The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-03-24
Pointed Out That Sound De-
v%elopment Basis Cannot Be
Reached Until Drainage
System Is Provided.
FEDERAL AID COULD BE
REASONABLY EXPECTED
Cooperation of Land Owners
In Preliminary Work Could
be Depended on Is Believed ;
With Money in Sight to
Pay Bills.

That Albuquerque business inter-
ests and h land n In the Rio
Grande valley between Pena Blanca
and san Marcial would back state
Engineer James A. French in his pro-
posal TO make n preliminary drainage
system survey OF the valley between
those points. pending action by the
legislature which would make the
cash therefore available. Is the opin-
ion Of "A number Of substantial local
business men whose opinions have
been asked by the Evening Herald.
The Bernalillo county delegation In
the late Legislature. at the suggestion
Of Mr.. French. introduced a bill which
passed the house, appropriating s2O.-
600 Of accumulated funds In the Rio
Grande Improvement fund, To pay the
expense OF this survey. The bill did
not get through the senate; not be-
cause OF opposition To il. Ut because
Il became lost in the last mad rush
OF legislation through the mill. The
state engineer was sorely disappoint-
cd at the failure OF the act. which
would la made the immediate be-
ginning of this work possible.
Money Ready To he spent.
However. Mr.. French considers the
survey proposed too important a mat
ter TO permit Ia rest for " years,
and he has made the tentative sug-
gcstion that business and land inter-
ests In the territory 10 be benefited
might advance the funds, or guaran-
tee their advancement. 80 that the
work might proceed. pending action
by the legislature to make the actual
appropriation.
II should be understood that this
money Is now held In the Rio Grando
permanent Improvement fund, a fund
crcated by congressional act and for
which n large grant OF land was
made. The accumulated income from
these lands now amounts 10 consid-
erably more than the amOunt neces-
sary To make this survey. and II Is
simply a question 81 securing an act
to leagalize IL use by the engineer.
The proposed survey would be "A form
Of use exactly in compliance with the
purpose for which congress made the
grant Of land.
The Work Necessary 90 DO.
Estimates In tho state engineers
office show that there are more than
$4,000 acres OF waste land between
PEN Blanca and san Marcial. which
because Of alkali accumulation or
sccpage or subirrigation ARE now alb
seolutely useless. and worth not To
exceed $40 an acre. This great acre
age largely II included In the best lo-
Gated lands In the valley.
The reclamation OF this land. or
any considerable part OF IL. means n
comprehensive, modern and %scientif-
ically efficient drainage system, and
such a system cannot be built. ac-
cording to rough estimates, at less
than $1,000. 0OO. The cost easily
might exceed that Of the Elephant
Butte project. II would be necessary
to straighten the bed OF the Rio
Grandc from whore II emerges from
White Rock canyon To a point below
San Marcial, where the huge File.
plant Butte storage reservoir begins
10 spread out. Deep dredging would
be necessary. and n complete system
Of dykes and wing dams would have
To be built permanently TO maintain
the channel.
That a project OF this magnitude.
ana involving such an enormous
reclamation Of valuable land. would
be a tit object Of federal aid. through
the reclamation service or otherwise,
n clear, and II II considered certain
that such aid would not be long with
held. when the project can he pre-
scented To congress In compact, effect
i've. engineering form.
Before this can be done. however.
the preliminary survey ~ absolutely
necessary; first 10 ascertain the exact
acreage which would bee reclaimed.
and second 10 find out approximately
the engineering system necessary TO
apply. ~ the probable cos within
reasonable limits.
% rs the appointed time for this
preliminary survey To be- made. The
Elephant Butte project Ii nearly COM
plete and the COMPOSITIONS resulting
from Withdrawal OF water rights be-
cause Of that project soon will be-
cleared up or removed. Colorado on
the north Is cl0moring for the right
10 divert n flood water Of the Rio
Grande water shed In that state and
u is the time when the Albuquerque
valley mus, act 10 protect It's own
rights ana lis own future. This ap-
pears to be the conclusion OF every
man who has made even a casual in