El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-10-19
ELEPHANT BUTTE DANI5FORMALLY
DEDICATED To STORAGE Of WATER.
a Jones, Representing resident Wilson, Declares
the Dam Completed and eady to Reclaim the Rich
Soils Of the Valley; Secretary of Interior Makes
a Statement Regarding It's Value.

ure to be mere and speak t. you At the
| instance Of the president" said Mr.
] Jones All Of US earnestly regret ms
I inability TO be present in person
also bear 20 YOU the regrets Of the Sec
rotary Of the interior
We are met TO dedicate to the use
+ IF the present and future generations
+ this massive structure and the i'm
Z pounded waters am told that this
] dam a Z the top is sc feet in width. 1000
/ feet long that the base is 203 feet
thick. and is anchored TO a foundation
( 31S feet below the crest SIX hundred
and ten thousand cubic yards Of con-
! crete are bound together by interlac-
I ing bars of steel This 100000 tons OF
+ material is sufficient TO construct on A
/ city lot p feet by 125 feet pillar Of
D concrete lacking only 80 feet Of being a
mile in height In its bosom are IlXed
attachments for the generation or the
equivalent OF So. 600 horse power IN
electrical energy The reservoir IN
. storage capacity surpaSseS any otneE
f ever constructed When filled, II VIII
contain more than 100000 acre rect
Of water-enOugh TO cover 10 depth
Of one foot, an area OF 4-VV square
miles This is two-thirds more than
the combined capacity of ali the
reservoirs built or projected Tor
the city of greater New York
II viii actually submerSe more
than -. O00 acres Of land. and extend
70 maximum length OF - mlles. ne
project is designed to irriEate and en-
able the intensive cultivation of leu,-
000 acres Of land
The Dams Great Work
To-day our thoughts naturally re-
vert to those who We're first to explore
and here found a civilization, TO the
hopes. anNieties and vision OF these
settlers. and Of those who conceived
and have erected the edlflce on when
We stand. One essential was wanting
water must he put upon the land. Set
Elements were made hum Die homes
were erected. and all available meth
DDS were used for the irrigation OF the
land Communities were built up only
To face an uncertain future The water
supply was not constant often the
seed was planted but drought prevent
ed the harvest The water must ne
stored How TO DO this presented en-
cheering problems and the procure
ment of means whereby il could be
done presented financial problem Of
no less Importance
THE enterprise was finally brought
TO the attention of the officials Of the
reclamation service Of the federal gov
eminent and their cooperation enlisted
After this was done the real work be-
gan. and the vastness Of the undertake
ing has been realized through the pass
ing years.
Monument To Pioneers
THE completed dam stands as a .
monument TO those who pointed the I
way and with undaunted courage in |
sisted that il could and should be built 4
II stands as a monument 10 the en-
gineers and architects who designed Il I
and TO the men who constructed It. To }
have worked here should be a badge Of !
honor and 10 every man. whether
- Working with mind or muscle who has
engaged in this stupendous work. thls
dam viii stand as monument
throughout the unknown years Of the
.uture-
Twenty five years ago there as
sembled @ few men OF the west who
-ealized western conditions and or
.anized the first Irrigation congress
nd began the great work Of directing
he attention of the country 10 west
IN conditions Through these con-
-resses the people Of the middle and
astern sections Of the nation We're (
rOught 70 realize the Importance 10
he country at large OF these vast en-
=rprises- Thousands Of American ciu-
ems have been enabled to obtain homes
nd rear their families under cOndi- S
ions which insure a hardy and viSor-
Us citizenship Enterprlsing and pros g
erous communities have resulted. food g
roducts are being added TO the ma =
onal supply in an ever increasing
atil. and the arid west Is gradually
SSuninE a reasonable share OF the
urdens Of government. Many unfore-
cen difficulties have been encounter
d. but they are being met and over
one
The Future Work.
much Vet remains to be done The
am Is completed and the waters are
cling imDOunded. 4 small part IF the
nd is being irrigated Yet hundreds I
miles of canals are to be built
rama Ee system must he constructed
thousands Of settlers are TO be es-
.blished on the land New Industries
re to be fostered and new communi-
IS founded and organized some IF
lese things present serious problems
ulions of dollars viii be required 70
Iild the canals and construct the jill
-aiua-e system These things should 81
done without delay, and the future is
ars 10 Ion
Jon the things Yet u be done II IS
parent that an appeal must be made T
congress for substantial aid which d al
all become available without great \
lay. and while We rejoice in the fact u'
at the dam is built, that this one q
eat stride in the progress Of the en- q,
rDrise has been made, We should con-
Ter il largely as an encouragement III
carry on the g1Od work, solve the II
W problems. and bring to realization Is
e vision which inspired the project" =
Burgess and McNary Speak. u
Mr. Jones's address followed that Of al
airman James G. McNary- who was da
lister OF ceremonies for the day and us
s preceded by an reduction by
chard F. Burgess. retiring president n
the international Irrigation con- na
ess- Mr. NcNary called the gather ~
2 to order at the dam after arrival
re Of the special train from FL Paso. "a
d made few remarks on the i'm at
-tance of the occasion Then ne in Iat
ced Mr.. Jones 10
Mr. McNary's Address =
This beautiful October day behoIds
cousummatiOn Of a great and ben
,ient work" said Mr.. McNary- This
emonv Of dedication bears testimony
long years Of battles fought and al
ST fnsuperable obstacles overcome =
As we LOOK down from those rugged
upon the finished structure.
etching in such stately lines across
valley. our hearts are stirred with tir
ings Of eXultation at behOldinE what
mind and hand of man has accom- ma
shed. We believe that this noble
TX, by virtue of the nature OF its ful
suructiou- is destined 10 endure
ger even than these hills themselves. Inc
Dream Come True
Who knows what man in the days for
G by first dreamed Of conserving the
rs great power and possibilities III
duallv this dream took form and
ned substeuance. until IL finally took ma
session Of the minds and energy Of ba.
ing men. who would not be denied
realization Of their hopes. The pa