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Show COXMSSIONEB OF IITDIAN AFFAIRS. 13 He made the following recommendations: That the whole matter of securing a permanent supply of water for the Indians resident on the Sacaton Reservation be committed to the hydraulic engineers of the division of hydrography of tbis Survey, the investigation to be conducted along all lines which seem to offer a feasible outcome. The expenses of this investigation to be paid out of the cumnt appropriation for "determining the water supply of the United States, including the investigations of underground currents, etc.," and supplemented by an allotment of $5,000 from the funds of the Indian Office, in tbis following the precedent established in the case of the investigation of the water supply for the Southern Utes in Colorado and also for the Uinta Utes in Utah. The engineers of the division of hydmgrapby to be empowered to make a full and thorol~gh investigation, carried on through the season of drought, and to prepare definite p h s and estimates so that the whole matter can he taken up for action by the Department or presented to Congress. In returning this report to the Department, November 24,1900, the Office said: As admitted by the Director, investigation as to the water supply on the Pima Resewation has been in progress for several years, having been specially authorized by law, without any definite results. There does not appear to be any assurance that further investigation along the lines suggested will produce any more satiafac-tory rermlts. On the other hand the plan proposed by Mr. Graves, who is a thoroughly skilled engineer, at least so far as construction is concerned, is a "condition and not a. theory." To actually construct a ditch which will demonstrate whether his plan is feasible or not will, aside from the cost of the machinery, probably be not more than the sum asked by the Geological Survey for continued investigation, which would only demmstmte what might be done, whereas if hia plan results successfully the Indians will he provided with a considerable quantity of water at once, and a larger supply can he procured by the same means. If the result is unsatisfactory Congress can then be asked to authorize further investixation alone the lines su-w-e sted. 18m therefore of the opinion that an actual test is more economical and promises better -Its than amere investi-x ation, even if the confident vredictian of Inspector Graves as to its suceem be not fully credited. I therefore adhere to the recommenda-tion made in my report of Novem'ber 19, 1900. May 22, 1901, Oren B. Taft, president of the Casa Grande Valley Canal Company, proposed the purchase of that canal property by the Government as f~llows: This canal property, including a complete canal that has been carrying water for over eight veara continuously, together with thelamest reservoir for stora~eof wster in thekest, its franchise, ahh ill its belongings, for sale, and the management p.~ o.p oaeat o dispose of it whenever an aeeeptable price can be obtained, and it now openly offers the property to the Governnient and proposes to make a sale of it, if it be poaaible. We are curlvinved that it ia the cheapwt aud only practical way of hrr-nishing the Pima Indians and their reservation with water; that with its purchase these Indians canhe supplied yithinninety days after the completion of such purchase with a similar wpply of water as ia now and has been furnished to the settlers along the canal for the laat eight years. All sorts of propositions and projects have been and will be wggested tothe Government as a means of furnishing this water. To the certain knowledge of the writer, this reservation has been dry for nearly a month |