El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-10-07
NOTED SPEAKERS
ON IRRIGATION
Will Attend Congress in FL
Paso, Opening a Week :
From Monday Next.
.ontInued from page Z. this sectioa.

Continued from page 4. this section
States is concerned. began with the
settlement and development Of what
is now known as the state Of Utah
Having no money and few appli
ances. the pioneers in irrigation had to
be content with diverting by means Of
brush and earth dams the water OF
streams which might be brought to the
proper level and conducted through
aceQuias or canals to the crops which
IL was intended to develop Later the
community dam and the community
idea Of water diversion was hit upon
The river water becoming exhausted.
a number OF these community irriga-
tionists would combine TO build an
earthen dam and reservoir. The sue
cess Of these primitive irrigatiOnists
tiers It became necessary to get great
er supplies of water. and only expen-
sive reservoirs would suffice
Private EndeavOrs Fail.
These enterprises invited the In
vestment Of capital. and great irriga-
tion corporations were formed. each
securing water privileges. which, in
time. became OF great value
At about this time the national gov
eminent began TO take cOgniZance OF
the Importance Of irrigation as a means
Of bringing greater areas Of land IN
der cultivation. and the Carey act. pre-
scribing a species Of cooperation be-
tween the federal and state govern
ments and private enterprises, became
a law
Then was enacted the Tar reaching
law Of 1902. known as the reclamation
act" Under this act. the proceeds from
the sale Of public lands. amounting 10
approximately 800. 600 000 was set
apart 10 be devoted to the development
Of irrigation enterprises.
And so irrigation as a means to-
ward development OF otherwise waste
lands has progressed from the brush
and earth dam Of the pioneers Of so or
so years ago. to the great $4,000. 900
Elephant Butte dam. the largest mass
Of masonry in the world, impoundinE
the largest artificial body OF water IN
the world: the last word in the con-
struction OF irrigation systems
Greatest Reclamation Project.
The dedication Of the Elephant Butte
dam. October "A. will mark the United
States reclamation services greatest
achievement It will be 2 perpetual
monument TO the work OF the irriga-
The great dam stores the flood wa
ters OF the Rio Grande in a lake A.
miles long. with an average width OF
six miles and an average depth Of s.
feet
The dam itself probes 1905 feet be-
low the river bed and grips the solid
bedrock with a base 215 feet thick Il
raises 304-5 feet sheer, tapering TO a
width Of Is feet at the top. and carry
ing q permanent roadway from wall to
wall Of the Rio Grande conyon- It is
1884 feet long on top It contains
$4,000 cubic yards OF masonry
The lake formed in the canyon vii
submerge 10000 acres Of land This
lake viii have 200 miles Of shore line.
and its average depth viii be Sc feet
II viii contain more than twice as
much water as may be stored in the
Roosevelt dam The lake will contain
$50. 200. 000. 600 gallons Of water
enough 10 cover the whole state OF
Delaware to the depth OF two feet
The waters OF the dam viii reclaim
more than $4,000 acres Of land. $4,000
in the United States and $4,000 acres in
Mexico.
Work still Going Forward
The reclamation service is spending
100000 a month in digging canals and
building diversion dams in the MeSila
and FL Paso valleys. It is estimated
that $4,000 to 1000 horsepower OF
electrical energy can be delivered in e.
Paso from the dam itself
The dam. when the cost OF construc-
ton is repaid the government. VIII be
come the property OF the water users
All through tickets. east or west
bound. will entitle the holder 70 stop
in Fl Paso 10 take part in the con
crosses and see the exposition