The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1916-06-03
0MPlET|ON Of
THE Las VEGAS
PROJECT SURE
r. c. Storrie, San Francisco
Capitalist and Contractor.
Agrees to Have Work Done
by March /, 1918.

contract entered into between X. e
Stories. "a contractor and capitalist
of San Francisco. and the ais Vegas
grant board, assures the completion
~ the Las Vegas project. which will
hrinr many acres on the mesa near
here into cultivation, III. terms ~
contract provide for construction
work To be done by March /. 1918. or
the forfeit 10 "A bond OF t100. goo al
ready furnished by Mr.. Storrie. which
also II conditioned to provide for the
fulnllment ~ all other portions .! the
contract.
MIR. storf., las settled the claims
Of the Camfield Development COM
panS, OF Greeley. Colo. against the
project, amounting 20 $40. 600. This
assures freedom from litigation due
20 the starting OF work by that COM
pany and It's later abandonment Of
the project. II releases the lands
previously decided to the Camheld
concern and VIII liquidate claims of
local creditors.
Nj. Storrie IL TO receive approxi-
mately 10, 600 acres OF land near the
project dam, 1000 acres of which
win be under irrigation from It. other
lands 10 he irrigated total about
4.OOO acres.
The grant board will lend Mr.. Stor-
rir $500. 400 at 9 per cent to show it's
good faith and assist In the work
ThiH viii he paid out to- him as the
work progresses. on a SO per cent
basis tina, h.. from tim. To time he
viii le paid half the value Of the
completed work. This will be re-
paid ON the sale of the lands 10 bc
decided to Mr.. storrie at the compile
lion Of the work.
All personal ana corporation water
rightS In the G%allinas river are pro
tected fully 10y tn. contract.
Mr.. Storrie b. one of the best
known and most successful contrac-
tors In the United States. II was he
who built the 81. 000. zoe high pres
sure fire system for san Francisco.
Al present he is Just completing a
81 0oo 0o0 contract In san Francisco
for the construction of the Twin
Peaks tunnel. n two-milc double-track
bore. Mr.. storie mas completed large
contracts of various kinds IN Florida.
pennsylvani" oklahoma and Texas.
The efforts of Captain W H. Brun-
ton. John Brunton. W. - Allen. J. H..
Dockweiler and q. &. Cragin are re-
~sponsible for the interesting Of Mr..
storrie in the project.
The history OF the transaction. in
brief. follows:
An article In the san Diego expo
sition booklet attracted the interest
Of Colonel Fay. IA prominent citizen
OF San Diego and president of the city
council of that municipality. Colonel
Fay was impressed. and sent Wilson
o.. Alien to Las Vegas TO investigate.
Mr.. Allen looked over the project asd
found Il feasible. lie 80 reported to
Colonel Fay. who interested certain
a Diego people In the promotion 81
the project. These men you'd have
contracted to build the reservoir. but
for the fact that they were involved
in unexpected financial difficulties
which made further investments i'm
possible.
Al this stage John Brunton became
Interested In the project. and began
working with Fay and Allen to bring
about its completion. He interested
Roger Topp. "a former college mate.
who recommended that they consult
J. II. Dockweiler. the San Francisco
engineer. pockweiier promised to
have u nvestlgated.
Captain Brunton went TO see the
engineer and offered to put up 500
900 in cash as an evidence OF belief
In the project and a guarantee of the
expense OF having a complete and ex-
haustive examination made by COM
petent engineers. Mr.. Dockweller de-
cided 20 have the project examined
10 the bottom.
For this purpose he sent TO Las
Vegas q. G., Cragin. his chief assistant
engineer. Mr. Cragin made n care
ful survey of the situation. ana re-
ported TO his chief h "A the project
was feasible.
Mr. Dockweiler Is one 81 the most
prominent engineers IN the country
though best known on the Pacific
coast. lie is an eminent irrigation
engineer. and never has been known
10 be connected with any project that
has proved 20 be q failure. though he
has been called upon to pass upon
thc Feasibility 81 reclamation works
fuI over thirty years.
Though frequent war sraros InYuIy-
Ing the United states lu conflict with
Germany aud Mexico made promo
ton oi large enterprises cXtrcmcl,
dihfcult Dockwcilur tragin. the
Hruntous aud Allen kept on tho job.
They met many disrouraeemeuts 90"
nnancier backing out %, the last min
ute. atter in"ing The project
entirely 20 his liking They FINALLY
interested Mr.. Storrir who came here
personally, looked over the sIifnI .uu
and was convinced that no project
not only was feasible but offered H.
opportunity Tor a contractor ana cap.
iialist 10 MAX. some money ~htl, 1t
the same time helping g. uphuiHd t
community,
Mr.. Cragin VIII look after the enc
%glneering sid. Of the construction n"
be done on the grant. lie VIII remain
n.re IN personal charge li' -a.d TO-
day hat of the 5000 which 10 i-
estimated hat the construction work
viii cost. about $50 600 wAl goo for
material and the remainder fnr Labor.
A considerabIe amount OF th' money
spent for material viii be- expended
here, and Of that money paid labor
.rs. al leus, two-ihirds viii hnd .if
way directly INTO the hands Of me
local merchants. Thus IA. project
win begin circulating money Ions be-.
fore IL IN completed.