Middletown transcript., 1921-10-03


f<9 Tat This addition is to be accomplished
1 -An& by changing to Colorado the name
l H3I Of the Grand river from its source
ts2W near Rocky. Mountain National park
in northern Colorado to Its junction
w7th the Green river in southeastern Utah. The
saraAd and Green rivers together make the Colo
sstiO river
The Grand is 423 miles long from It's source to
rs junction with the Green. Eighty miles of this
streams length is In Utah. The Green rises just
gsuth of Yellowstone National park III northwest
sxa Wyoming and is 700 miles long to'its junction
with the Grand. The Colorado from Utah to the
s:aIf of California, is 1000 miles long.
Though the Green is nearly twice, as long
she Grand, the Grand carries the greater volume
II water. Moreover, the Green runs 35 miles
shrough the northwestern corner of Colorado and
seceives much of its volume from Colorado. 1t is.
therefore, contended by Colorado that the Grand
ss the real upper Colorado and that the Green Is
y tributary
1t is the people of Colorado who are behind the
isfnt resolution for the change of name. With
them 1t appears to be a matter of deep sentiment.
Representative E. T. Taylor of Colorado, speaking
20 the Joint resolution said:
,. Mr.. Speaker, for the past 35 years my home
has been and is now in the beautiful little city
u Glenwood Springs. Colo, on the banks Of what
kas heretofore been called the Grand river, the
as1ncipal tributary and, in fact, the main stream
sf the Colorado river, and during all those years
4 have always hoped and believed that sometime
aAe state pride Of the sons and daughters Of our
bel0ved commonwealth would bring about the
change of the name of that stream to it's rightfu
asme, as the source and principal part of that
wonderful river, and permit our citizens to fOndly
and proudly welcome the greatest river In
state as our great states stream under the name
that is dearest to every COlOradan heart. And
Rtth the passage of this resolution that hope Of
many years. not only of my own but thousands Of
saser Coloradans, will be consummated."
At its last session the Colorado legislature
passed bill officially changing the name of the
Grand from Grand to Colorado, within the state
Boundaries. bill was introduced in the Utah
agislature at the last session to change the name
II the Grand from Grand to Colorado within the
Boundaries of Utah. The Utah legislature did not
act on the bill and will not meet again for two
gears.
In the meantime, inasmuch as the Colorado
Is an interstate and international stream and is
r9assed as navigabe, it has been decided that the
change in name should be brought about by act
of congress rather than by action of the states.
Moreover, the Colorado bulks large in the public
rye Just now as a national river of tremendous
snportance Already water power and irrigation
projects of great mportance-the Imperial valley
b California, for eXampe-mark the course of
the river Projects under discussion are appar-
entity of still greater imporance-the proposed
Boulder dam across the Colorado just below the
asrand canyon, for instance. This project may be
undertaken by the federal government. 1t would
BE- the most spectacular work of its kind in the
world and would cost anywhere between forty and
seventy-fve millions.
The Colorado Is mighty river beyond doubt.
Many rivers unite to form it, The principal
branches of the Green are the Uinta, Price. Yam
~ and White; Of the Grand, the Eagle Roaring
Fork, Gunnison and Dolores; Of the Colorado, the
fremont, Escaante, Paria, Kanab and Virgin on
The right and the San Juan Little Colorado, Bill
Williams and Gila on the left. The Grand canyon
g On the main river in Arizona and extends from
tfIe mouth Of the Little Colorado to the Grand
wash The Grand Canyon National park encloses
z17 miles of the river, which in places is 5000
rect below the rim Of the canyon. The lower
Colorado runs through low desert country At
fuma on the Mexican line, is an immense irriga-
ton project which consists of diversion dam
searly mile long. 400 miles Of canals and 20
niles of dikes and cost about $5,OOO,O0O The
water is carried to Arizona lands by a thousand
foot tunnel, which passes under the river.
Below Yuma the river, when in flood, mandates
sarge areas lying below level. In 1905 the
Goods enlarged the 5O-foot intake of the Imperial
valley (California) irrigation canal in Mexican
territory to $500 feet. It poured all its waters
ehrough this break and its regular channel to the
Gulf of California went dry. This break was not
successfully closed until 1906-07. Floods again
threatened to drown out the Imperial valley and
in 10O0-1O congressional appropriation Of 81 OOO,
400 was applied to the construction of levees and
dikes. The waters of the Colorado here run in
huge auueduct, which tie river has built up for
itself from silt. This aqueduct cut the part to
she north off from the Gulf of California Evapo-
ration has left only the Salton sea, which is salt
and below sea level.