Imperial Valley press., 1923-02-08
AS Others See Us
AN IMPERIAL UNDERTAKING

Hartford Comm Times, Jan 81.
This nation has witnessed 10
more remarkable undertaking since
the building of the Panama canal
than the movement to harness, con.
troll and utilize the Colorado river,
which has been undertaken by seven
sovereign states acting in concord.
For the first time in our history an
interstate treaty has been made un-
der the terms of the constitution
which involves more than two
states. One of the marvels is that
agreement was secured by that
number of eommonwealths whose
interests are so diverse and whose
ideas with reference to the pro-
posed development so much at
variance. Yet they have reconciled
their differences and ratification of
the document which their represen-
tatives have signed is expected of
the various. legislatures now in ses-
sion.
Commercial interests have been
seeking the right to undertake this
development, which is gigantic al
most beyond contemplation. Through
irrigation it is planned to develop q
territory larger than the republic of
France. More than four million
acres of land now a desert will be
brought under cultivation. Floods
will be controlled. The rich I'M
perial Valley, which is in constant
danger of being inundated with Il
loss Of thousands Of lives and scores
Of millions of dollars, will be safe
guarded. New homes will be fur.
nished for three millions of citizens.
AS by-product more than six mil
lion horse power of electric energy
will be developed.
Under this treaty, instead of turn
ing the river over to private in
terests for exploitation the people
of the seven states affected will con
troll and be able TO supervise any
development undertaken. Prcsum-
ably the necessary dams will be
built by the states with govern
mcnt assistance, but in all prob
ability the privilege Of turning wa
ter power into electric energy will
be leased TO private bidders under
appropriate public control.
Figures that incompIctcly outline
the development challenge the i'm
aginatioin. They would be possible
only in Il territory so great and so
imperial as our west. Running
through seven states and a part of
Mexico besides, tho annual flow of
the Colorado would be sufficient 10
cover twenty million acres of land
ono foot deep. Fortunately for the
diverse character of the agricultural
interests among the states to the
north and south, the river divides
itself into two natural baiius hun
hrcds of miles apart and Separated
bv miles of canyons where agricul-
ture is practically an impojsibility
Construction of dams at various
sites along thc river will create some
eight reservoirs, each TO su1ply the
needs Of its own immediate terri
tory.
The magnfficcnec Of the project
is enhanced in rnvisagcment by the
| fact that scvcfal dains almost twice
rs large as any in existcncc viii be
utilized 10 hold back tln waters.
Roosevelt dam in Arizona we re.
gard as our engineering masterpiece
in that direction, although il is
| 0yertopped by Arrowrock, Elephant,
! Butte and ShosllOne, the first named
| with its height Of $40 feet from
base to top. Boulder Canyon dam
with its towering height of 600 OF
more feet, viii dwarf these great
structures.
Possibly these states, when they
have finished their great undcrtaf
ing, viii feel that it ought to be
celebrated by an exposition Ol
world S fair. Certainly it compel,