Las Vegas age. [volume] (Las Vegas, Nev.) 1905-1947, 1927-04-02
Appointment of Former Nevada Governor Gratifying
Majority of Members Believed Friendly River De-
veiopment
First Meeting Called at Yuma, April 2o.-
Mexican Situation, AII-American Can
Features.
Boulder and Black Canyon Dam Sites and Other Proposes
Dam Sites Will Be Visited BY Commission.

wednesday evening nt Oakland,
Cal, announced the personnel OF
the Commission which he has ap-
pointed to make a cursory survey
OF the Colorado River.
The members of the commission
are:
James G. Scrugham, former
governor of Nevada.
United States Senator Charles
W. Waterman of Colorado.
Governor Frank c. Emerson, OF
Wyoming.
Prot, William F. Durand, of
California.
James r. Garfield, former sec.
retary OF the interior.
The members of the Commits.
sion are all able men and it is
known that at least a majority
Of them are in full sympathy
with the move to begin the great
work of developing the Colorado
River by building high dam at
Black Canyon.
Gov. Scrugham has for the
past six years been active in
this work AS state engineer un-
Ger Gov. Boyle he played large
part in the negotiations which re-
suited In the Santa Fe Compact,
November. 1922.
As governor of Nevada, during
all the complications which have
surrounded the Colorado River
project, he was tireless in his
efforts to bring about a solution
of the problems.
Governor Frank C. Emerson of
Wyoming, was state engineer al
the time Of the forming of the
Santa Fe Compact and represent.
ed his state in those negotiations.
He has at all times been a
staunch supporter of the Com.
pact and is in accord with the
desire of the southwest to begin
river development
Prof. Durand has for 20 years
been professor of mechanical en-.
gineering at Stanford University
He has made a deep study of the
questions at issue and will, in all
probability be found in sympathy
with the wishes of his state.
Senator Waterman of Colorado,
in view of the fact that his state
is desirOUs of the protection OF
it's rights in the Colorado River
by an interstate compact, will
also probably be helpful to the
development of the river
The attitude of James R. Gar
field, former Secretary of the
Interior, is not known. However,
he is a man of affairs, and in
all probability will view the mat
ter from the standpoint of the
desir1bility of developing the nat
ural resources of the Nation.
Secretary Work announced that
the first meeting of the new com
mission will be held at Yuma,
Arizona, April 30 He announces
that DIR. Elwood Mead, Commits
sioner of Reclamation, will then
meet with the ommission and
that he has also invited Senator
Johnson and Congressman Phil
D. Swing of California to be
present.
Secretary Work, in announcing
his appointments, said:
at is expected that the COM
mission will survey cursorily the
levees and delta country OF the
Lower Colorado, view the Bould-
er, Glen Ferry and Topoc dam
sites, and any other points OF
interest on the river the commits
sion may select.
"Tt appears to me that this
general survey Of the physical
features of the two basins will be
necessary for an Intelligent meet.
ing of the minds and will sim
plify a study of the data already
collected. which ill be submit
ted to the commission.
"What is desired in a report
which I can subr'it to Congress
immediately after it convenes
covering the essential features
set up in the Swing-Johnson bill
and in addition thereto the prob
abilities for reimbursement to the
government for it's anticipated ex-
renditrues in connection with this
development.
"The potential uses of the
Colorado River, its menacing pos
sibilities. the interstate and in
ternational rights to its use will
form, preumse. the important
features Of your study and report.
'It is not too much to say that
this is the most outstanding de-
velopment contemplated in the
West and the most urgent"
The Cabinet member expressed
belief that the graltest cause OF
the filibuster which prevented
passag of Boulder Dam legisla-
ton at the short session OF Con-
gress was the feeling that the
states involved in the controversy
had been unable to agree among
themselves inst what they want
ed. Through the impartial find
ings Of a commission such as the
one named today. Secretary Work
believes the loose ends can be
nieced together and united
front presented for action at the
December session