El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-20

ing to l. d. O'Donnell, supervisor OF
irrigation, who is here for the reelama-
ton conference.
Bills are now before congress-" said
Mr.. O'DOnneH, that provide for in
surfing funds 70 rthe service. The recla-
nation fund has now fallen to less than
S3,000,000 and will continue to decline.
For this reason it has been found alb
solutely necessary to secure a new
source of revenue. This revenue, II
the bills pass, viii be derived from oil,
phosphate and water rights, the rev.
enue to be divided between the states
which produce it and the reclamation
service. The bills now before congress
have been endorsed by the president, by
the eastern cOnservatiOnists, and have
passed the house and been endorsed by
the senate committee They are now
up to the senate for passage and their
enactment into laws will be probably
the greatest single advantage that the
west could receive at the hands of
the government
To Lease Mineral Lands.
AS regards the bill for the develop
ment of oil, phosphate and coal lands,
the measure proposes no change in the
laws governing the disposition of agri-
cultural and mineral lands in general
1t does, however, propose to make easy
the development Of certain classes of
mineral lands, which is difficult under
the present laws. Instead of giving
away oil and phosphate lands it is now
proposed to lease these lands to those
who will develop them.
THE proposition as regards conser-
walton and development of water power
is along the same lines. The plan is to
have the revenue go to the reclamation
service for 20 years from states in
which reclamation work is being done.
Then, for a period, half would go to the
service and half to the state, ultimately
the whole proceeds reverting to the
state. In this way the service would
be assured Of a steady revenue, which
would result in development that
would be Of the greatest benefit to the
west"
Las Cruces Meeting.
Las Cruces has taken a lively inter-
est in the reclamation meeting and a
large number of farmers and water
users from that city are here attending
the meeting. Arrangements have been
made to hold a session at Las Cruces,
with talk to the Elephant Butte Wa
ter Users association in the morning
and addresses to the farmers in the af-
ternoon. Local farmers are also taking
an interest in the proceedings and at
the afternoon session Friday about 100
persons were present.
The man who set the pace on the
Panama canal is expected to arrive
here this afternoon to attend the recla-
nation service conference, now in ses-
sion. He is Sidney B. Williamson. re-
Gently appointed chief of construction
engineers of the reclamation service
and a member of the reclamation COM
mission.
Williamson Set the Pace.
Mr.. Williamson was the only civilian
on the Panama canal work who was in
charge of division. At the time of his
appointment Col. Geo. W. Cocktails was
criticised and replied that he had
picked Mr.. Williamson because Of his
ability and general hustle" Will
hanson took the job and is credited
with having set the working pace on
the canal construction work. In an ar
ticle in the current issue of Serb
ners," Col Cocktails devotes more than
page to the work and achievements
OF Mr. Williamson.
Mr. Williamson is now making his
first trip of inspection to all of the
reclamation projects in the west He
may later establish headquarters in the
west