Arizona republican., 1922-04-15

before the first summer flood hit It.
The main slab was finished on the
first of July, and OH the Fourth
big patriotic celebration was held at
the dam. All arrangements had
been made for a big dance to take
place on the slab itself in the very
bed of the river surrounded by the
everlasting hills. Electric lights
had been run across the bed OF the
river and a great portion OF the sur
face of the slab had been carefully
brushed off and prepared for dance
floor.
About 6 O'Clock in the evening.
however, the first summer flood
came down the river and hit the dam
and drove the merry4nakers out of.
the river bottom. Although the con-
crete was green and freshly poured.
hit withstood a succession of summer
floods from that time on for several
months of almost unprecedented
volume and frequency.
Later on the super structure. head
works, canal gates, ETC., of the main
dam itself were gotten under way,
and the entire structure is expected
to be completely finished before the
date of dedication.
1t Is expected that all of Arizona
and the southwest will participate
in the dedicatory ceremonies. Many
government representatives of diff
ferent departments win be present.
Governor Campbell has promised to
be present and deliver an address.
Various high officials of different
government departments will be in
attendance. The occasion viii be
one long tosbe remembered in the
annals of the state.
Event Important
The completion of the Florence di-
version dam by the United States
government is an event of supreme
importance to the people who live
in the great valley around Florence
and Casa Grande. 1t marks the en-
tering wedge in the development of
another great inland empire in the
State OF Arizona.
The irrigation project to be de-
veloped under the diversion dam
alone consists of $4,000 acres of land
OF this acreage $4,000 is allotted to
the Indian Reservation below Flor
ence: and 27.000 acres OF lands be-
longing to white settlers around
Florence and Casa Grande. OF the
27.0O0 acres awarded the white set
tiers, 1880 acres lies in the Florence
in the Casa Grande district.
The dam itself is 40 feet long and
240 feet in width, and is the first
large dam of the pure Indian Weir
type constructed in the United States
on any stream of consequence The
canal gates and head works are all
on the south side of the river. the
north side canal being fed by a tun-
mel or bore through the super-struc-
ture of the dam itself 31s feet in
diameter
System Is Elaborate
There are 10 canal gates of the
skimming type, which feed into the
main canal on the south side. This
canal has a. capacity of 1000 second
feet. The dam, headgates and canal
are of a size and are so constructed
as to take care of the diversion sys-
tenn under the great San Carlos
storage reservoir when that shall
have been built.
The construction of the Florence
diversion dam by the government
means the construction also of the
San Carlos storage dam a few years
hence. Uncle Sam has put his
hand to the plow in Pinal county and
the San Carlos project will be the
next great government reclamation
work in the southwest.
Big delegations of prominent Ari-
zonians are expected from Phoenix,
Tucson, Nogales, Prescott, Mesa,
Chandler. Globe, Miami, Tempe,
Glendale, Tombstone. Douglas nnd
Bisbee. The. dedication of the
Ashurst- Hayden diversion dam is
going to be the biggest event in the
history of Arizona for some time to
come.