Arizona republican., 1917-03-03
JUDGE K|bbEY GIVES CONCISE
HISTORY Of GREAT PROJECT

Judge kibbey, before leaving for
Washington some time ago, com
piled one OF the most complete MIS-
tories of the Salt river valley water
project which has ever been present
ed in so Drief a space. Ii was a
feature of his recommendation of some
weeks since to the board of gov
errors of The Water Users Associa
ticn and is so valuable that it is re-
produced for the benefit of the thou
sands of readers of The Arizona Re-
publican. as follows:
Prior to the passage of the recla
nation act. there were under more
or less successful cultivation in the
valley approximately 10000 acres OF
land, the owners Of which had beer
vested rights for the appropriation and
use in the irrigation Of their lands
of water from the Salt and Verde
rivers and from Subterranean sources.
The irrigation works by which the
water was made available for this
purpose consisted of many miles of
canals, several diversion dams. one
of timber and others of stone. sand
and brush and of pumping plants.
These works had cost the water
users OF the valley several millions
or dollars.
The amount Of water available under
the then conditions was variable and
uncertain depending upon the unregu-
lated and practically unrestricted flow
If the rivers.
Never theless the value of the water
rights was Of important magnitude.
The water users were desirous Of
not only an increased. out a more
ocular supply of water.
a bin had been introduced in con-
yress. With strong probability Of pass
= lga 20 authorize Maricopa county
to issue its bonds to the amount of
| S2C000u0, with the proceeds OF which
IN improunding dam might be con-
suucted acrass Salt river near the
mouth OF Fonto creek the site of the
Roosevelt dam
Private enterprises had alre3dy mi
dated and carried forward tho work
Of the preparation FIR the construction
Of dam at that point and hau eN-
pended several thousands Cf dollars
in that enterprise.
The bin for the national irrigation
act was at the time pending ia con-
gress and on June Il. 1892 became a
law.
The bill for the act to enable the
county To bond itself was abandoned
| and never became "a law.
Almost Immediately upon the pass
age OF the reclamation act. the land
| owners Of the valley hogan to consider
! the question of securing the construc
tioI of irrigation works under its
provisions. Much the largest proper
| ton Of the lands which might be sup
piled by water from any work con-
| structed on either river was in private
! ownership.
Committees were appointed and their
members conferred for months. their
| labOrs resulting finally in the formu-
1 Ia Of 10 a Of if1PnFrtAral ~
| the Salt River Valley Water Users
! association.
/ These were drawn and in accord
ance with the provisions Of the gen
1 eral Incorporation laws of the then
/ Territory of Arizona.
The purpose OF the organization.
! broadly stated, were declared TO be To
lacquire the means OF storing, diverting
and distributing irrigation water to its
members; to develop hydro electric
! power 10 he used for pumping water
I for use in irrigation. and to enter into
proper arrangements with the United
| States government 70 secure the con-
struction IF irrigation works under
/ the provisions of the reclamation act.
/ II may be well to note that the
articles of incorporation as drawn
I and adopted by the water users did
not authorize the development By the
I ei11'lttA III VI tiLAlAlt ifpAFA LII ttilfi
( that pumping water for irrigation
/ that bower was assumed later by an
amendment of the articles by a vote Of
| the water users.
/ The capital stock Of the association
was fixed At S3,I50.06e which was TO
| be divided into shares of SIS each;
| $3.50. 005 was then assumed to be the
| maximum cost OF the works in con-
temptation By the government, and
100000 acres Of land as the maximum
number Of acres of land that might
he irrigated from all sources.
The provisions as to the payment for
the stock was that the subscriber
Should pay the per acre charge for
| the cost OF works then in contemDla-
tion 10 be constructed by the govern
! ment under the provisions Of the
reclamation act. whether that cost
| should eventually be determined t.
ne more or less than SIS per acre. or
just SIS per acre. The payment Of
less than SIS per acre, If the cost
should he less than SIS would suffice
to fully pay up the stock subscription;
land If It were determined that. the eos,
/ was mole than SIS per acre the pay
+ ment Of the sum in excess of SIS was
. required to discharge the stock obliga-
ton. Notwithstanding par was fixed
at sl5.
The membership. that is these en-
titled to eventually become stock
| holders. was limited to those who
might be owners Of land within the
! reservoir district and who should
eventually acquire water rights under
the provisions of the reclamation act.
There was no direct limitation in
the articles by reason of non-resi-
derce, or holdings of land in excess OF
100 acres. These limitations were i'm
posed however, indirectly, by the pro-
vision that the stockholder should ac-
! quire a government water right. and
he cnuld not ADMIRE snch right under