Imperial Valley press., 1920-03-18
|. A. MEETING
UNANIMOUS
FOR RIVER
CON 7 R0L.
Imperial Valley Awaiting
Return of Delegates to Ex-
plain Action; Some Feel
That Direct Slap at ALL
American Canal Is Taken.

Valley, the conference called by
the Los Angeles chamber of com
merce to take action on the control
of the Colorado river yesterday
passed resolution urging con-
gress to take action to curb the
river.
The delegates from the Imperial
valley were: President j. S. Nickerson
and Director r. d. McPherrin of the
Irrigation district; z. E. Carr of Calex-
leo, representing the Associated Cham
bers; c. T. Wardlae, CaleXico and d. l..
Ault of CaleXico, representing the Cal.
ifornia-Mexico Land Company; j. II.
Sears, delegate for Lower California:
Luis Guerrero Romero, Mexican Irri-
cation Commission of Colorado river:
Gustave Duvan, Mexican agricultural
department; Ramon Guerrero, interpre-
ter of Mexican delegation.
Valley Fears a Joker
1t is said that it was agreed that no
single unit was of more importance
than the whole in the river program
and if this is true, it would be a direct
slap at the all-American canal in the
opinion Of interested observers today.
The Valley is awaiting with interest
the return of the delegates to find their
version of the affair.
OF chief interest to the ealley was
the fact that Mexican landowners will
contribute their quota for river protec-
ton and conservation, according to
acreage. This was conveyed to the
conference by representatives of Mexi-
co. Those in the Valley construed this
announcement in several different
ways, as it is one of the first state
ments coming from below the line that
cooperate.
The resolution unanimously passed
at the close of the session as summar-
izing the attitude of the conferees, is
as follows:
Resolution to Congress
Whereas, the opportunity for the
reclamation of public and private lands
both by prevention of floods, overflow
and by irrigation offers an opportunity
for the development of an arid area of
approximately 100000 acres in the
United States and Mexico, in addition
to that now served below the Grand
Canyon, and,
Whereas, the result OF such reclama-
ton on the Salt River and Yuma pro-
ject OF the United States reclamation
service, of the Imperial irrigation dis
trict and of the Palo Verde Valley, in
dCate that the gross value of irrigated
crops in such portions of the United
States is well over 500 per acre per
annum, thus demonstrating the possi-
bility of adding to the public wealth a
full S150,O00,O00 per year and,
Whereas, experiences in the South,
west show that such reclaimed lands,
together with their town communities,
are capable Of sustaining approximate
ly one inhabitant per irrigated acre,
thus offering an opportunity for the
placing of more than 100000 people
on areas now barren, and
Whereas, the late summer flow of
the river is now all diverted and reser-
voir sites exist along the Colorado
river, including the Gila, and other tri-
butaries, capable Of impounding a large
proportion of the destructive flood
flows which now pass down that
stream. and in view of the fact there
is sufficient volume of flow for the re-
clamation of this great area of 1900.
600 acres, and,
Whereas, the owners of the private
lands, both irrigated and irrigable, in
both United States and Mexico, are
willing to repay, according to benefits
funds that may be advanced by the
government for the building of reser
voirs and protective works; therefore
be it
Resolved, that the congress of the