Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-05-15
Gathering at Commercial Club
Tonight One of the Most
important Ever Held for Ad-
vanCement of Valley,
EXPERT ENGINEER TO
EXPLAIN PROPOSITION
Reclamation of Many ThouS-
and Acres of Valuable Land
Near City involved in Move
ment Now Well Under Way,

ment Now Well Under Way,
Whether the agitation for drain
age In the Rio Grande valley will bear
fruit at this time Will depend upon
the success of the mass meeting to be
held at the Commercial club tonight
and the interest that Is aroused among
the business men of the city, say those
who have been active during the past
fow weeks in the preliminary work.
For this reason, the citizens OF the
city generally are urged TO attend
this, the last meeting to be held dur
ing the present campaign, to hear the
final report of the government engi-
neer, ID, G.. Miller, who will explain
the benefits to be derived frofm
drainage of the waste lands of the
valley, the methods to be pursued in
securing practical drainage and the
cost of the same. The meeting will
be called to order at o'clock at the
club building at 8 o'clock and follow
ing the business session, refreshments
will be served.
Special Invitation TO Business Men.
While the business men of the city
have no land to be drained and can
not be said to be interested in the
project at first hand it Is pointed out
that the reclaiming of the water
logged lands Of this county will dou-
BILE the wealth of Albuquerque and
the population, and that for this reas-
on the men in business here should
get behind the movement to the ex-
tend of attending the meeting tonight
and lending their moral support and
cooperation. The club has sent out
postal cards TO all members. and as
far as possible, the citizens have
been urged personally by officers of
the club to be in attendance. The or
ganization believes that this Is the
most important work 1t has over un-
dertaken for the good OF Albuquer-
que, and that its success now depends
entirely upon the attitude adopted by
the people generally.
One District Practically Assured.
1t was asserted yesterday that at
least one drainage district Is pract-
cally assured if tonights meeting de-
velops the proper spirit among the
people of the city a survey of the
petitions out in the district in ques-
tion shows that but few more sig
natures are needed before there viii
be sufficient for organization pur-
poses 1t will then be but few
steps to organization, the election of
n commission, the voting of n bond
Issue and the starting of work on the
project. According TO the engineers
who have gone over the ground there
are no particularly difficult factors to
be met with in this valley. and all
that is necessary to secure drainage
Is action on the part of the land own
ers and the business men. With one
district completed, It is believed that
the benefits of drainage will be so
apparent that there will be no diff !
Guilty in getting all Of the land in the !
county under drainage ms fast as the /,
work can be accomplished.
OtiiN fIHiiHtF w lttttHu.
Mr.. Samuel French, state engineer, /
will attend tonight's meeting and /
Will tell of the observations which /
have been made by the state office In /
relation to preparations that have
been made to drain the lands along ,
the river. The engineers office has !
for a number Of years been favorahly |
Impressed with the opportunity here /
for reclaiming thousands of acres of .
land now practically worthless, and (
will lend its aid In every way posi-
Bile to the work now under war. 1t /
Is also hoped to have a Santa Fe en-
gineer at the meeting who can tell !.
Of the work that has been done in .
-haves county in the four drainage F.
there which are working
Interested men from
south of Albuquerque and from So
zorro have also been invited 10 the
meeting for the purpose of giving
hose present an adequate idea of the
drainage problem in its entirety.
Waste Water for Irrigation.
one of the most popular ideas ad-
Fanced so far in connection with the
to drain the valley lands,
8 the suggestion made by County l.
Agent Stewart that the water taken
rom the land be diverted to the high
sr land now above the ditch leves TO |,
furnish irrigation for the same. This
would mean distributing the water /,
upon land some miles below the point /
rom the point from which II Is
trained in order to get the necessary
Iall. However. engineers say that
here is ever reason to believe such a
plan is feasible, and In case II Is prov
IN so. drainage here will not only re-
lain the land drained, but also the
and upon which the drainage water
S placed.
While only abstract figures have
been submitted so far. II is stated that
irainaxe In this county alone would
the amount of land under