The Delta independent., 1923-02-23


From this camp, down stream, it was
proposed to examine carefully, as here,
If anywhere, would be the opportunity
to cut the length of Fleming and
Whinnerahs tunnel. The object of
the first voyage was simply to reach
this point. The instruments used-an
anerid barometer, pocket compass,
hand level and clinometer with an
engineers 1OO-foot chain-were suf-
ficient for such preliminary investiga-
tion. The first days journey was fif-
teen thousand feet and talus on the
left bank seemed to indicate that the
chances were good for the shorter
tunnel, but the next day brought
sharp turn in the canon and vertical
walls almost from the waters edge
changed conditions; the river was
filed with gigantic boulders SO that
the boat became almost a nuisance
except for crossing from side to side
to find space for travelling. Not over
two thousand feet were made on any
succeeding day and on the last day
of the month. having reached the head
of a rapid of unknown length with
worse, and boat that would scarcely
carry three and five to go, it was de
cided to crawl out The only possible
way appeared on the Maher side and
from 8 o'clock in the morning to
o'clock in the evening was required
to reach the crest. AS a result it was
evident that there was no Royal
Road" for the waters of the Gunnison
to reach the Uncompahgre valley;
that the WAY would be a line from
the nearest proper contour in the IN
compahgre valley to it's corresponding
contour in the Gunnison. The problem
was destined to be solved, for Mead
Hammond was elected to the Legisla
ture on a Gunnison water platform.
though little of it was used in the
canvass, and John c. Bell was in Con-
gress while A. Lincoln Fellows was
getting into the valley with the Geo
logical Survey.
Hammond, with Rawalt from Gunni-
son, where Normal School was the
desired end. hypnotized the Legisla-
ture with their persuasive language
and other things; Rawalt got the Nor
Ildl 0ldtt Sdldl No
3" and $4,000 appropriation. enough
with a reasonable discretion. to make
necessary surveys and Investigations
to ascertain the where and the how;
Bell was convincing Congress that it
was the best project for the Reclama-
ton Service to do a service, and OBJ
tain the required aid. During all this
time Fellows, urged on by the Tunnel
Board of Strategy. Hammond, Tobin
and Dodge, was contouring the west
slope of the ridge SO a site could be
selected and the tunnel begun at once.
During the next two or three years,
Notwithstanding frenzied work in the
wrong place. oil field exploiting. use
less stunts and high sounding speeches
on Crystal water" "Blossoming as
the Rose" Fountain OF Everlasting
Youth" etc, much really valuable
work was done. The Tunnel Board
mapped the valley. made the necessary
filings on Gunnison water, set out
some preliminary ditch lines, began a
tunnel, designed from Fellows first
several hundred feet of fine tunnel in
the adobes-Qt has often been re-
gretted that the tunnel was not made
in a spud region for it had the max
ings Of several cellars)-Dodge started
a Board Library" with two OF Hay
den's Reports, and with due diligence
the $4,000 was used up in about a
year. This quick work clarified the
atmosphere; the Reclamation Service
assumed charge of the work, COM
pleted topographic map of the Un-
compahgre Valley and the Project;
set out a tunnel site with outlet on the
railroad and began predicting the cost
OF the project. At first the estimated
cost of few surveys, the tunnel and
canal to the Uncompahgre river were
added together and divided by the
estimated number of available acres
which gave a quotient OF twenty-five,
which notation was dollars or estimate
No. /, for cost per acre. Time and
very little of it, brought more wisdom
and it seemed necessary for the r. s.
to acquire the water rights and exist
ing bitches in the valley, build more
canals to take in more land, rebuild
old bitches, make new surveys to
segregate lands and classify them All
these things and others too numerous
to mention kept up the continual addi-