AZ vs. CA:04 California Exhibits, Vol. IV; Nos. 151-192

page 6

damage, and to complete the work on the levees above referred to, there should be a fund at the disposition of the President of at least $1,250,000, $500,000 of which is estimated as necessary for raising, riprapping, and strengthening the levees already constructed and for closing the gap between the Volcano Lake and California Development Co.'s levees, and $750,000 for revetting the banks where necessary to prevent further caving on the United States and Mexican sides. This fund should be now held and applied only so far as may be needed from time to time to meet emergencies, but to be expended in full whenever negotiations now under way with Mexico may be so far perfected as to permit the work indicated herein to be done under proper international supervision, the work being, except part of the bank revetment, in the Republic of Mexico, but for the benefit of lands and property in the United States and to a quite small extent in Mexico. Very respectfully, Walter L. Fisher, Secretary. The President. Hon. Walter L. Fisher, Secretary of the Interior, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir: In your communication of December 22, 1911, addressed to the President, you recommend that "at least $1,000,000 should be appropriated" by Congress "to meet the present emergencies" existing along the lower Colorado River. You are already fully aware of the serious danger confronting the Imperial and Coachella Valleys from this source, while the engineer's reports which accompany your letter disclose the fact that conditions are so serious as to constitute this an emergency.