Arizona republican., 1917-06-17

After many surveys and investiga-
ton of sites, the present location of
the Roosevelt reservoir was selected
as the most logical site for a dam
which would hold back the flood waters
to be drawn upon as needed.
The United States government was
induced to take over the work of build
ing this and the work was begun Sep
TENDER 20, 1906, and completed Febru
airy 5, 1911. This dam is built into
solid rock in a narrow defile between
two mountains at the head of the Salt
River Canyon, and is just below the
junction of the Salt River and Tonic
Creek
284 Feet High
The Roosevelt dam is 2S4 feet high,
1913 feet thick at the base and 20 feet
at the top. The length is 21O feet at
the base and zoo feet at the top. The
area of the reservoir when full is 16,
230 acres and contains l, 367, 305 acre
feet of water From several power
houses both at the dam and at points
in the canals there is developed $4,000
electric horse power, which is utilized
at the mines in ella and Pinal coun-
ties and for power and domestic use
in the towns of the valley.
About twenty different crops and
fruits are grown in the valley in acre
ages of 500 or more acres each. The
principal crop is alfalfa which has an
acreage of more than 100000 acres.
Nowhere else in all the world does al
falfa do better than here in the Salt
River Valley.
Desert land is broken up. leveled
er attention except the water, the al
falfa grows and makes crops of eight
to ten tons to the acre each year. The
ease with which alfalfa is grown, and
/ the mild climate is very favorable foI
! dairying, and it is not surprising that
the number of dairy cows has increased
relatively more than in any other state
of the Union. The number of dairy
cattle now in the valley is conserva-
tivelyestimated at $1,000 head, and the
annual revenue from this source is
approximately S2,500,000. There are
three creameries and one condensed
milk plant, and in addition many dairy
men make their own product into
butter or sell milk either wholesale
| or retail.
| Cattle from Ranges
| Thousands of beef cattle from thu
ranges of the state are fattened on the
/ alfalfa pastures, and in the winter
season some $4,000 sheep from thu
Northern counties find winter HON,
on the rich fields of alfalfa and grain
Beside the livestock that is fed here
hundreds of carloads of hay are ship
/ ped out each season to the coast AM
to the southern states.
Of the money crops OF the vale,
there is none which at the present tim'
is more profitable than long stapl
Egyptian cotton. A variety has beer
bred which is we'll adapted to this sec
ton, and yields Ct one bale to the acr
are not uncommon. Last season cot
ton sold as high as Sc cents the pcGnt
and this season the price promises t
be equally rs high
j The acreage of this crop this seaso
, is $4,000 acres and over the major par
of it the stand is good and the GRO
prospects are excellent. This crop fit
in we'll with rotation enabling tn
progressive farmer to keep his alfalf
renewed and Consequently producin
its maximum.
. Cotton In Old Fields
Cotton too does better on old alfalf
land. 1t is a crop which requires
considerable amount Of labor and cor
sequently it furnishes employment fe