Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-12-07

and Nevada have progressed within
the past fortnight to a. point where
f. A. Reid of Governor Hunts Colo
rado river committee said here an
open pathway to simple solution of all
the vexing questions at issue is
now in plain sight.
Nevada, Utah and Colorado. we
believe, are solidly with u.s." said
Reid. Governor Dern of Utah told
us last week that he has no doubts
Of Wyoming. New Mexico we have
not heard from, but that state has
never been actively interested and
would not be affected by our pro
posals.
California Accord Near
California, of course, is the criti-
cal state and, after an informal con-
ference held last Wednesday in Los
Angeles, / feel certain that, though
we are not yet in full accord, the
remaining points of difference are
only details in a bargain which both
states feel is feasible"
Commissioner Reid and Commits
sioner McCluskey represented Arizona
at the Los Angeles conference and
also at a previous conference held
two weeks ago at Needles with Gov
ernor Scrugham of Nevada and
Charles P. Squires. Of Las Vegas
chairman Of the Nevada committee
on the Colorado The tentative un-
derstanding then arrived at was gone
over again last Friday and Satur~
day with Governor Dern, who gave
in his hearty approval.
49, iof a
been the proposals submitted by the
Arizona commissioners, Reid said
in formal articles drawn up and
ratified by this state early in De.
cember. 1926. Briefly, they pro-
vide:
/. ARIZONA shall receive the
entire contribution made by her
own rivers and streams, includ-
ing the Gila, to the Colorado
river.
2. OF the flow delivered by the
states of the upper basin at Lees
Ferry, where the Colorado enters
Arizona, 100000 acre feet shall
be reserved for Nevada.
Calffornia's share
3. The remaining waters shall
be divided half and half between
California and Arizona.
a Present perfected rights of
appropriation in the waters of the
Colorado shall be confirmed ana
deducted from the $3.50 divson
to be made between Arizona and
California.
These now cover for Arizona
$4,000 acres at Parker, Mohave
and Yuma. and about 2,2S0,00o
acres for California at Blythe,
Palo Verde. and n the Imperial
valley.
5. Hydro electric power shalE
be divided among the states in
direct proportion to the amount
of fan which the river makes In
each state between the dam and
the elevation by the backwater
when the reservoir IS filled
"Ihis plan," explained Reid, says
nothing about damsites, whether at
Boulder canyon nor elsewhere. II
ARIZONA gets her just share of the
water. where the first dam shall be
built is merely detail. We have
No obiection-and in this I feel sure
I am right when I say that Gov
crnor Hunt agrees-to the erection
of A dam in Boulder canyon, pul
we do oppose the Swing-Johnson b-li
with all our energy because 1t makes
possible the invasion of our rights
by the federal government
Opposition to BiTT
"If the swing johnson bill were to
mass as it now reads, it would en-"
able the federal government to &c
into any state, build a dam generate
nower and sell it for profit, outside
the confines of the states in which Il
was generated. Our strength with
cnr other western states is that none
If t6af3, is willing to contemplate
such 4 possibility. We believe thai
even California, If the Implication
of the bin were understood by her
own citizens, would reject them
"As i matter Of fact, two dams
nrobablv would be built in Boulder
canvon. or Black canyon, just below
a. as the engineers may determine
one would be a power and storage
dam. about 500 feet high and gener-
atinr between 100000 and 100000
horsepower. The other would be
catchment and regulating dam, abou'
1oO feet high. Between $1OO,OOO,oOs
and s125, 100000 would cover the en-
tire project, including the generatina
station.
"This is the plan we have followed
in developing the power resources
of our own valley. The lower dan
nermits continuous operation of tn
nower works above, without regaft
10 the irrigation demand. By catch
ing and storing over again the waite
used in generating power, 1t can D.
used a second time for irrigation
without effect on the power hous'
above.
Nevada Agrees
when we first began our CONFER
ences, Nevada was satisfied with tn
benefits Las Vegas would reeeiV
from activities incident to the con
struction of great enterprise near
by. Then she began to bargain 10
10000 horsepower, and then 75,ooU
and finally 100000. We calculated
The amount of power Nevada woul'
: receive under the terms of our pro