Arizona republican., 1918-08-03
Vote to Save the Valley

Vote to Save the Valley
 THE ONLY THING that could defeat drain age project next Tuesday the election in the city country would be failure of a large number of the electors to so to the polls But considering how vital this subject is, think there will be many absenees. We are aware that people usually do take great of interest in elections where there candidates to be voted for. But this election is far important thing to the people of this valley than any party election could possibly be- We could much better do without governor, senators representative in congress and members of a legislature than do without drainage system.
 The opposition to the system is naturally organ ized and all the votes it command will be cast next Tuesday. It consists of who chroncaly opposed to voting obligations for improvements and of those who feel that their lands in danger from the rising water level.i There men, though, broad enough to understand that though they are safe for the present, far the water is cerned they after all related to their for tunatey situated neighbors that prosperity or the misfortune of any farmer in the valley to some extent shared by all
 
 THE SITUATION which confronts the valley and the city well and which it is proposed to relieve has perhaps not been plainly stated it should have been. It has been too much talked about in whispers, in the fear somebody will be hurt or scared.
 The situation this: In some parts of the valley and in widely separated parts, farms have be- come water-logged and worthless; they cannot now be made to pay the assessments upon them for the cost of the Roosevelt project that part of the len is shifted to the lands which have not yet been affected.
 Between 4o,000 and 50,000 of land lie not than feet above water level and of these many thousands of have a much smaller clear ance At the capitol grounds the level is within and feet of the surface In other places it is only three four feet below.
 Tests have shown the level to be rising rapidly. In choice district north the city it rose five and onehalf inches in month this year. the follow ing month it three and a half inches.
 In many parts of the valley fruit and shade trees dead and dying for their roots immersed in the underground water rotting If for instance. the level of the water in the apito grounds should continue rise should that show place covered with dead trees and shrubs In a short time Phoenix and the surrounding country would be robbed of it's chief beauty.
 The county health authorities stated not long ago. not in the way of argument in favor of the drain age system that the rising water was serious menace 10 the public health.
 Here is the situation affecting the whole valley not exaggerated but rather understated
 IT IS PROPOSED to relieve it in such a way, by a system of pumping by which the underground wat may be applied to lands that many thousands of other may be brought into cultivation to add ito the prosperity of the valley. That is all of the =pumped water that be spared will be sold Sowners of new lands. But it is by certain that it be spared year. There possibility sand fear, strong probability that it will be needed for the lands already under the project This ho Ito the lands and the proceeds will go to tighen the debt the users under the Roosevelt zproject owe the einment. This water is not be &spplied exclusively to the lands but is be used so supplement the flow in the canals both old frew lands.
 One objection is urged by tke owners of lands not now immediately threatened to the this water fThey say they do not it. that it would harm their Hands They want the river water It is proposed as Eve have said, to mix the pumped with the Efiver water. The objection to pumped water is an Sold and exploded We heard years ago. not that st positively harmful, but that it lacked those Elements which add fertility the soil But after kthis the cultivation of the Chandler lands Dumped water being used for many years exclusively srhe production bounteous any other part fof the valley and the alfalfa raised brought from $2 to $3 more ton than any alfalfa in the zvalley because it was all alfalfa It contained none sof the weed growths found alfalfa raised on lands sirrigated by promscuous seed bearing water.
 AND HERE IS another point for the owners of sthe lands whose cultivation followed the in- talaton of the Roosevelt project Before that their lands was of no vaue Now they worth from $200 to $500 They the chief benefciaries of the project and that project made possible by the owners of the old lands, who if they mar view of the matter would have thought they did not really need the project. They assured by the