Access to this collection is generously supported by Arcadia funds. Six men in uniform, standing in a row in front of a truck, Major Franklin I. Pomeroy and Sergeant Ernest Mendoza at left, in dirt area with buildings in background In 1934, with plans in place for United States Reclamation Service and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to build Parker Dam on the Colorado River between Arizona and California, Arizona governor Benjamin B. Moeur protested the diversion of water to California by sending members of the Arizona National Guard to the dam construction site. A local ferry service also participated under the informal name of the Arizona Navy. Among the four men at right are Private H.W. Suman and Private M.N. VanPouten; the others are an unidentified private and an unidentified cook. Cf. Los Angeles Times article, March 11, 1934, "Army Scans Dam Site, Arizona Soldiers Visit Scene, First Report from Seat of Two-State Dispute Sent to Phoenix, Military Party Movements Made to Halt Asserted California Invasion." The first direct contact with the river and dam site by the soldiers was made by a detail under Maj. Pomeroy, Privtae [sic] H.W. Suman and Private M.N. VanPouten, who were in the party. A similar photograph appears with Los Angeles Times article, March 10, 1934, "Dam 'Army' at Parker, Arizona Troops Begin Vigil, Major and Five Others Stop at Colorado River Town; Choice of Camp Next, Patrol May Call on “Navy” in Campaign to Thwart 'Encroachment,'" … a detail of the Arizona National Guard … under orders to make daily observations of activities at the Parker dam site and to report his observations to Gov. Moeur. … Caption reads: Arizona Troop Leave for (Water) Front. Without any flare of trumpets or a band playing martial airs, this squad of Arizona National Guardsmen left Phoenix and arrived at Parker yesterday prepartory to patrolling the dam site to prevent “encroachment” on Arizona’s rights by the Metropolitan Water District. Maj. Pomeroy, commanding the detail, is shown at extreme right. (A.P. photo) Text from nitrate negative sleeve: (unidentified)
Type
image
Format
b&w nitrate negative
Identifier
uclamss_1429_0522 0522 ark:/21198/zz002d9t4r
Language
No linguistic content
Subject
Activism Militias--Arizona Parker Dam (Ariz. and Calif.) Government Environment Arizona. National Guard VanPouten, M. N Mendoza, Ernest Suman, Harlin W., 1911-1974 Pomeroy, Franklin Ivan, 1894-1982
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