Fort Mojave Industrial School correspondence and a blueprint design of the Fort Mojave Pump Station, Washington (D.C.), 1891-1893, snv002595-73

ctf^ 8«6f®>pe1 sb'raas‘ Santa Ana, Calif, June 1, 1892 S.M.McCowan,Esq« Supt. Port Mojave Indian School, Arizona. Dear Sir: In reply to your request please find enclosed my report on the irrigating Plant for your school farm with diagram show­ing completed work and proposed additions,also recommendations for completing the same. The plant was designed by Engineer Wilson after a personal survey of the farm and is adequate for all requirements,so far as pumping'is concerned;but owing to changes in,the river I found it im­perative to change a portion of his designs. At the time Mr.Wilso^ was at the Port the mian channel of the river ran fifteen feet deep,a against the bank at the location of the pumping plant and the most feasible plan was,as selected by him,to pump direct from the river,but owing to the shifting nature of the stream and the high water of the summer before cutting through to the North of the Island,a sand bar fully one-third of a mile wide was formed; lying between the proposed location of the pumping plant and the^ater,and after a careful survey I decided that the only safe and permanent plan was to put down a large caisson or well to pump from,located well inside the gravel and con­glomerate that forms the permanent bank Of the river^and having your approval the plant was erected so far as we went in accordance with the plan herewith submitted. The well being a heavy expense that was not calculated for in the appropriation,compelled us to do only so