Imperial Valley press., 1919-09-04
|ALl-AMER|CAN
|CAN Al FOES
UNABLE I D
N AXE CASE

An interesting feature in the report
of the Los Angeles Chamber of Com.
is that the large Mexican interests
did not come out in the open. The
deposition was represented at the
hearing by A. M. Schenk, owner OF
lands near Calexico, H. H. Clark OF
Calipatria, director in No 3 and No
8 Mutual Water companies and J. l.
Van Warner, Peter P. Howley and
Vincent Schmitz, all of Brawley. The
summary given by the report Of the
results Of hearing given to these OPP
ponents is as follows:
These gentlemen claimed that pro-
lection to the Imperial Valley could
be given by constructing a canal from
Yuma dam to the Hanlon Heading,
connecting at that point with the ca
nal running into Mexico and that such
canal could be built for approximate
ly $3,0O0,00O, that it is unfair to make
a charge against developed land for
the benefit of outside acreage, and
that while such canal below the Han
lon Heading must, of necessity, be con-
structed and maintained through Mex
ican territory that this nevertheless
was of minor Importance because in
any event it is necessary for Amer
lean interests to maintain levees in
Mexico to prevent the flood water of
the river from overflowing the I'M
perial valley which lies below sea-
level.
However, it finally seemed to be the
concensus of opinion that they would
have little, if any, objection to the plan
proposed provided that contemporary
eously with the construction of the
system, reservoirs should be erected
for the purpose of conserving the sur
plus waters, and provided further
the plan involved the expenditure of a
larger per cent, of the costs of the
system against the lands now having
no present water supply, and provided
further that large tracts of lands in
private ownership now having no wa
ter right should be required to be
sold at prices, to be fixed by the Sec
retary of the Interior as condition
of participation.
In their findings upon this proposed
canal, the committee calls attention
to the contract made with the Mexi-
can government under which Mexi-
can lands are entitled to one-half of
the flow of water running through a
Mexican canal and commenting there
on, says:
eff. therefore, the plan suggested
by Mr.. Schenk and his associates
were adopted, and the water taken
from the Yuma dam were carried
through American territory the Han
lon Heading and thence through the
old canals through Mexican territory
into the United States, such Mexican
lands would be entitled to one-half
OF these waters even though it had
been greatly augmented at great ex-
pense by storage in the United
States.
"It is impracticable during low wa
ter to further maintain the weir in
the Colorado river, and thus unless
we are to give Mexico and the Mexi-
can lands one-half of the flood wa
ters of the river which may hereafter
be conserved by storage, an all-Ameri-
can canal system must be construct
ed"
The following clause in the report
affirms that the construction of an
allAmerican canal will not do away
with the maintenance in Mexico of
protection from flood waters and ad-
vocates purchase Of the said lands by
the United States, or if this cannot
be arranged treaty covering the
questions involved:
1--WE direct attention, however, to
the fact that an all-American canal
does not entirely solve the problem of
the Imperial Valley. The Imperial
Valley largely lies below the sea-level
and unless the Colorado river where it
runs through Mexican territory, is
not at flood times kept within it's
banks through levees properly main
tained, the flood waters will spread
over the country, flow into the I'm.
Iperial Valley basin anil imperil the
whole valley. There is no question
but that all the land served by the
Colorado river, together with the Mag
dalena bay which in the hands of al
unfriendly naval power will be a grea,