The copper era and Morenci leader., 1919-03-28
MOVEMENT STARTS F0R FLOOD CONTROL
 IN G|LA RIVER

The citizens of Duncan and Clifton I were highly entertained and instruct e0 on Wednesday of this week when they were visited by Andrew Kim ball, Agricultural Agent of the U. 5. R. R. administration, and George H. Maxwell, Executive Director Of the National Reclamation Association. The distinguished visitors spoke at Duncan on Wednesday afternoon and at Clifton Wednesday evening.
 In addition to this agricultural W ork in the state Andrew Kimball is a member of the Soldiers Settle | ment Board for Arizona and as such has been making a study of the Arizona situation from this stand point, in order to be able to make report on the available land in the state, as result of reclamation, that could be utilized as farms for Ie turning soldiers. MT Maxwell, who has been engag- ed in reclamation work in national way, for the past twenty-three years and who played a leading part in the success of the Roosevelt dam pro- ject, has joined forces with MT. Kim ball in the effort to induce Con- gress, at it's next session, to make an appropriation for the work of ASSAN smation of land along the Gila river in New Mexico and Arizona.
 When Mr. Kimball, as member of the Soldiers Settlement Board for Arizona, began making a survey of the available land in the state for returning soldiers, he consulted with Mir. Maxwell who is an authority on this subject. Later MT Frank Olm- sted, a reclamation engineer or re- nown, was called into conference MT Olmsted, two years ago, under an appropriation secured by Senator Ashurst, made a report on the con- trol of the flood waters of the Gila river, from it's source to it's outlet Since the completion of that report it has been on file in Washington and nothing further was done The first step taken by Messrs. Maxwell and Kimball, with the assistance of Governor Campbell and Senator Mark Smith, was the securing of the publication of the Olmsted report This is now in process of printing as senate document and with this re- port in the hands Of every coneress- man and senator when Congress con- venes an effort will be made to seq cure an emergency appropriation to carry out the splendid purposes em- DoQ1eQ Cnore1n.
 Leaving Phoenix on March 12th MT. Maxwell and Mr. Kimball have been Speaking to the people of Ari- zcna, in series of meetings held in the southern counties, acquainting them with the campaign that is on for the restoration of waste land and the reclamation of arid lands within the state by the control of food waters along the Gila and its tributaries.
 In Duncan MT. Kimball made the statement as fact, substantiated bv the Olmsted report, that in the Gila Valley within Graham county, that torty-siX per cent of the tillable land, lying between the canal svs- tems, as originally built, had been washed away by the ravages of ficod waters. and that unless Con- gress afforded relief, the day was not Tar distant when this important aeri- cultural district would be restricted to narrow strip hugging the foot hills.
 In connection with the campaign being waged to make model ex- ample of the Gila river. in the mat ter of flood water control, and co. operation by the state with the Fed
 
 conservation work, MT. KimbalI com phmented the Fourth State LegisIa ture Tn the passage of laws for this purpose, and especially mentioned a bill passed by Senator Elliott ot Greenlee county, carrying an appro priation of $100,0OO for the purpose of cC-operatio'i with tha Federal Rec 1amation Service in the survey and investigation of reclamation projects within the state of Arizona or with out the state, where the land to he reclaimed lies within our boundaries
 Mr Maxwell spoke at Duncan urg ing the people to bestir themselve. . in this important matter which menat so much to the state and tolG in an interesting way the diffcultie. tEs;t were finally Over,.,.nia and Iht wonderful Roosevelt dam made reality. In Clifton at the Auditorium M" Maxwell told the audience ,tht danger that threatened Clifton by flood by reason of it's physical sur rouDdings and that in the control O the flood waters of the San Francis co, as provided in the Olmsted re port, this constant menace to If, and property in this communit, would be overcome.
 The visitors were met at Duncan by committee from the Greenle, .County Chamber of Commerce, com posed of w. B. Kelly, A. H. Slaueh ter and Pickens Anderson, and wer, brought to Clifton by MT. Anderson in one of his new Studebaker cars Both a1r. KinIball and MT Maxwell were loud in their praises of .h splendid highways ir Greenlee coun ty From here they left Thurs 1a morning for San Sicrrn and thenc to Globe and Miami s.ter they vii visit the northern DOT. on of tn state and expect to mare a secJn visit to this section in the near fr ture,