Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-08
PRESIDENT MAY co
TO CHR|STEN DAM
Project Named for Coolidge
Is Nearing Completion on
Arizona River.

commissioning in November, Not onl
will he have project costing abou
sio,Soo.00o named in his honor bu
the town of Coolidge will keep his NAM
green in the erstwhile desert wastes o
Arizona.
The Coolidge Dam. directed to b.
called such by Congress in the interior
Department appropriation act Signet
March 5. 1925. is located on the Gilt
River near San Carlos In Arizona, ant
is about $50 feet high and has a spar
of about 600 feet. 1t includes two spill
WAYS about l66 feet each in width
The dam is now about 90 per cent com
pleted
Being constructed under the super.
vision of the irrigation division of the
Bureau of Indian Affairs. Interior De.
partment, the Coolidge Dam is the f1rst
Of its kind ever TO be constructed AND
is known as the multiple dome type
1t was conceived and constructed under
the supervision of Assistant Chief Irri-
CATION Engineer Maj c. r. Olberg, a
WASHINGTON man. of the Indian irriga-
ton service. Mai Olberg graduated
from George Washington University and
Is now on the Job. keeping an eye On
the construction of the giant project.
w, NJ. Reed. formerly chief irrigation
engineer of the Indian Office. aided MAJ.
Olbers in the evolution of the dam.
Canals Are Feature.
One Of the remarkable things about
the Coolidge Dam is that some Of the
new canals, being built in the latest
modern style of engineering, follow the
ancient canals of the Indians that the
Spanish explorers of 400 years ago
found in use. As a result OF the new
DEVELOPMENT some 5000 Pima Indians
and some $4,000 white people VIII
benefit from the irrigation facilities 10
be afforded in the watering OF 100000
acres Of land. $4,000 of them belonging
to the Pima Indians in the Gila River
reservation.
s J. Flickinger, chief of the irriga-
ton division OF the Bureau OF Indian
Affairs. said yesterday that Congress
has authorized the appropriation OF
IS 500 900 for the construction OF the
Coolidge Dam and that construction
of the canals. laterals and various other
structures in conjunction with the irrl-
cation project will cost about $5.0OO,OO0
A power house to cost $350,000 is be-
ing constructed Mr.. Flickinger called
attention to the provisions OF the law
requiring the Indians and white land
owners 10 pay back their proportional
shares of the construction on a per
acre basis Owing to the sandy nature
OF the country, the canals are nileo
with concrete and in one place lnere
is conduit a nlile and nan long.
The Pima Indians have always peen
of o peaceful nature, being agricul-
tlrists rather than fighters, and for
hundreds of years have utilized irriga-
ton methods to make productive the
Arizona deserts. The greatest area cul-
tiyated by the Indians was about 5000
acres. Lands 80 miles below the dam
win be irrigated by the Coolidge Dam.
Lake WIN Be Created.
A lake will be. created by the waters
in1pounded by the Coolidge Dam and
viii stretch back for some Is miles,
the body of water being mile and
half wide at the maximum point. In
addition to its irrigation features the
dam viii make possible the manufacture
of hydroelectric power. which was
authorized by Congress by the Interior
appropriation act Tor 1879,
signed March 4, 1928. Under this leg
islation power may be sold
of the Coolidge Dam IN
october and Gov. George w. P. Hunt
of Arizona is arranging big celebra-
tion for November Is. Senator's ano
Representative win participate in the
fete and 1t is understood that E. b.
Merritt, assistant commissioner OF the
Indian Office. viii be present TO repre-
sent the Interior Department
Indian once officials look into the
future and envision $4,000 acres in pub
lie and private ownership IN Pinal
County, Ariz., and $4,000 acres Of the
Pima Indians of the ella River reserva-
tion raising fruits and crops similar TO
those grown in the Imeprial Valley OF
California - cantaloupes, early celery,
lettuce, citrus fruits. cotton and otner
produce. Experiments are now being
conducted for the raising OF pecans.
The Salt River project, located on the
salt River. which flows into the ella
River. has been successful as an agricul-
tural enterprise, and officials Of the In
terror Department look for similar sue
cess in the Coolidge Dam country.
Railroad Is Relocated.
The main line of the Southern Pacific
Railway, which formerly ran along the
ella River, has been relocated, because
of the Coolidge Dam construction, and
this main line viii now pass through the
new town Of Coolidge. Other communi-
ties IN the vicinity Of the dam are Flor
ence and Casa Grande.
The San Carlos project. as the
Coolidge Dam country is known IN the
Indian once. is the outgrowth OF
smaller one known as the Florence
Casa Grande. which was to serve $1,000
acres Of land, IS 900 Of which were IN
the ella River Indian reservation and
27 600 in private ownership in Pinal
-T1En Gr1nAa
nroject was a diversion program, served
by the natural flow Of the ella River,
which, incidentally, Is pronounced as II
the first letter was n" This was prac-
ticaiIy a one-crop project.
The ella River is turbulent, some
times racing at so 900 TO 100000 second
feet. and then IT slows down to small
dimensions, and at times practically
goes dry. While this was Indispensable
and unsatisfactory, 1t was considered
better than no system at all. The Cool
sdge Dam is regarded as a great step In
the right direction. and will impound
the waters Of the ella River that now
20 10 waste, and they will be conserved
TO be used when required. The ella
River flows into the Colorado River,
near the Arizona border, where 1t joins
California.
Passed On by Experts.
The Coolidge Dam is the result Of
much study and investigation as 70
which type would be beSt suited TO the
ella River country, and was picked from
SIX types considered. Deliberation was
gwen 10 feasibility, durability and suit
ability. and the Coolidge Dam was
passed on by two boards of eminent
consulting engineers. consisting Of Mai.
Gen. william C. Dangfitt. U. S. A., re-
tired: A. J. Wiley Of Boise, Idaho, for
rnerly with the Reclamation Service,
who recently returned from consulting
work in Europe: Louis c. Hill OF Los
Angeles formerly with the Reclamation
Service, and Fred A. Noetzli, prominent
engineer Of Switzerland, eminent tech
nicisn. The contractor is the Atkinson
Spicer Co Of Los Angeles. which is
doing the work in accordance with plans
and specifications approved by the In
terror Department.