore to suggest that an appropriation be secured from Congress sufficient to cover the cost of such investigations and surveys, which can be made promptly and with a minimum of expense by engineers of the Indian Office and of the Reclamation Ser vice"
 Accordingly, identical bills have been introduced by Senator Smith and myself appropriating a sum sufficient to make the investigations and surveys as suggested. We have an agreement with the Department that language similar to these bills shall be included in the estimates which will be submitted to Con- gress next December and I have no doubt but that, with such a favorable recommendation, the Ari- zona delegation in Congress will be able to secure an adequate appro- priation as an item in the Indian Appropriation bill which will be passed at the short session.
 Such surveys are absolutely nee essary whether this project is to be undertaken under the Carey Act or constructed with appropriations from the Federal treasury, so that, in any event, everything is to be gained by ascertaining the facts AT ter this engineering data IS avail able. we can then decide how to obtain the money to build the irri- gation works.
 Yours very truly.
 CARL HAYDEN.