El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-02

FARMERS In the Upper valley are
X suffering from the same cOndi-
= tons which the farmers Of the
Lower valley hope to overcome by
turning their bitches over to the
reclamation service. They have the
crops in the soil and there is water
behind Elephant Butte dam. but Ow-
ing to the manner in which the bitches
are operated, many are denied the
use OF water when they need it most.
The result is going to be, II condi-
tions are not changed, that. despite
the necessity for more crops ana big
ger crops during the period OF the
war. the Rio Grande valley crops will
be cut short
". II. Aldridge, Of 221 West Rio
Graude street. has appealed to the
chamber OF commerce TO 90 some
thing. II possible to assist IN getting
water on the lands when needed Dis
cussing specific instances in which
owners or tenants Of land have failed
10 get water. he says:
There is unquestionably an abun-
dant supply behind the Elephant
Butte dam but under present (and
past) conditions of management OF
the community bitches II is not avail
able to the user except In limited
and intermittent way. One crop OF
small grain was entirely lost by rea-
son of water being unavailable last
fall on a certain ditch in the upper
valley and I know a rancher who has
had his first crop of alfalfa off sew
eral days. begging for water to start
his second crop, with no water yet
in sight. This practice continued
through the season will result In
the loss Of one cutting or crop OF
aeDon't Critieise the Mexican"
'TO criticise the Ne zican for put
ting off till tomorrow is slander
on the Mexican compared with the
way water is promised by the often
management for tomorrow Under
prevailing conditions. water will be
promised, say for 6 a. m. Monday.
The rancher will take on his irriga-
tion force OF from two to four men
There will be water in the ditch at
S, but by o'clock it has failed. The
rancher, not knowing how soon an
other head viii come, keeps his men
under pay. This practice is repeated
through the season with the result
that his irrigation cost is two to
three times what il should be. to say
raising OF the water table by reason
Of having to water the upper part
OF his land two to four times before
a water supply lasts long enough
TO complete Lne IElsalloA u d sSAASa
OF borders
No set of Rules.
"The trouble is there are no set
rules nor dates nor time for any
one to take water. The seeming rule
is TO take it when il Is in the ditch
II you want II. True. there are ditch
bosses and one is supposed to have
his permission before taking water
from the ditch, but this rule Is not
enforced. nor is any penalty attached
for its violation.
'.No one is required to irrigate at
night. except those on the lower
reaches Of the ditch, who must irri-
gate at night OF scarcely not at al
No one else uses water at night with
the result that quite half Of the water
turned into the ditch by the reclama-
tiOn service flows through and back
into the river and is wasted. except
that the government sells it to a
ditch lower down. Every gallon OF
this water is paid for, whether used
or wasted.
The Cost Goes High.
sWhen the writer invested in this
valley some years ago, the informa-
tion was that the water cost would
never exceed $3.50 per acre per year
and 50 of this was to be in pay
ment to the government 10 apply
against the cost Of the dam Since
last November. have paid in water
assessments 81 and I don't hope to
gel out under 50 more before next
November. And all OF this Sc is ex-
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