208 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



from eighteen months to three years after the expendi- 

 tures actually had been made. 



Mr. Guilfoil also told of locating charges for ce- 

 ment and freight against the Carlsbad project, when in 



fact the supplies were forwarded to 



the Hondo project. As W. M. 

 Reed, who in the earlier years of 

 the Carlsbad project was its project 

 engineer, also served at the same 

 time in a like capacity on the Hondo 

 propect, the witness indicated the 

 possibility that large quantities of 

 other supplies, besides those discov- 

 ered, may have been used on the 

 Hondo project, while being charged 

 to the Carlsbad project. Because of 

 loss of vouchers and freight bills, 

 none of the original bills of lading 

 with the exception of about 300 be- 

 ing furnished, it was impossible to 

 make any intelligent verification of 

 the actual amount of supplies used 

 on the Carlsbad project as against 

 the amount for which the project is 

 charged. 



Extravagance and inefficiency in 

 the matter of purchases were uncov- 

 ered. For instance, it was found that 

 much cement was purchased from 

 a mill at Portland, Colo., a much 

 longer freight haul than on the ce- 

 ment purchased at the same time 

 from mills in Oklahoma and Kansas. 



Staple commodities, such as dynamite, nails and 

 tools were bought for a long period of time in the 

 local market at retail prices, while at other times these 

 supplies were purchased from jobbers in the wholesale 

 market at prices much lower than the 

 local retailers could offer. 



Local blacksmiths were hired to 

 sharpen picks and grind tools, when one 

 project blacksmith on a daily wage 

 could have taken care of all this work. 



The project was charged at the 

 rate of ten cents for each sack in which 

 cement was delivered to it. This money- 

 was to be paid back upon return of the 

 sacks. It was found that thousands of 

 these sacks had never been returned. 

 Failure to return the sacks in most in- 

 stances increased the prime cost of the 

 cement as much as 50 per cent per 

 barrel. 



Little attention seems to have been 

 paid to making savings on freight rates. 

 Material was reshipped from Carlsbad 

 to Avalon, Lakewood and other con- 

 struction points on local rate, when if 

 proper attention and anticipation had been given to the 

 needs at the various points, these supplies might have 

 been handled on the much lower through rates. 



Bill of Lading No. 8121 showed a shipment of 

 four Sarden wheels by express, the charges, $80.05, 

 being 75 per cent in excess of the cost of the equip- 

 ment itself. 



T. J. Guilfoil of Alblquerque, X. M., 

 Accountant for the Carlsbad Water Users. 



Abel Ady, Water Users' Member 

 of the Board of Review on the 

 Klamath (Ore) Project. 



Five cement mixers were purchased during the 

 construction period on the project. Two now remain 

 on hand. The other three were transferred to other 

 projects at second hand prices. For instance, one mixer 



that cost with freight charges about 



$1,200 was sent to the Strawberry 

 Valley project in Utah at a price of 

 $500. It was also shown by wit- 

 nesses that had proper engineering 

 anticipation been exercised two ce- 

 ment mixers would have been all 

 that was necessary to complete the 

 job. It was shown definitely that 

 the purchase of the fifth mixer was 

 not an expedient expenditure. 



Of course the settlers are ex- 

 pected to pay the bills. 



And then the tragedy of it all. 

 The Carlsbad hearing had been 

 completed. A woman rushed into 

 town breathless, weeping. She 

 cried out to the astounded towns- 

 people that the Lake McMillan dam 

 had broken ; that the engineers had 

 given up hope of saving it, and that 

 once the McMillan dam let go, it 

 would carry out the Avalon dam, 

 and let loose a flood upon Carlsbad 

 and the project that was almost cer- 

 tain to wipe out the homes of the 

 townspeople and the farmers. 



It was impossible to obtain any 

 further communication with the 

 crew at the McMillan dam. Finally a foreman from 

 the dam reached Carlsbad. He declared the hole in 

 the dam was such it could not be plugged up and the 

 big earthwork must give way at any minute. 



The bells of warning were rung. 

 The militia was called out. The fright- 

 ened women and children of the town 

 and surrounding country and many of 

 the men were hurried to the hills, leav- 

 ing behind all their possessions, their 

 homes, their life works. 



Meanwhile at McMillan dam five 

 men were battling against tremendous 

 odds. Finally they located the hole in 

 the dam. Working madly, they clumped 

 in 600 bags of silt and stopped the 

 break. They had saved Carlsbad and 

 the project. 



This dam was built just of earth 

 without any concrete core. If as the 

 result of this break, it is found neces- 

 sary, as it likely will be in order to safe- 

 guard the lives and property of the 

 farmers and townspeople, to rebuild 

 the dam, the present dam is a total 

 loss just so much more waste thousands upon thou- 

 sands of dollars. 



And the settlers are expected to pay for this dam 

 at Reclamation Service rates. 



Attorney P. W. Dent, representing the Reclama- 

 tion Service, entered an appearance at the hearing, 

 after he saw what a strong case was being developed 



