Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-09-09
The Bright Angel TraiI


gorge down to its lowest depths, fought
his way step by step across the face
of mile-high cliffs, wound his way in
and out and across it's serrated edge,
never fa1tering until he conquered it's
abysma1 recesses, never slackened his
effort until he had blasted an enduring
path to the waters of the Colorado.
| others for centuries past had gazed
with reverent awe into this mighty
chasm, furrowed by masters trowel,
but passed on. Cameron remained, dis.
covered it's most minute inches, and
| by his pioneering activities, made it
! easy for the millions who have follow
ed in his footsteps.
Cameron the Builder
Cameron mined fortune of copper
ore within the canyons recesses nearly
four decades ago, packed this to the
railroad a hundred miles distant, es-
tablished stage lines, mail routes, and
was the energizing force that. built the
first railroad. And when the Grand
canyon district became we'll peopled,
he maintained law and order. To this
day Cameron and courage are synony-
NOUS terms in the canyon realm.
A Tribute
desire at this point to offer my per-
sona1 tribute to the rare and delightful
personality of Ralph Cameron.
He seems to embody the magnitude,
the rugged strength, the colorful
warmth, the ingratiating charm and
the alluring attractive heart appeal
which besets one when within the mag
ical and devotional canyon area. His
being has undeniably been charged
with these rare qualities through
years of intimate association with this
marvellous work of nature.
/ He truly embodies soul, heart, mind,
and visional qualities that could only
have become his through lifetime
contact with this wondrous shrine. The
more years of contact I have with
Ralph Cameron, the more certain I am
that he embodies the unexcelled quail
ties essential for an Arizona senator to
possess.
Predatory Interest Attack
Cameron was early attacked by pre-
datory interests who desired the
valuable equities this pioneer had
laboriously garnered midst the hard
ships, trials and dangers of these
early days. These selfish interests
have continued their malicious at
tacks to this day, joined from time
to time by new forces, all united
sinking, hyena-like pack to des
troy this pioneer and devour his
hard-earned rights.
The fight made by Ralph Cameron
in defense of his pioneering equities
was so outstanding, courageous and
brilliant, that the citizens of the
Territory of Arizona elected him dele
gate in congress in 1908, believing
! that so resourceful a man was the
only Arizonian to lift them from
territorial bondage to the status of
an Independent state.
Got Arizona Statehood
Delegate Cameron. with his char
acteristic energy and matchless abil-
ity, had Arizona within the circle of
states in less than three years. This
was accomplished despite the con-
tinuous harping criticism of dis
gruntled politicians who boldly and
repeatedly stated he would not and
| could not secure statehood. Gamer
on's predecessor had fought unavail-
| ingly for 80 years to secure state
hood. This extraordinary speed of 20
| years ago is still being maintained
by Cameron, as his present record
we'll shows. Arizonas citizenship can
not afford to relinquish the services
of so valuable a servant.
/ To nv mind, one of the outstand-
| ing constructive and singularly bril-
liant proposals of statesmanship ad-
vanced by Ralph Cameron during his
term as delegate was the one In
connection with Colorado river devele
opment.
Conceived Colorado Development.
Cameron, with rare vision in the
earlv part of 1911, based on 80
years of past experience with this
mighty wonder of nature. initiated
and widely promulgated a most rigid
land an all-embracing constructive
plan to convert the potential resour-
ces Of water and power and a real
contiguity to the mighty Colorado
into definite economic utilization for
4 Arizona of the present and of the
years to come.
This plan was fundamentally
sound in 1911, today, and will ever
so remain as long as the delta
lands remain above the sea and rain
falls within the Colorado river drain
age basin.
It is undeniably the only possible
plan of maximum efficiency, for the
waters will be used on the most
fertile and productive tropical lana
available; likewise these waters VIA
teenerate the maximum of power due
n the minimum altitude of the land
to be irrigated.
The Plan
Delegate Cameron desired, first 10
acquire from Mexico any right they
might claim as to any of the How
waters of the Colorado under tne
\ treaty; second, to acquire the delta
lands of the Colorado river lying
within Mexico; third, after securing
full title to the waters and these
lands. to forthwith build impoundlne
. reservoirs to irrigate the lands, also
generate electric power for local in
dustrial purposes
l It will be stated now that Ralpf