Southold High School - Snuffbox Yearbook (Southold, NY)

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THE SNUFF BOX BOULDER DAM Captain Hernando de Alarcon set forth upon the waters of the Gulf of California in 1540 in search of the Seven Cities of Cibola. He never found the Seven Cities, but in his course, he discovered a great river known today as the Colorado. This untamed river has been the natural enemy of man. The Colorado is an ever increasing flood menace and a notorious waster of its precious cargo of water, so desperately needed in the region through which it passes. In recent years the Federal Government has turned its attention to the Colorado. A careful and thorough survey of this has been completed by the Department of the Interior, and from this survey there has been evolved a definite and complete plan known as the Boulder Dam Project, whereby this growing flood menace may be transformed into a great natural resource. The Colorado River rises in the high mountains of Colorado and Wyoming. It flows through these states and the states of Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California, forming part of the boundary between Arizona and Nevada, and between Arizona and California. Flowing some fifty miles through Mexico, it discharges into the Gulf of California. The rim of the upper drainage basin of the river is composed of high mountain ranges, the lower portion of the basin being composed of hot arid plains, while the central portion consists of a high plateau, through which the river runs for hundreds of miles in a deep and narrow canyon. The topography of the country is such that one section through which the Colorado River flows is threatened in times of high water by serious floods, while another section is subject to long periods of droughts. The engineers who have investigated these sections have agreed that a dam across the Colorado will correct both of these conditions as well as provide a much needed domestic water supply for cities on the Pacific Coast. It will also improve navigation, safeguard interstate commerce and protect Government property. One of the sections of the Colorado basin in which drought conditions prevail throughout most of the year is known as Imperial Valley. This valley lies in the southeasterly portion of California. On the south it is bounded by the Mexican line; its easterly edge being about forty miles west of the Colorado River. Centuries ago Imperial Valley was the northerly end of the Gulf of California, but the tremendous quantities of silt carried by the river gradually built a great delta across the gulf. Thus Imperial Valley lies like a great saucer with the Colorado running along its rim. The valley secures its sole water supply from the Colorado River by means of a canal which starts from the river just above the boundary and runs thence for many miles through Mexico before re-entering the United States. Imperial Valley has a population of 65,000 people, six well-built, incorporated cities, over 400,000 acres of cultivated farms, and property values of over 17

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THE SNUFF BOX equipped with radio apparatus and all latest scientific devices. Two airplanes were also included in the equipment. Amundsen established a base on the island of Spitzbergen and attempted to fly over the North Pole. He was absent from his base about a month, during which time nothing was heard from him. He finally returned on June 19 and reported that he had been delayed by a breakdown of the plane when about one hundred and fifty miles from the Pole. Convinced that a dirigible would be more adapted for polar flights than an airplane, he completed negotiations with the Italian government for the use of the Norge,” an Italian built airship. Associated with him in this last venture were Lincoln Ellsworth of New York, Ruser-Larsen, his navigator, and Commander Nobile, a representative of the Italian government, who operated the ship. The flight began at Kings Bay, Spitzbergen, where the Norge” had landed after its trip from Italy. After about seventy-two hours of flying, the party reached Teller, Alaska, after having flown over the Pole. Unfortunately ill-feeling had crept in to disturb the harmony of his party. Amundsen and Nobile accused each other of trying to usurp the honor and glory of the flight. Eventually the Italian government and Mussolini became involved in the dispute and the matter was finally referred to the Norwegian Aero Club for settlement. The Club decided that Nobile should receive the credit. Amundsen retaliated by withdrawing from the Club as well as from other associations to which he had belonged and declared that this had been the last trip he would ever take. About two years later Nobile himself organized another expedition which was to be made on the Italian dirigible Italia.” The Italia” came to grief and was badly wrecked in the polar area. When word of the disaster reached civilization, rescue parties were organized. Amundsen, with his usual sportsman-like attitude, was among the first to volunteer. Mussolini officially refused Amundsen’s offer, but Amundsen, feeling that he was probably as familiar with Arctic conditions as anyone, organized a relief party of his own to set out in a French plane. Nothing has ever been heard of him or his crew since. Most of Nobile’s party were eventually rescued by a Russian ship, but after a diligent and thorough search, no trace of Amundsen was ever found. Amundsen was fifty-six years old when he set out to the rescue of Nobile. His record of exploration is one of the most noteworthy that has ever been achieved. The first to negotiate the Northwest Passage, discoverer of the South Pole, and the only man who has ever seen both Poles, his contribution to the sciences makes his place in history secure. T. L. B. ’29 16

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THE SNUFF BOX 100,000,000. This valley during May, June and July of each year is threatened by destruction by flood and in September and October is threatened by drought. Part of the Boulder Dam project is concerned with the construction of a canal entirely on United States soil. Originally, in order to avoid prohibitive cost of construction, the canal which now provides a water supply for Imperial Valley was built on the United States side of the boundary line, but passing immediately into the Republic of Mexico, through which it runs for a distance of sixty miles before recrossing the international boundary. The seriousness of the situation may be realized by the fact that, if the supply of water delivered by this canal were interfered with for only a few days, Imperial Valley would not only be faced with financial ruin from the destruction of all crops, but the people themselves would have to move from the valley as no other source of water is available, even for drinking purposes. Under the plan developed for the canal, it was proposed to divert the water at Laguna Dam, located some twelve miles above the city of Yuna. This diversion and grade of canal would be so constructed that some 500,000 acres of additional land may eventually be placed under cultivation. This necessitates that the canal be considerably larger than the present canal which passes through Mexico. The canal will not only guarantee a water supply to Imperial Valley, but will, in conjunction with Boulder Canyon reservoir, make it possible for the American land owners in Mexico to develop a million acres of land below the border without affecting land owners in the United States. The total cost of the entire project has been estimated to be about 125,000,000, of which 41,500,000 will be expended for the dam itself, 31,000,000 for the canal, and 31,500,000 for the water power development. Other expenses of construction, including interest during the development of the project, will bring the total bill to the amount stated above, which has been appropriated. Because the Colorado River is an interstate and international stream, and since the proposed site of Boulder Dam is on the boundary between Arizona and Nevada, thereby affecting the interests of more than one state, the Federal Government is the logical agney to undertake this project. Federal Government officials, whose duties have brought them into a close study of the Colorado River problem, were unanimous in their conclusion that immediate legislative steps should be taken to curb the flood-mad waters of the great river. Every phase of the problem has been surveyed, investigated, and considered most thoroughly by the nation’s most competent authorities. These authorities agreed that the time for action had arrived—action by Congress that will accomplish the Conquest of the Colorado River. M. E. H. ’29 18