The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-03-16
State Engineer Anticipates Be-
ing Able to Secure Co-opera-
tion of Private Persons for
Work of Importance.
MEANS MUCH TO ALL
CITIES IN THE VALLEY
Would Furnish Basis for Con-
gressional Aid; Project Sec-
ond Only to Building of Ele-
plant Butte Dam.
(State Capital bureau
(of Evening Herald.
(51 DE Vargas Hotel.

Nol DE vargas Hotel.
Santa se. ~ NJ, March 16.-One
bill which failed OF pussnge in the
final rush of legislation was House
Bill No. SSs, prepared by state Engi-
neer james a. French and introduced
by the Bernalillo county delegation In
the house This bill provided for the
appropriation 90 100000 from the
accumulated funds In the water res
ervoirs fund for an economic survey
1T lands IN the Rio Grande valley
with the purpose 1T laying the foun-
dalton for drainage system between
pcna Blanca and SAN MarclaL The
Importance Of this survey 10 the Al
buquerquc valley is almost incalcu-
liable and the state engineer is keunly
disappointed that this bill failed of
passage He stili hopes that an ar
rangemcnt may be made by which
this survey can bee carried ont. since
the money is available In the water
reservoirs fund for an enterprise ex-
actly of this kind
AIR. French pointed out this morn
ing that the drainage of the central
Rio Grande valley with the channel
ing of the river which necessarily will
hc Involved is a gigantic Industrial
, undertaking second only In import
ancc to the building of the Elephant
I Butte project io considers q a
practical project fns national aid Lut
points out that before such aid can
/ Dee intolhgently asked for the survey
provided for in this bin must b, made
/ as foundation for action
From statistics In his office Mr..
! French points out that at the most
| conservative estimate there are 1SO.-
| 600 acres of land In the valley be-
! tween pcna Blanca ana san Mnrciul
! which are now useless or being rem
I d"rcd useless by accommodating do
. p"sits uf Hlknli, resulting entirely
/ from lack uf proper drainage. This
land now has an approximate value
Of $40 an acre. provided with q
drainage system, such us the stat,
engineer has in mind every acre of
, this land would be worth 500 ut d
minimum. Tho state engineer hope
90 secure sufficient cooperation from
the towns and land owners directly
,aficctcd Co proceed with this surve,
! during the next two years withou
waiting for the passage oi u bill q
appropriate the money by the mex
legislature, as Il Is practically Ger
tain that such bin would DE passe,
without opposition.
1T seems almost needless tn poln
out the tremendous importance %
this survey" said Mr.. French thi
morning "iudustrialB IL is tn
foundation for an enterprise seCon'
only In Importance to the Elephnn
Butte project IN the development @
the Rio Grande Il must be- carrie,
out before the valley between PEN
Blanca and san Marcial can advanc
very Tar in its development. An
that development, when Il IL possihl
Co proceed with Il, viii mean NOR
to Albuquerque and adjacent terri
tory than does the Elephant Butte /
, Las Crnces ana ~ Paso believ
when u h thoroughly understood tina
this survey Is the first essential To- tn
securing of government aid for thi
i project that II will be possible 10 80
cure the means to proceed with IN
4 survey without waiting for the pas
, sage Of an appropriation hill Thef
D was no opposition To this bill. az IA
ps ! can ascertain, ana ~ failure wa
due almost entirely To the congcstio
Of legislation In the house at the clos
, iof the session"
% General Matco Alamanzn. a Can
"A ranzn commander, and his entire sta
% have been court martialed for rei
b son and executed at Torreon by VIA
10 authorities. according 10 a report
I "A