El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-03-28


/ costs. In the case OF item nine. which i'm
! cludcs expenses incurred in the survey of the
H boundaries OF settlers lands, we are of ths
opinion that the cost Of this work should
J. have been charged against these individual
/ lana owners. but t appears that eithr~
through the fault Of those making the sur
/ Ney or the negligence Of the landowners
! the work was Of no value aud had Co b3
, done over again. We are OF the opinion
/ therefore. that this expense should be en-
/ Crop Reports.
W ME there is reason for legislation
statistics a matter for the agricultural de-
I partmeut, the fact that the work has been
done by the service and has been Included
:" e'i!att o,'ioh 'oS'N Oh dll otnsI tI"-
lects Is sufficient reason. we believe for
following the same course mere.
Delay in Construction.
With respect 90 the criticisms Of tho
overhead expenses incident TO the delay in
construction from 1906 TO 1911, there is no
doubt that this delay increased to some en-
tent the project costs over what would have
: been necessary If the work had been car
ried ont without interruption. and II is all
1 together probable that in the carrying out
Of the work some things We're done that in
the light OF subsequent knowledge might
have been done differently 20 advantage.
but this is true Of all undertakings OF great
magnitude, and IN view Of the saving ia in
trrest during the construction period and
the saosence Of any interest requirome mt
during tn long period Of repayment, we
do not believe that there is any instance cit
ed by the reports OF the local board which
would justify any reduction from the .c-
lual project costs. aside from the insignin
cant item above referred TO. which amounts
TO less than ten cents an acre.
Mexico Has One-seventh.
l ne amount OF money appropriated by tho
FEDERAL Government in lieu OF contribu-
ton by Mexico seems ADEQUATE. The Next
can area is roughly one-sevcnth of tho
whole. the government has contributed one
i!ith OF the cost Of the storage. and that IS
the only expenditure which benefits Afay-
ico The water is turned from the reser-
Voir, into the channel Of the river ana
reaches the Mexican diversion without any
outlay on the part of the United States or
amp operation and maintenance expense.
There Is no reason why the government
cost for the distributing system iu the
United States. because this benefits only III.
water users in the United States and should
be paid entirely by them.
Left 10 Future
We pehefe that the determination %
whether the government should contribute
10 the operation and maintenance expenses
on behalf Of Mexico might well be left to
the future. II repairs should be required
on the storage works, then some contribu-
ton would seem proper IN proportion 20 the
Mexican and American areas. but the or
binary opera ton expenses involved iu turn
ing water out OF the reservoir for Mexican
users would be so small that we think that
might be well overlooked
Drainage.
Inc central board is Of the opinion that
an lnvestigati0ns Of drainage or cOnstruc-
ton Of cralnage works should be suspend
cd Tor the present and that such work
should not he undertaken by the govern
rnittad 10 tho cate rlear. M g,,,,-o,..1 H.
them. As This project Is diLiisd into
number of saDarsta valleys b. ,ro-,tF .-.,,,
that the drainage rla1s and costs fGr ascb
OF these might be made saparafe ana +bc
costs taxed on thu lands ba1efffed NJ r.
not however believe the beginning OF pay
menta for drainare sbouid h. -,o-t7,o,.5 En-
20 wears IL fno infect an, +bit ~.
TO be charged in that interval
We believe that such an improvement .s
privately owned lands should be subject ~.
the conditions Of commercial transactions
and that q low rate u interest should be-
charged on deferred payments To not r.-
quire this makes thu owners Of these lands
objects Of epeciaI privilege THE fs NOT ,-a-
essary 20 the success OF the project ana IS
a discrimination against the agriculture Of
areas irrigated by private enterprises that
is undesirable. Another reason f,- obfer-
ing to such Iiberaliy is the specuistiye ma
ture Of land ownership over a large part Of
the area. which win be considered In tho
discussion Of project COSTS
Project Costs
In view OF the fact that much remains Ia
be done on this project and that there ts
considerable uncertainty REGARDING the
amount OF work remaining 10 be done il BE-
impossible TO fix definitely the building
charge We believe. however that the vain.
Of irrigation iu .hfs valley is eucb as 10
make water worth 7u If costs and tb.t tta
entire building charge should be repaid
lnasmuch as there IS likely 20 be consider
able delay Iu the completion Of This mo-
1cCt. recommend ha Ia tee n
for completion be- accented 7S anuro,ir,.tai,-
correct and that the buiidlrt cha-va b.
fixed at $50 per acre.
Value Of Water in Irrigation.
Tn view 81 The stafan1rufs ~ fbI ,,,.i.r-
ity report. which impI- that me p5vme1t
Of the fuIi project costs Will irnposa an nm
tvarrantsble bardql,iD ON ,,-,+r- ,,.s-- he
central board desires TO cau attention 10
certain facts which it believes have more /
bearing on DEVELOPMENT than project costs
and TO make certain recommendation out
side Of the scope Of its Instructions
Two Classes
The lands now in cultivation belong fr !
two classes. That Of the small holder -rh,
are mainly Mezicaus. with areas vary!ug ]
from one 10 ton acres. Here the diffarence /
between $50 an acre ana $50 an acre win /
have material effect ON the 1-oeuerit,- of +ba I
water users Many Of these are two acre /
areas and on these the difference would ba I
So Year.
The other class. including areas from ton /
acres 10 800 acres. Is i'm part highly inn /
proved. owned by men Of ample capital aud /
are bringing returns th7t win enable mo /
owners to pay the fun rrofect costs without
any difficulty. statements of ac-ese re-
turns from fruit areas areas devoted To- /
stock raising and areas where cultivation is /
such as 70 bring out the full advantage az !
soil and climate. made 10 tho chairman dur
Ing his visit I'm December. showed that II
land and water are used as they should he
there VIII be no difficulty In paving Iuu
project costs ON any part Of the area now |
under cultivation. Furthermore the in Z
crease I'm the value Of improved lands since !
the regulation Of this river by tho govern /