Tempe's Unknown Congressman,

 

John R. Murdock

 

In the 1930's, Tempe could claim two-thirds of Arizona's congressional delegation. Senator Carl Hayden is well known. The other, almost forgotten, was Congressman John R. Murdock. He served in the U. S. House of Representatives for 16 years, taught at the college in Tempe for 24 years, and wrote  Arizona history and government textbooks that were used in Arizona schools for years.  As powerful members of the U. S. Congress, he and  Carl Hayden, were responsible for ensuring Arizona's rights to Colorado River water.  But today,  few Tempe residents remember John R. Murdock.

John Robert Murdock was born April 20, 1885 [1] near Lewistown, in Lewis County,  Missouri. [2]    He was the fourth child, and the first son of John and Elizabeth Murdock, who operated a farm in homestead Township. [3]  His father, 17 years older than his mother, died in      1899, [4] leaving 14-year old John to tend the farm. [5]  

 

 

 

 

In 1904, at the age of 19, John began teaching school. Needing more education, he enrolled at the First District Normal School (now Truman State Univ- ersity) at Kirksville, Missouri. [6]  While working on his degree, he met Myrtle Cheney. After a brief courtship, they were married in 1906.[7]  During this time, John taught at the high school in Kirksville, [8] and was principal of the high school at Lewiston. After earning his Bachelor of Pedagogy degree, he became principal of the  Ridgeway,  Missouri High School.  He also continued taking college courses and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. [9]  While they lived in Missouri, daughter Rachel and son David were born. [10]

In 1914, John was hired by President John A. Matthews of the Tempe  Normal School of Arizona (now Arizona State University) to teach history and government to aspiring teachers. It is odd to note that Murdock, with a Bachelor of Arts degree, had more education than Matthews, who had left Syracuse University during his junior year. [11]

 Murdock quickly became an important part of Arizona education. In addition to training hundreds of teachers, he coached softball, [12] and he was the author of history texts,  Arizona Characters in Silhouette, History Outline; Arizona and Southwestern History, and government textbooks, The Constitution of Arizona, Constitutional Development of Arizona, and  with Austin Repp,  A Work and Study Book for Students on the Constitutional Development of Arizona.  During this period, his third son, John Benjamin

 

was delivered by future governor, Dr. Benjamin B. Moeur on June 12, 1919. [13]  In 1933, Murdock  became a Dean of the college, now called Arizona State Teacher's College at Tempe .[14]

  Murdock  lived the quiet life of a college professor with one notable exception.  His neighbors, the Nevitt family, who lived  behind him,  obtained a pair of Muscovey ducks to breed, with the idea of selling the hatchlings so that other people could have Muscovey ducks.

 Maud Nevitt Olsen relates:

 

 Early one morning, Professor Murdock saw one of the ducks taking flight. He rushed into  his house and grabbed the 30-30 rifle, shot

 and killed the duck. In the act of shooting at  the duck, he shot toward the Baker's house.  They were really frightened, as the bullet

 went through the house. Luckily no one was  killed or wounded. Realizing what he had  done, Mr. Murdock rushed and apologized to

 Dad. After a lengthy conversation, he wrote a  check for the duck and gave it to Dad. He  stated that he couldn't explain why he did  such a stupid thing.

He was very sorry. This  episode ended Dad's duck business. [15]

 

In 1936, Arizona's lone Congressional Representative, Isabella Greenway, decided not to seek another term.  Deciding to put his govern-mental expertise to use,  Murdock decided to run for her vacated seat.  He campaigned on a platform of being a “conservative     liberal,” [16]  supporting Franklin Roosevelt's social programs. [17] He also wanted to increase reclamation projects along the Colorado River and the lower Gila Valley. [18]

Ten men and one woman declared themselves candidates for the Democratic nomination. In the beginning of the campaign, State Senator Nellie Bush, who had supplied the “Arizona Navy” when Governor Moeur tried to stop the  construction of Parker Dam, was considered the front runner. She characterized herself as the “best man for the job.” [19]  Also, highly regarded was Phoenix Judge M. T. Phelps, who had the support of the Townsend Club, a group who wanted lavish pensions for retirees. [20]   Murdock defeated his closest rival, Phelps, by 2,418 votes. Nellie Bush ran a poor third. [21]

 Getting the Democratic nomination was tantamount to being elected in pre-World War II  Arizona.  Murdock won the general election easily, beating Republican George Burgess and the Socialist and Union party candidates by a four to one margin. [22]

 

Representative Murdock joined the 75th congress as a supporter of Roosevelt's New Deal. Although the 1937 New Deal was more in line with Murdock's idea of a “conservative liberal” [23]  than the first New Deal, he was still bewildered at the emphasis on spending, rather than balancing the budget. [24]  However, he soon joined the spenders by seeking a bill to aid handicapped children, [25] supporting sanitation projects for Arizona, building tennis courts in Parker, [26] and voting for the Townsend plan to give a $200 monthly pension to the aged. [27] With Senator Carl Hayden, he sought government funding for the Gila project to bring Colorado River water to the lower Gila valley. [28] Also, as a member of the Western Bloc's Committee on Mining, [29]  Murdock  worked to protect mining rights, [30]  especially  those of the small miners. [31]

In the 1938 Democratic primary, Murdock defeated James Moore. [32]  Both candidates ran as supporters of the New Deal. [33]  Murdock over- whelmed his Republican opponent, M. E. Cassidy,  in the general election by over a four to one margin, 40,463 to  9,372. [34]

Representative Murdock continued his support of the New Deal in the 76th Congress.   He maintained his efforts to obtaining Arizona's share of Colorado River water for the Gila River farmers. [35]  In addition, he supported these farmers, who were  large producers of alfalfa seed, by backing the tariffs on imported seed. [36]  He continued working for aid to miners by helping to draft legislation to grant loans to small mines. [37]  Murdock anticipated Franklin Roosevelt's call for the United States to be an “arsenal of democracy” [38]  by advocating that the United States support the forces opposing Hitler in Europe by selling them arms.

 

 

His program differed from Roosevelt's by proposing to give all profits from arms sales to the U. S. Treasury. [39]

John Murdock's most controversial vote was against a bill to deport labor leader Harry Bridges. [40]  Bridges was the leader of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. He was born in Australia, and had never obtained American citizenship. He had openly used Communist Party assistance for his labor activities, and he was suspected of being a Communist Party member, although this was never proven. [41]  Because of this, a motion was introduced in Congress to deport him. Murdock voted no, explaining that the bill was unconstitutional because it denied Bridges the right of a writ of habeas corpus, and it was also close to being a bill of attainder. [42]

Murdock's vote sparked protests by civic groups across the state. [43] This may have led to the  meeting of Howard Speakman and Ernest McFarland where they decided to challenge Murdock, and longtime senator Henry Ashurst, in the 1940 election. Speakman, who was well known from acting as the judge in the Winnie Ruth Judd murder trial, was to run against Murdock,  supposedly, the weaker candidate.  McFarland was to run against Ashurst. [44]  Speakman's candidacy came to nothing, and Murdock defeated newspaperman William Mathews by over 8,000 votes in the primary election. Surprisingly, McFarland defeated Ashurst by an almost two to one margin. [45]  In the general election, Murdock easily defeated Republican K. T. Palmer. [46]

 In 1942, Arizona was alloted two seats in the House of Representatives. Eighteen candidates filed to run in the Democratic primary for the two at-large seats. [47]  Murdock easily won renomination for a fourth term, and Richard Harless, Maricopa County Attorney, won the nomination for the second seat. Among the defeated candidates were Tempe residents Lewis Neeb and John Allen. [48]  The Democratic candidates easily won in the general election, beating Republicans George Darnell and Joseph Jenkins by a three to one ratio. [49]

The entry of the United States into World  War II overshadowed most domestic issues. But, Murdock continued to work for the interests of Arizona farmers. He fought to give well casings a high priority to the war effort, [50]  worked to establish the growing of Yucca for its fiber, [51] and tried to establish cultivation of the guayule plant in Arizona to supplement rubber supplies. [52]  Guayule was the plant that  the pre-Columbian Indians of Mexico had used to make their rubber balls. [53]  He sought government payments for farmers and ranchers who lost land because of the war effort.  [54]  He also continued working for the miners, again introducing legislation for loans to small mines. [55]

 The realities of the war were intensified when Murdock received news that his eldest son, First Lieutenant David N. Murdock was killed in action on August 11,1943, while fighting in the invasion of Sicily. David died on the first anniversary of his enlistment. [56]  

Murdock seemed to violate the respect he had shown the Constitution in the Bridges case, when he and Carl Hayden asked that the quarantine line restricting Japanese in Arizona be further extended.  This would send more Japanese-Americans to be interred in the concentration camps. [57]

 Harless and Murdock easily won re-election in 1944, defeating Margaret Adams Rockwell, a Phoenix hotel owner, and A. A. Ward, a Casa Grande farmer. For the first time, Harless received more votes than Murdock. [58]  Murdock was appointed to the now permanent House Un-American Activities Committee. It was intended to investigate both left and right wing un-American and subversive activities groups, including the Ku Klux Klan.  However, its original chairman, Martin Dies and several members were supporters of the Klan, and the committee concentrated on left wing communist groups. [59]  Murdock vigorously protested the pro-Klan slant of the committee saying, “the committee had served as a sounding board to give un-American witnesses extra publicity.” [60]

With the war close to ending, Arizona's water rights again became an issue.  The Wellton-Mohawk district of the lower Gila River was dying because of the lack of good water for irrigation. The flow of the Gila River had always been too erratic to allow the use of ditches that diverted water from the river. Instead, the farmers depended on wells that tapped the groundwater that river waters  replenished. The construction of dams upstream had stopped the flow of the river, and the water table was not being replenished. The farmers' crops were being burned by the increasing salinity of their  wells. [61]  Although the irrigation project was approved in 1937, [62] California and Nevada continually voiced opposition to  diverting Colorado River water  to Arizona. [63]

 Representative Murdock received a letter from Franklin Roosevelt the day before he died, requesting Murdock to make provisions to give veterans returning from the war access to reasonable priced irrigated land. [64]  He and senator McFarland sponsored a bill that gave veterans preference on any land that would be opened for settlement and irrigation by the Gila Canal. [65]  Not only did this aid veterans, but it was important to help pass the legislation for the Wellton-Mohawk district.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 1946 election was a repudiation of the New Deal. The Republicans gained control of the Senate and House of Representatives.  Arizona, however, was still solidly Democratic.  Democrats Murdock, Harless, and McFarland were returned to office. [66]

Even with a Republican Congress, in July of 1947,  the Wellton-Mohawk project became reality.  The project brought water for irrigation 40 miles up the Gila valley from the Colorado River.  This water brought 60,000 additional acres under cultivation and rehabilitated the land that had been abandoned. [67]

The 1948 election posed a problem for Murdock and Harless. Arizona's House of Representatives seats would no longer be elected at large. [68]  They would be elected by districts.  Maricopa County was district one, and the rest of the state was district two. [69]  The problem was that both Murdock and Harless lived in Maricopa County.  Harless considered moving to Safford, his former home in District two. [70} However, he chose not to move, but instead, he challenged Dan Garvey for Governor in the primary election. Garvey became Governor when Sidney P. Osborn died in office.  Murdock ran unopposed in the primary,  and Insurance Agent Harold Patten was nominated in District Two.  Harless lost to Garvey.  Again, getting the Democratic nomination ensured victory in the November general election. [71]

With the Democratic party in control of the 81st congress, [72] Arizona's delegation advanced to powerful positions.  Senator Hayden became chairman of the Senate Rules committee and ranking member on the Appropriations committee, and Murdock became chairman of the House Sub-committee on Reclamation Matters. [73}  

Arizona would need all of the power it could muster. The battle had begun to construct the Central Arizona Project (CAP). This would bring Colorado River water to the interior of Arizona. While the Gila Project took 300,000 acre feet of water, [74] the CAP would divert 1,500,000 acre feet of water, over 5 times the amount taken by Wellton-Mohawk. [75]  As usual, California objected, fearing a loss of water for its Imperial Valley and Los Angeles Metropolitan water districts. [76]

 In 1950, the demographics of the state were beginning to shift.  Democrats Murdock, Patton, and Hayden won re-election. However, the election of Republican Howard Pyle as governor would be an omen for the future. [77]  

 The power of the Arizona congressional delegation increased further when Ernest MacFarland was elected majority leader of the Senate. [78] In spite of these powerful positions of the Arizona delegation, very little progress was made on the CAP.  California, with its 23 representatives to the House, continued its fierce opposition. [79] This fight raged for 18 more  years, until finally in 1968, the CAP was approved. Construction began in 1973 and was finished in 1993. [80]

In 1952, Murdock faced opposition in the Democratic primary for the first time in several years. His opponent was Ralph Watkins, a Buckeye automobile dealer. Watkins based his opposition on the idea that Murdock was weak on Communism.  This was based on Murdock's 1940 vote against deporting Harry Bridges. [81] He was also opposed by Joe Worthy, a Phoenix radio personality. [82]  Murdock won the primary election and faced  Republican John Rhodes in the general election.  President Truman attempted to help Murdock, and also MacFarland, by trying to advance the CAP. [83] In addition, organized labor gave them a strong endorsement. [84]   But, the political climate had changed in postwar Arizona.  Murdock lost to Rhodes, and MacFarland was defeated by Barry Goldwater. [85] Arizona's power in the U. S. Congress was greatly diminished, and the fight for the CAP now largely depended on Senator Hayden.

After his defeat, Murdock was engaged to lecture on government and history for the summer term at Arizona State College at Flagstaff. After the session, he did not remain in Arizona, but returned to the Washington D. C. area. His wife, Dr. Myrtle Murdock, was hired as a guide at the capitol. She had written several books about the city and its buildings, and was considered to be the leading expert on the subject. [86]

Murdock settled into retirement. In 1960, his former school, now called Arizona State University, recognized his long career and contributions to Arizona, awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. [87]  After a long, quiet retirement, Murdock died in Phoenix, February, 1972, at the age of 86. [88]

While little remembered today, John R. Murdock was responsible for educating thousands of Arizona students in his classes at the college in Tempe, and by his numerous textbooks on Arizona history and government. During his sixteen year tenure in the House of Representatives, spanning the Great Depression, World War II and the postwar recovery period, he earned a reputation as a hard working, effective Congressman who became an expert on water issues.  Modern Arizona owes a great debt to John R. Murdock.

 

 

Notes

  1. Selective Service System of the United States, Maricopa County, Phoenix, Arizona, record number 4542, Sept. 12, 1918.

 2. Biographical Index of the United .States congress, http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/diosisplay.pl?Index=M001081.

 3. United States Department of Commerce and Labor, Bureau of the Census, Tenth Census of the United States, 1880, Highland  

      Township, Lewis County, Missouri.

 4. Ancstry.com. John Murdock, http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=77445519&st=1  

  5. United States Department of Commerce and Labor, Bureau of the Census,  Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900, Highland

      Township,  Lewis County, Missouri.

 6. Biographical Index of the United States congress, ibid. The date of his graduation is incorrect.

 7. Ancestry.con. Family Trees, One World Tree, John R. Murdock, http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=61968275.

 8. United States Department of Commerce and Labor, Bureau of the Census, Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910, Adair

      County. Kirksville City, Missouri.

 9. Northeast Missouri State Teachers College Alumni Roster, http://http://library.truman.edu/archives/alumni1924L.htm#M

10. United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Fourteenth Census of the United State, 1920. Maricopa

      County, Tempe, Arizona.

11. Ernest J. Hopkins and Alfred Thomas Jr., The Arizona State University Story, Southwest Publishing Co., Phoenix, Arizona, 1960.

12. Arizona State All-Sport Head Coach Lineage, Softball, http://thesundevils.cstv.com/trads/asu-trads-coaches.html.

13. Biographical Index of the United .States congress, ibid.

14. Arizona State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Original Certificate of Birth, John Benjamin Murdock, July 10, 1919.

15. Maude Nevitt Olsen, “Memories of an Old Settler,” Joel A. Benedict, Irene A. Benedict, Elizabeth Hampton James, Memories of

     Old Settlers of Tempe, Old Settlers Association, Tempe, Arizona, ND.

16. “Murdock Leads Arizona,” San Antonio Express, San Antonio, Texas, September 10, 1936.

17. “John Nurdock Addresses Club, “ Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona, November 11, 1936.

18. “Judge Stanford Opens Drive in Kingman Speech,” Yuma Daily Sun, Yuma, Arizona, October 7, 1936.

19. “Townsend Plan Candidates Take Washington Vote,” Evening State Standard, Lincoln, Nebraska, September 9, 1936.

20. “Arizona May Kill Polls Precedent in This Election,” Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, August 24, 1936.

21. “Kerby Holds Slight Lead Over Simms,” Yuma Weekly Sun, Yuma, September 11, 1936.

22. “All Arizona Goes for F. R.,” The Times, San Mateo, California, November 4, 1936.

23. Mark Hugh Leff,  The Limits of Symbolic Reform” Yhr New Deal and Taxation, 1933-1939, Cambridge University Press,

      Cambridge, United Kingdom, 1984, p. 204.

24. “A Disillusioned Congressman, The Helena Daily Independent, Helena, Montana, April 3, 1937

25. “Handicapped Children of State Listed,” Yuma Daily Sun, December 26, 1937.

26. “2WPA Projects in Ariz. Approved,” Yuma Daily Sun, January 21, 1938.

27. “Lower House of Congress Defeats Twonsend Old Age Pension Measure 302 to 97,” Yuma Daily Sun, June 1, 1939.

28. “Two Utahns Win Point On Project,” The Ogden Standard Examiner, Ogden, Utah, April 18, 1937, “Rep. Murdock Urges Gila

      Appropriation,” Yuma Daily Sun, April 21, 1937, “Murdock will Seek to Have Gila Funds Put Back in Bill,” Yuma Daily Sun,

      May 15, 1937,  “Plan Battle to Secure Funds for Gila Project; Member Drive,” Yuma Daily Sun, May 17, 1937, , “Map Drive,   

      Reinstate Gila Item,” Yuma Daily Sun, July 16, 1937, “Murdock Pledges His Continued Aid,” Yuma Daily Sun and Yuma Sentinel,

     Yuma, Arizona, November 5, 1937.

29. “Murdock Names Bloc Members,” The Ogden Standard Examiner, January 16, 1937,.

30. “Game Refuge Withdrawal in County Awaits F. R.s Approval,” Yuma Daily Sun, December 21, 1937.

31. “Higher Gold Price Rumrs Hit Capital,” Nevada Mining News, Reno, Nevada, June 13, 1938,  “President Okehs Mine

      Moratorium,” The Modesto Bee and Daily Herald, Modesto, California, June 29, 1938.

32. “Jones Leads Close Race in Arizona,” Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California, September 14, 1938.

33. “Candidates in Arizona Loyal to New Deal,” The Sheboygan Press, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, August 24, 1938.

34. “Democrats Make Clean Sweep in Arizona, Yuma Daily Sun, November 11, 1938.

35. “Rep. Murdock Leads Successful Fight for Retention of Gila Projectr Fund, “ The Yuma Weekly Sun and the Yuma Examiner,

      Yuma, Arizona, March 24, 1939.

36. “Arizona Solon Supports Yuma Farmers in Attack on Reciprocal Treaties,” Yuma Daily Sun, October 20, 1939, “Urges

     Opposition to Tariff Cuts on Imports of Seed,” Yuma Daily Sun, October 24, 1939

37 “Aid to Miners,” Nevada Mining Journal, May 22, 1939,  “SEC Releases Mine Changes,” Nevada Mining Journal, May 29, 1939,

    “Sayd Strategic Minerals Bill Reported Out,” Yuma Daily Sun, September 5, 1940.

38. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “The Great Arsenal of Democracy,” radio address, December 29, 1940.

39. “Murdock Says Arms Embargo is Aid to Germany,: Yuma Weekly Sun, September 9, 1939.

40. Yuma Daily Sun, June 15, 1940.

41. “Harry Bridges, a Biography,” International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 19, Seattle Washington,  

     http://www.ilwu19.com/history/biography.htm.

42. “Rep Murdock Explains Vote in Bridges Case,” Yuma Daily Sun, June 15, 1940.

43. “Arizonans Protest Murdock Vote Against Deporting Bridges,” Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 15, 1940.

44. Kel M. Fox, “50 Years in Arizona Politics, The Journal of Arizona History, Vol. 34, pp. 79-80.

45. “M’Farland, Osborn, Murdock in Lead,” Yuma Daily Sun, September 11, 1940.

46. “Results of Nov. 5, 1941 election in Yuma County, Yuma Weekly Sun,  May 30, 1941.

47. “Politics Seen Hit in Wartime,” Ogden Standard Examiner, Ogden, Utah, August 29, 1942.

48. “Gov. Osborn, Harless, Stanford, Hunt, Foster, Betts, Brush hold Leads,” Yuma Daily Sun, September 9, 1942.

49. “How Arizona Voted,” Tucsn Daily Citizen, November 4, 1942.

50. “Murdock Asks Well Casing Priority,” Tucson Daily Citizen, February 10, 1942.

51. “Yucca May be Used to Manufacture Rope, Tucson Daily Citizen, June 18, 1943, L. T. Easley, “Texans in Washington, “ The

     Brownsville Herald, Brownsville, Texas, November 11, 1941.

52. “Murdock Urges Guayule Planting in Arizona,” Tucson Daily Citizen, February 1, 1942.

52. D. T. Ray, “Guayule, a Source of Natural Rubber,” New Crops, J. Janick and J. E. Simon, eds., Wiley, New York, 1995, p. 338.

54. “Grazing Permit payments are Sought in Bill,” Tucson Daily Citizen, June 19, 1942.

55. “Loans for Mining War Minerals are Sought,” Tucson Daily Citizen, November 20, 1942.

56. “Rep. Murdock’s Son Killed in Action, Aug. 11,” Yuma Daily Sun, September 10, 1942.

57. “Sen. Hayden Asks Army Control Japs in State,” Yuma Daily Sun, July 14, 1943.

58. “Official Canvass of Arizona Votes Shows Roosevelt at 80, 926 Votes to 56, 287 for Dewey in Nov. 7 Election,” Yuma Daily

      Sun, November 28, 1944.  Harless received 89, 691 votes to Murdock’s 88, 532 votes.

59. “Un-American Activities Committee,” Spartacus Educational, http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.ca.uk/USAhuac.htm.

60. Drew Pearson, “OPA Bill Not Liked by Senators,” Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas, June 13, 1946.

61. United States Bureau of Reclamation, “Dams, Projects  & Powerplants, Gila Project,” Arizona, http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb.  

      html/gila.html#development.

62. Boulder Canyon Project Act, of 1928, pursuant to section 4 of the Act of June 25, 1910 (36 stat. 836) and subsection B of the Act

     of December 5, 1924 (43 stat. 701).

63. “House Beats Down Western Efforts to Increase Reclamation Funds, Yuma Daily Sun, May 15, 1946, “Two Congressmen Join

     Fight Against Wellton-Mohawk,” Yuma Daily Sun, July 18, 1946, “Arizona Congressmen Blast So. Calif. In Water Dispute, Yuma

      Daily Sun, September 24, 1946, “Murdock Fears Gila Bill halted in Congress,” Yuma Daily Sun, July 23, 1946,  “California is

     Blamed for Stymied Gila Plan, Fresno Bee, Fresno, California, July 25, 1946, “R. H. MCEllancey Charges Hearings on Wellton-

     Mohawk Project Were Prolonged to Deprive Ariz. Of Water,”  Yuma Daily Sun, July 23, 1946.

64. “Action Needed to Aid Veterans to Buy Farms,” Modesto Bee and News-Herald, Modesto, California, May 21, 1945.

65. “Rep. Murdock Explains Provisions of Gila Project Land Settlement Bill: Veterans Get First Choice,” Yuma Weekly Sun and the

      Weekly Reporter, Yuma, March 1, 1946.

66. “Membership of the 80th Congress of the United States,”  http://borzoiblog.com/80th.htm

67. August L. Steen, “Gila Bill Passes, Wellton-Mohawk Bill Goes to White House,” Yuma Daily Sun, July 23, 1947.

68. “Harless hasn’t Yet Chosen Future Home,” Tucson Daily Citizen, July 17, 1947.

69. “Arizona Returns,” Tucson Daily Citizen, November 3, 1948.

70. “Membership of the 81st Congress of the United States,” http://borzoiblog.com/81st.htm.

71. “Arizona Congressmen Advance, “ Tucson Daily Citizen, November 6, 1948.

72. United States Bureau of Reclamation, Dams, Projects & Powerplants, Gila Project, Arizona, http://www.usbr.gov/dateb/  The total

     deliveries were later reduced to 280,000 acre feet.

73. “CAP Water Deliveries,” http://www.cap-az.com/deliveries/index.cfmhtml/gila/htm#development.

74. “House Group Opens Hearing on C. A. Project,” Yuma Daily Sun, March 30, 1949, Imperial Valley Engineer Says USBR Ingored

      Contract,” Yuma Daily Sun, June 2, 1949, “Drafter of Upper Colorado Pact Reassures California,” Long Beach Press-Telegram,

      Long Beach, California, March 16, 1949, “California For of Arizona Project Urges Fresh Delay, “ Tucson Daily Citizen, January

      13,  1950, et. Al.

75. “Jewel Jordan Polled Highest Number of Votes in Election,” Tucson Daily Citizen, November 27, 1950.

76. “Membeship of the 82nd Congress of the United States,” http://borzoiblog.com/82nd.htm

77. “Arizona Water Bill Set for March 20,” Oxnard Press Courier, Oxnard, California, March 7, 1950, “Opponents Set to Kill Water

     for Arizona, Oxnard Press-Courier, April 16, 1951, “Resume Fight Over River,” Tucson Daily Citizen, October 1, 1951, et. al.

78. CAP, Central Arizona project, History, http://www.cap-az.com/index.cfm.

79. “Watkins Hurls Red Charge,” Tucson Daily Citizen, September 3, 1952.

80. Yuma Daily Sun, September 9, 1952.

81. Ray tucker, “Views Behind the News,” San Mateo Times, San mateo, California, August 22, 1952.

82. “CIO Endorses Only 2 of GOP,” Tucson Daily Citizen, August 25, 1952.

83. “State Returns,” Tucson Daily Citizen, November 5, 1952.

84. “AWoman for the 21st Century Born in 1885, Myrtle Cheney Murdock,” Tempe Historical Society Examiner, Winter, 2007

85. Tucson Daily Citizen, June 6, 1960.

86. “Former Solon Dies,” Modesto Bee and News-Herald, February 16, 1972.

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