Letter from Harold J. Stocker (Clark County, Nevada) to Harold L. Ickes (Washington, D.C.) February 26, 1940

FEBRUARY 26 19 40 Hon. Harold L. Ickes Secretary of the Interior Washington, D. C. My dear Mr. Secretary: In response to the plea of my constituents, I am taking this opportunity to write you, placing their problem before you, and after due explanation, I believe there can be some relief extended them. The condition at the present time has existed for the past thirty years. Our only domestic water supply for culinary purposes in the District comes from an irrigation ditch which traverses about twenty-one miles of the Moapa Valley, Clark County, Nevada, originating at Warm Springs at the head of the Valley and flowing eastward until it reaches Lake Mead. This water is conveyed by means of an open ditch to the communities of the Indian Reservation, Moapa, Glendale, Logandale, Overton and Nepac. This district, in all, contains about 1200 men, women and children, and it is my desire to protect their health and happiness. At present the ditches run through barn-yards, corralls, chicken runs, and the like, where every kind of contamination and pollution is picked up - not making a very healthy condition. The same water must be used by the babies and school children as well as the adults of the community, which does not make for a substantial growth in these communities. The condition could be righted very easily and I will endeavor to outline to you our proposition which I believe, after considerable study, is feasible. Our plan is to install, with the help of your Department, a pipe line from Warm Springs to the town of Overton, a distance of twenty-one miles, with an extension into the National Park area for future development which, I feel, will surely come. The towns of Overton and Logandale have their own distributing system at present, thus eliminating that cost. We have made a survey of the cost of installation and find it very nominal, when consideration is given to the amount of good it will do Hon. Harold L. Ickes Page #2 and the number of people it will help. Our figures, compiled by Mr. Charles DeArmond, member of the Nevada-Colorado River Commission, Las Vegas, Nevada, is the laying of a 12" transite pipe to Logandale, a distance of fourteen miles, and continuing on to Overton with 10" pipe, which would amount to $145,000, including all appurtenant construction. The reason transite pipe is mentioned is that we have an acid soil to overcome, and it is my understanding that this type of pipe is best suited for this soil condition. The fixed charge is nil as this system would provide a gravity flow, with an exceedingly high water pressure. The elevation at Warm Springs is 1800 ft. and at Overton 1350 ft. so it would require no pumping. As it is explained to me, Congress appropriated a considerable sum of money to the Arid Lands Fund under the Department of Interior, of which a development of this type would come under. It is my understanding that the Department will finance a pro-ect under this plan, to a water district, to be repaid over a period of forty years, with no interest on the bond requirements. Taking these figures for facts, it would enable us to give the people of this District clean, healthy, drinking water at about 30cents per month per person. This situation, Mr. Secretary, is very serious, and we want help now for a very worthy project. I hope it is within your power to grant it. In the past six years we have enjoyed many benefits from our good governmental agencies, such as schools, roads and electric power. Now, we would like to make our communities complete and have the greatest necessity of life - a drink of clean water. Hoping for an early reply and with the sincerest appreciation for any assistance you may be able to give us, I am Yours very sincerely, HAROLD J. STOCKER County Commissioner District No. 1 Clark County, Nevada HJS:EA cc: Senator Key Pittman Senator Pat McCarran Congressman James G. Scrugham Paul Thurston, President Chamber of Commerce Overton, Nevada