BILL WILLIAMS FORK DAM. 



ONE OF THE MOST STUPENDOUS WORKS OF 

 THE NEW CENTURY. 



In this mining district of Arizona, mention is seldom made of the 

 great agricultural possibilities of the fertile arid plains and semi- 

 tropic valleys of Arizona. Much of this land goes under the general 

 mishomer of "desert," and at certain seasons of the year its parched 

 appearance gives color to the justice of the name; but, as a matter of 

 fact, the sun shines on no more fertile laud, and all that is needed to 

 make that land a wilderness of flowers and foliage is water. With 

 water, there is absolutely no element or chance about the wonderful 

 productiveness of this soil. All Arizona knows this, for each and all 

 of them have crossed parched wastes one week and returned the next, 

 after a rain, to see the same lands a waving mass of green and growing 

 foliage, refreshing to the air and beautiful to the sight. The rapidity 

 of such growth is something marvelous. 



With water, that verdure becomes permanent; without it, its 

 duration is short lived. Where such land has been brought under 

 irrigation, prosperous communities have been established, and towns 

 and even cities have sprung into being, while the bounteous products 

 of that soil have brought a reign of comfort and plenty whore before 

 desolation prevailed and the demon of isolation reigned. 



These remarks were prompted through the accidental obtaining 

 of the information that one of the most stupendous irrigation, mining 

 and electric power generating projects ever put on foot in America is 

 about to materialize in this section or country, under the ownership 

 and management of a syndicate of eastern moneyed men, the corpora- 

 tion being known as the Plomosa Water & Power Company, of which 

 company Wells H. Bates is president. Mr. Bates has worked for 

 years to bring this grand enterprise into existence, and no one is bet- 

 ter posted than he on the wonder which plenty of water will work in 

 this land of mineral and agricultural wealth, where water and only 

 water is the needed open sesame to all that man most desires here 

 below. 



Haying gotten the eastern end of the project well under way, Mr. 

 Bates came west some weeks ago, and left Prescot a few days ago for 

 the Bill Williams Fork of the Colorado. Prof. Church, a civil and 

 mining engineer of world wide reputation, is now en route from New 

 York city, and will join Mr. Bates on the Bill Williams Fork, where 



