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Ctj 00 ~ ....~ GUKNISON RIVER DIVERSION PROJECT 5 of tunnel, a mile of heavy cut, and a hundred-foot dam across the Gunnison River." Around the turn of the century, two men made special examinations which proved of value. In August of 1900, Delta County Surveyor John A. Curtis took a survey crew up to Red Rock Canyon "to ascertain just the condition which exists with regard to getting water from the Gunnison into this valley."J" Also, a surveyor from Montrose, W. H. Fleming, had run level lines across the divide between the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Valleys at chosen points," In order to obtain funds to support a tunnel project, an appeal had been made to the Twelfth Session of the Colorado legislature which met in 1899. On January 28, Senator W. S. Buckley introduced Senate Bill No. 310, "for an act to con- struct, maintain, and operate a state tunnel in Montrose Coun- ty, Colorado, and for the use of unemployed convicts in con- structing the same and making appropriations therefor."''-' This bill was referred to the Committee on Labor. On March 1, the bill was tabled "for the reason that there are no funds available for such purpose and that the enterprise is deemed to be impracticable."'" Buckley objected strenuously to the pessimistic suggestion of the latter phrase, and it was finally struck from the record. J' Sponsors of the water diversion project were only mo- mentarily set back by the defeat of the request for legislative support. The Montrose Enterprise urged "each citizen to put in a good word when he can."lS In late June of 1900, John Masters, an Idaho capitalist, arrived in Montrose to investigate the possibility of putting a dam and power plant near Red Rock Canyon which would furnish power for the mines of Ouray. With respect to the project, Masters told local officials that "his company must have at least a quarter of a million dollar investment in prospect to take hold of it in earnest."" This investment never proved forthcoming. Western Congressmen were busy pushing the local irriga- tion and diversion project, especially Representatives Shafroth and Bell, and Senator E. O. Wolcott. The latter promised to introduce a bill into the United States Senate to build the I:! Ibid. 13 Montrose Enterprise_. August 18, 1900. II U. S. Reclamation Service, First Annual Rcpor(. Gp. ('it.. p. ] 35. FI€min<;{ probably made his survey in conjunction with \Vhinnerah's ~ur"ey, presumably in 1894 (see Footnote No.9). No elate is gi\"en in the R.ecL1ma1ion SEn'ice re- capitulation and an obviou~ly incorrect date (1904) is given in Marsh, 011. cit., pp. 77-78, HI Senate Journal of the Genernl .JssclHuly of the State of Colorado, 12th Session (1899), p. 271. ]6 Ibid., p. 597. l7 "Upon request of Senator Buckley the \vords 'and that the enterprise is deemed to be impracticable' ..,,"ere stricken out of the report and as amended it was adopted." Ibid.) p. 609. IS "It looks now as though every effort of our people should be turned toward government or state ai(l in building the tunnel. . ." Jfontrose Enterprise. Augu~t 4, 1900, 19 Ibi<l.) July 7, l!JOO.