The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-01-28


through the walls of Black Canyon.
These tunnels, each fifty feet clear in
diameter, concrete lining, will carry
the muddy Colorado through the can
yon walls around the dam site. It
was estimated that two years would
be required to divert the river from
it's ancient channel, but the work is
ahead of schedule. When the river
channel is dry the work of clearing
away the boulders down to hard bed
rock will begin, thus providing firm
foundation for the great concrete dam
wall, which will be It's feethigher than
the Washington monument, $50 feet
wide at the base and crowned by a
highway As feet wide.
Work in the tunnels is now contain
Neutrality-suspicious. hours per day,
seven days week, with no holidays
except three days at Christmas time.
Men work in three shifts of eight
hours each. The labor is hard and not
free from danger. Men in the tunnels
are supplied and must wear "hard"
helmets, somewhat like those of war
times. And the wage is not high. Yet
impartial investigators and visitors
find no need in Boulder for the pro-
posed Congressional investigation.
The Company and local officials are
efficient and doing their duty. Men
employed are not complaining. While
all arrangements for the housing and
comfort of the employees are not COM
plete, the shadow of discomfort has
passed with the terrible heat of last
summer.
Those who arouse our sympathies,
and who might be helped by Washing
ton, are the men-some with families
estimated at between one thousand
and fifteen hundred, who are now
waiting in nearby Las Vegas for work
in Boulder City.
The daily labor turnover here is
OIlly dUOuC ll1CSSH LlSl pei uoJ' ONA
ing the last twelve months the Fed
eral-State employment agency here
has registered 1858 applicants and
has received $4,000 letters from those
desiring employment. Most of those
now waiting at Las Vegas are with
out funds. Hundreds slept in the city
parks last summer, but the recent
cold weather drove some of them to
sunny California. Snow now covers
the surrounding mountains. Men are
sleeping seated in the chairs or on the
floors of gambling casinos; others are
building shacks of sticks, mud and
scraps from the city dump. The peo-
pie of Las Vegas, through the local
Red Cross, are doing their best to re-
lieve the distressed. One meal day
is given those who apply and small
supply of old clothing is on hand for
transients, but the local relief bud
get is only $1,000 per month. We do
not see how the local people can carry
the whole burden. While some move
on, others come from all points of the
compass. Las Vegas is a point of in
terest and varietd entertainment for
the tourist, but a cold place for the
jobless workingman!
In Boulder City good order and
plenty prevail. The visitor must Sc
cure a pass at the entrance and only
those who have work or business are
permitted to reside on the reserva-
ton. Administrator is by the Federal
Reclamation Bureau. A city manager
and United States marshall exact
strict compliance with the laws and
local regulations. All the gambling
casinos, booze joints, dance halls and
other institutions of doubtful charac-
ter are in nearby towns.
Yet there is a conflict of authority.
In the case of the District of Column
bia, Congress was specifically author
lied to set up a local government,
but in the absence of legislation in
the 1905, Maryland and Virginia
continued to exercise authority for
several years over their coded terri
tory. At Boulder, the State of Neva-
da did not "cede" it's sovereignty over
the U. S. reservation. Nevertheless,
under Federal laws, the Government
exercises certain special authority
over all National reservations, and
Government property is not subject
to taxation by the States. May private
property be taxed?
A test case is now pending in the
Federal Court at Carson City in
which the Six Companies, Inc, seeks
to enjoin the State of Nevada from
collecting taxes on its property in
Boulder City. Another case is pend
ing in the Federal Court in San Fran
cisco whereby the Safe of Nevada is
seeking to enforce a State law which
prohibits the use Of gasoline motors
in tunnels, such as those now used
on trucks in the Hoover Dam tunnels.
In effect, the Federal Courts are
being called upon to define the limits
of State and Federal authority on