El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-02-14

TTTHEN It Is considered that III
w farmers and their families have
settled in the valleys above and
below FL Paso during the past twelve
months, coming from the fertile irri-
gated areas Of ArizOna-Tucson
Phoenix and Yuma, and that they tell
Us they are but the forerunners Of
others who viii come with q view to-
ward finding a good climate in which
10 live as well as fertile soil coupled
with an abundance Of water for irri-
cation purposes, those OF US inter
ested in the Rio Grande project may
take additional pride in what has
thus far been achieved in the matter
Of retaining this particular portion
Of the southwestern desert
The farmers alluded 10 above. most
Of them, were pioneers in their res
Dective districts Of Arizona and IN
every instance have made money in
their former homes. They have not
been actuated in leaving the lands
which they reclaimed in the Santa
Cruz salt OF Colorado river valleys by
any dislike for the lands or because
those lands were not productive.
Many OF them sold their lands at
many many times their original cost
and are well fixed" TO use the YER
nacular
Most Of them drove here. when they
made their trips Of exploration in
high priced automobiles and. while
age man would find difficulty in
financing a breakfast much less q
weeks stay They simply wanted 10
find an irrigated cguntry where they
and their families might raise good
crops and at the same time enjoy
a climate in which they might live in
comfort
WIN Grow Cotton.
Many have been raising cotton On
their Arizona farms and the know
ledge they win bring to this valley
may be worth much TO their new
neighbors who are now thinking
about engaging in the cultivation OF
that staple on large scale The
Arizona men with whom have dis
cussed the question Of cotton growing
reason from their observations. TO !
believe that cotton can be grown here
with profit to the grower
That fact has also been established
by the farmers, Fno have been ex-
perimeutlnE or more or less extern
sive scale. with that crop. for two
OF three years past
Looks for large Acreage.
have no mes as Of knowing what
acreage VIII be planted TO cotton this
year, but judging from the fact that
most Of the men who have arrived
from the cotton growing districts Of
Arizona say they viii plant heavily
and that many Of the older residents
OF the project VIII follow their lead
in the matter, the total acreage in the
staple will be great.
Project % Percent Complete.
Project work for the irrigation and
drainage features Of the Rio Grande
project were on Jan ! 1929. APP
proximately IS percent completed
The value OF the storage works pro
vided in the construction Of the Ele-
plant Butte dam, since its completion
in 1916, has been demonstrated in
providing water for irrigation over a
period Of IS months when only for 9
few days was there sufficient water
IN the Rio Graude at san AIarcial
during that time to irrigate projectf
lands. The value Of the crop pro-
duced on the lands irrigated during
the period when stored water exclu-
siVely was being used was far in ex-
cess Of the actual cost 70 the water
users OF the project Of this structure
Estimated 10 cost in excess Of S.. 060,-
000, its actual cost 20 the farmers OF
the Rio Grande project is in the
neighborhOod OF S3600.000. This re
ducti0n in charges Is made possible /
by the credits from the congressional
appropriation Of 100000 which
congress provided for the delivery Of
water 70 Mexican lands and by thel
sale Of over s165.000 worth Of ma
chinery used In the construction Of