Arizona republican., 1922-05-11

in day and night shifts. During the
last few days heavy clouds gathered
on the mountain tops and the threat
of rain and flood was never absent.
With the possible destruction of five
months labor and a financial loss of
perhaps 100000 ever before him. the
engineer in charge scarcely closed his
eyes during the last week in June.
The slab was finally completed on
June %. From this time on until Au-
gust /, the work was constantly in
terrupted by minor floods. On that
date heavy flood destroyed some OF
the trestle and damaged the work to
the exten of $1,000. Later on a large
flood for time threatened the safe
ty of the whole structure, but stren-
uous labor in rock filling checked
securing and the danger was averted
With the cessation of floods in Oc-
tober the work proceeded on the in
take gates and the crest Of the dam
The latter was completed in 16 days
exactly. the time required to lay the
slab. In quarrying for rock to 90
into the dam promising vein of
silver ore was opened UP and rock
running as high as $500 ton now
forms a part of the structure.
The successful accomplishment of
this Difficult engineering task is at
tributable TO Chief Engineer w. M.
Reed and his able assistant, Major
C. R. Olberg, both of whom gained
their experience in handling western
rivers during several years of sim
liar work with the reclamation serv-
ice. Mr.. Reed was in charge OF the
construction Of the Carlsbad prof.
ect and later of the Rio Grande prof.
ect, both IN New Mexico Major OIL
berg was connected with the earlier
work on the Roosevelt dam He was
directly in charge of the entire work
of the Florence dam from start to
finish.
New Era Dawns
The completion of the dam marks
the first imr ortant step in a great
reclamatio. project for the Gila wall
ley, the Oldest irrigated region in the
United States. The second step to be
taken is the development of a large
storage reservoir by the construction
OF the San Carlos dam. When the
floods of the angry Gila are checked
by this great structure the valley will
become vival of its neighbor, the
Salt river valley, which is now
termed the Garden of Allah.
While the Florence dam is ex-
pected to bring much prosperity and
happiness to those who will receive
water from 1t, the normal flow of
the river will not adequately meet the
needs of a very large area. With
storage, however, many thousands of
acres Of fertile and productive lands
will be brought into cultivation and
will support hundreds of families.
An agreement has been reached
between the white settlers and the
Indian land owners for the equitable
division of the waters Of the Gila and
an organization mas been perfected
to promote the early construction of
the San Carlos storage dam and an
efficient distribution system. The
cost of these works will be repaid by
the land owners, both Indian and
white. Aside from the material benz
efits to all the settlers which will
follow the completion of this large
work, friendly relations will be re-
stored between the various water
users, litigation will cease and the
development of the valley will pro-
ceed rapidly At the same time the
nation will repay in part at least the
debt of gratitude it has long owed
a tribe of Indians whose hands have
never been lifted against white
man.