THE IRKIGATION AGE. 



353 



RECLAMATION SERVICE PERSONALS. 



Homer Hamlin, of the United States Reclamation 

 Service, and district engineer in charge of the Yuma ir- 

 rigation project, California and Arizona, has tendered 

 his resignation to the chief engineer and will accept the 

 position of city engineer to Los Angeles, Cal. His resig- 

 nation will take effect September 1st. Mr. Hamlin was 

 born and educated in Minnesota. He has had wide ex- 

 perience in engineering, having been engaged with the 

 city engineer, San Diego, Cal., in general engineering 

 and surveying in that city, as assistant to the United 

 States engineer in survey for fortifications on Point 

 Loma and Coronado Beach, draftsman in the surveyor's 

 and city engineer's office in Los Angeles, etc. In 1902 

 he was employed by the United States geological survey 

 in hydrographic and geological investigations, and in 

 1903 he received an appointment as engineer in the 

 Reclamation Service. Mr. Hamlin's resignation was 

 accepted with much regret by the officials of the service, 

 as the demand for good engineers is greatly in excess 

 of the supply. This is especially true in Government 

 work on account of the low salaries paid by Uncle Sam 

 as compared with those received in private practice. 



B. M. Hall, of the Reclamation Service, and super- 

 vising engineer for New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma, 

 who is in Washington for a few days on business con- 

 nected with his district, reports a most promising state 

 of affairs on the Hondo irrigation project in southeast- 

 ern New Mexico. All contracts are completed, earth 

 work on the laterals is finished, and nothing now re- 

 mains undone except some of the small structures in the 

 distributing system, some puddling in the reservoir, 

 etc. This work is being carried on by force account 

 under the supervision of the engineers. The settlers 

 have been receiving the usual low water supply through- 

 out the season, but next spring they will enter into their 

 proper heritage, the reservoir being completed and an 

 ample water supply for all needs assured. Although 

 the land under this project is all in private ownership, 

 Mr. Hall reports that most of the farmers are cutting 

 their farms down to forty acres. This action will in- 

 sure a dense population, more intensive cultivation, and 

 a consequent increase in the value of the land. The 

 marvelous results of irrigation in this section when 

 sufficient water is applied has been demonstrated in the 

 Roswell district lying just to the east of the Hondo 

 project. Four crops of alfalfa are harvested, while 

 corn, garden truck, cantaloupes, grapes, apples and 

 other fruits produce abundantly. The delicious flavor 

 of irrigated fruits is becoming well known, and the 

 apples which are shipped to Chicago and other eastern 

 markets command a high price. Next year one-tenth 

 of the cost of construction of this project, or $33,360, 

 will be returned to the reclamation fund to be used 

 again in the construction of other projects. 



Information has been received at the Washington 

 office that I. W. Huffaker, of Wheatland, Cal., assistant 

 engineer in the United States Reclamation Service, has 

 been drowned in one of the canals of the Truckee- 

 Carson irrigation project, about five miles west of 

 Fallen, Nevada. While awaiting the arrival of a sur- 

 vey party Mr. Huffaker and one of his assistants de- 

 cided to go in swimming at a point where the water- 

 surface of the canal was about sixty feet and the depth 



of water between eight and nine feet. Both of them 

 were poor swimmers and he sank while attempting to 

 swim across the canal. His companion, Mr. Wilbur, 

 was barely able to save himself. Mr. Huffaker has been 

 engaged in general surveying in Montana and in the 

 construction of iron smelters. In 1903 he was ap- 

 pointed engineering aid in the Reclamation Service 

 on Walker River Basin and since the fall of that year 

 has been constantly engaged on the Tmckee-Carson 

 project, having had charge of the construction of the 

 Carson River diversion dam and Lake Tahoe outlet 

 regulation works. 



Gerard H. Matthes, engineer in the United States 

 Reclamation Service, has been assigned to the Minidoka 

 irrigation project, Idaho, to have charge of mainte- 

 nance and operation of the canal system which is near- 

 ing completion. Mr. Matthes graduated from the Mas- 

 sachusetts Institute of Technology in 1895, and had 

 considerable experience as instrument man and in- 

 spector of construction work in Massachusetts. In 1897 

 he began surveys and measurements of streams in the 

 West in connection with the work of ascertaining the 

 extent to which the arid lands could be reclaimed by 

 irrigation. He was then detailed by the Secretary of 

 the Interior to take charge of construction of water 

 works, sewers, courthouses and schoolhouses in the three 

 towns of Lawton, Anadarko and Hobart, Okla., and 

 built a large number of bridges in the surrounding 

 country. He was then transferred to New Mexico, 

 and has been engaged in various capacities which pecu- 

 liarly fit him for the position to which he has been 

 assigned. 



D. C. Henny, of the United States Reclamation 

 Service, has been designated as supervising engineer 

 for California, excepting that portion of the southern 

 part of the state including the Colorado River and 

 Yuma project, which has been assigned to L. C. Hill, 

 supervising engineer for Arizona, and the Owens Val- 

 ley under L. H. Taylor, supervising engineer for Ne- 

 vada. Mr. Henny now has charge practically of the 

 entire Pacific Coast area, including the states of Wash- 

 ington, Oregon and California. This change was 

 brought about by the resignation of J. B. 'Lippincott, 

 supervising engineer for California and the Klamath 

 irrigation project lying partly in Oregon. Mr. Henny 

 is a graduate of the Government Polytechnic School, 

 Delft, Holland. He was engaged for several years in 

 reclamation work and railroad location in Holland, and 

 has been engaged in railroad construction in Iowa; in 

 waterworks construction in various eastern states ; in 

 railroad construction in Colorado; bridge work in Mis- 

 souri; tunnel construction, New York; and in many 

 other important positions throughout the United 

 States. Both the Reclamation Service and the states 

 to which his services have been assigned are to be con- 

 gratulated on the possession of one of the finest engi- 

 neers in the country. His headquarters at present are 

 at Portland, Ore. 



Louis C. Hill, of the United States Reclamation 

 Service, has been designated supervising engineer of 

 the southern part of California, including Colorado 

 River and the Yuma project, in addition to his work 

 in 'Arizona, to fill the place made vacant by the resig- 

 nation of J. "R. Lippincott. Mr. Hill was born in 



