OCR Text |
Show BQliLDER DAM IS BEFORE HOUSE LEGISLATORS TO ACT ON RECOM. M EIN DATiONS OF SECRETARY SECRE-TARY FALL Government Asked to Give Seventy Million Dollars for the Colorado River Irrigation and Reservoir Reser-voir Program Washington. Legislation to carry into effect the recommendation to congress con-gress made recently by Secretary Fall for the protection and development of the lower Colorado river, was expressed express-ed in a bill introduced Tuesday in the bouse by representative Swing, Republican, Re-publican, of California. The measure calls for an appropriation appropria-tion of $70,000,000 and authorizes the construction of a dam, creating an immense im-mense reservoir near Boulder canyon, on the Colorado river. "The dam would be sufficient," Representative Rep-resentative Swing said, "to store the entire flood waters of that river in any year, and completely remove the constantly recurring serious menace from annual floods' to the Imperial valley, California; Yuma, Ariz., and many other thriving communities on the lower Colorado." Mr. Swing said the unified project would provide homes and farms for thousands of ex-service men and women, wo-men, as the secretary of the interior is authorized under the bill to use the stored waters to reclaim arid lands below, of which the government itself it-self owns about 300,000 acres now-worthless, now-worthless, but highly productive when water is put upon them. "The 'building of this dam," the representative's rep-resentative's statement continued, "will make possible the creation of 750,000 horsepower of electrical energy en-ergy much needed to supplement our rapidly diminishing oil supply. Ready markets for this power exist in the mines of Utah, Arizona and Nevada, the railroads in the southwest and in the cities of southern California. The power privileges at the dam will be sold or leased undefr government regulations reg-ulations which will guarantee an equitable equit-able distribution among the various states and communities. "The total cost of the work contem plated in the bill is' $70,000,000. The proceeds from the sales and leases of the power will pay the cost of the dam. The cost of the irrigation work and canals will be repaid by the lands benefited. "Secretary Hoover, as chairman of the Colorado river commission, has become intensely interested in this great undertaking ana recognizes too wonderful potential resources of this great river and their far reaching possibilities pos-sibilities when developed. His study also revealed the catastrophe which may happen at any time on the lower section of the river unless adequate flood control is at once provided. "Strong indorsement of this proposal pro-posal has been, received from the American legion and other veteran organizations nd the American Fed' eration of Labor." |