Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more
Image provided by: University of New Mexico
Newspaper Page Text
a ri-.i c J f VUlldl OdVtXJ ri Ha ex at r- l 1 isa uoiiar earned L -JL I'- -I 11 IJ J- J. You will -always save money by dealing with people you can trust. The Old Reliable Is at 'ie same stand that he as yean ago, and wil" e there when you wa-t clothes UlHV trAKIP 01 MAM 10 III . JACOB J. SMITH. a. r. ni'JAo. . o. a. brio BUJAO BRIOC. Attorneys and Counsellors at Law. Wilt practice In all th oniirti of N.v. Mexico and Txaa. 0 ct la tht CtMlll BalMlaa. JAMKSM. DYK ATTORNEY AT LAW. Clad. Na Mmoo. Office Canyon St, Eaat of Court House. Hecuwty Abstract Co. In office. )R. HOMER F. PARK. PatMCIAN ANpSUROaoH. OAW In Hull 4 Brie Mkllni. IMdim MalwiwnoBL, Ind Door North of Re Soul houM CALR8RAO . NEW MEXICO It. NYMKYKR. CIVIL RNtllNrfcK antl EX-t'OL'XTY atKVKYOK f wantr-ena yaara'aaperlanea Inl ivmti of Eddt and atlMnlns aounltaa la Taxaa'and Nswataalea. )R. A. O. UOAULEY, OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIAN . AND MUKOKON . 1 Hoofn. land 10. Senilis llotl,'arlhad, N.M )K. II. W. NEU.KIU PHYSICIAN AND BUROKON OAtc In lwin BulMlna I (fommmtgttt Irrigation i The following extracts from a folder re cently issued by the Malaga Land and Im provement (Jo., will be read with Interest. A few slight changes have been made in the composition and arrangement. A History of th Proposition The progreaiive American citizen it ever, looking (or an opportunity to better hi condition, and in pur suit of that object he ia constantly changing hia loca tion; (or yean he ho been letting hi face to the westward in hi search (or land and liberty. The first great advance was made across the mid- dlejwett; later the tide veered to the northwest and vast domain was occupied; more recently the ad vance hat been directed toward the southwest and a great region heretofore given over lo the long horns has been invaded; this wide scope of country that had (or many years been considered of no value ex cept (or grazing has been seized by the farmers, the ranchmen have been steadily forced back and a won derful transformation has resulted. Desert plains and treeless valleys have been changed to fruitful (arm. In no part of the southwest has this tranJormation been more remarkable or the efforts of the farmers crowned with more abundant success than in the Pe cos Valley of New Mexico. It is to this last mentioned district that especial at tention is invited. . A correct understanding of condi tions as they now exist under the Project near Carls bad requires a short review of the history of irriga tion in this locality. . Some fifteen yean ago certain people conceived the idea that it was possible to to store and distribute the waters of die Pecos river as to supply water to irrigate a large scope of country along the river and below Carlsbad. Surveys were made and it was found that with a proper system of reservoirs and canals about 40,000 a ares could be brought under irrigation. At that time a greater portion of the land to be affected by the project was public domain and sub ject to entry under the desert land law as it then ex isted. This permitted the acquiring of tide to com paratively large tract as each adult member of the family could enter an entire section. Investigation having shown that the irrigation pro ject was feasible, a company wa organized, the res ervoirs and canals were constructed, and the work of reclamation was commenced. In a short rims the lands that tbuld be irrigated were entered under the desert land law and title acquired by mean of th water supplied by the Irrigation Company. In the course of a (ew year a very large per cent IMIW Phuna IM Raalrii-i PhuM Carlsbad Furniture Co. UNDERTAKERS R. M. THORNE UIOKNSKD tMSAUMIR Tolophono70 Aw paaawl lijr rvmtTMa fiu-Mitrim railroad oiwrators mrkiu mum limn nlii HtMira a lar, baa rrwlwl tiiuml r aianil 90,00. tnwn ilriri'h oiNTator I linn ran now lm aaaurd. Hniinatii nmiimntm hav cul rail, run J wlms IMo TUrlijr lrritunla of DRAUGHON'S Practical Business Colleges. for bniai, wnr iMrn Tliv)irr caui or aivirMa no. r. iM-auantMi. m. ml B Nee, tan Irtsali, leans or Haaiai Ctfr ni'MNMa mnn any lKAI'illVn, u tti( gIST. THNNR nuMilhs' ll.kw.ln liy Ml laitiM' iwptrtaiil'4 miHImmIk wiiinla I Msn. ; of Ilia U. . COURI Rl MBttRS writ III Mulhn4 ImtualHia liarlM WrnMr piU i aoa l nwalnlmrl' tun-l, Bunakanpln. Ivnmauhl, Mc ST tun or r conies, se iiim m it attr. ItMlTlowaawurMlfH-MDMtY HAI'N. Rntm' aujr luiio; no taonuluu. tatakwn HfcaV Carlsbad Dairy fur. J.ra.y Mllh and Orsam Oollv rod to oil port of tho olty. s J. O. Wtrttll, t'ropr'tor. . ' " . l-,vi. ,. i I 0 k " - A Pecos. Valley Cottorl Patch Until s (ew years ago this valley "was believed to be utterly unfit (or agricultural purposes; 4 was con ceded to be a cowman's paradise, but farming nev-1 er. Roswell and Eddy (now Carlsbad) were both old towns before the thought of farming in the Pecos Valley had progressed very far. After a lime, however, it was discovered that the soil of the valley was naturally fertile and that a proper applica tion of water would develop k latent productiveness. Then it w as that the progiessive American citizen began hia invasion. His conquest is now nearly years more andthit once barren valley will be one continuous garden and orchard; the h o m e of thousands of prosperous, cont e n I e d, and happy peojlt. Tlie secret of this remarkable transformation that is now in progress i found in one word: Irrigation. Prior to the coming of the farmers the Pecos Val ley had attracted some settlers; some degree of de velopment had been attained, litis had been done, however, u n d er the old idea that this was a stock country only; and as the chief desire of the stockman is lur room, I and i were held in Urge tracts and evi dences of development were isolated. These exten- siveholJings are now being broken up and the lands are passing into the hands of the homebuilders. This transition mates this old country new, it gives of the irrigated lands were owned by corporation and the land were tilled by tenants, a large propor tion of whom were foreigners who had been coloniz ed on these lands. In fact the system a managed by these companies became a colonization scheme. In dividual holJing were few and as a result, the im provements placed upon the land were equally few, the targe land owner erecting only such buildings at were absolutely required by the tenants, and the mildness of the climate contributed to the meagreness tion law, water from of the improvement. ' The construction of the dams, required a large expenditure of construction of these works required a greater amount of money than wa at the command of the company, and a a result much of the work wa of a temporary the darns on that river and coTftptstefy wrecked the irrigation system. This lost was greater than the company could stand and all effort to supply water was abandoned. This apparent failure, however, was in no way due lo the want of fertility in the soil of insufficiency of natural water supply; it was the result of a poorly constructed irrigation system the undertaking woe too big for the company. , Soon after the dam were destroyed the attention of the government was called lo the project and it ' possibilities. Expert were tent into the field and a a result of their examination and reports it was de cided that tiiis was a proper place for the application of the provisions of the Reclamation Act. Accord ingly the Government undertook the work of f jmishr ing to this valley a substantial and permanent irriga tion system. The result has been the construction of the largest irrigation system in the southwest. This plant has been repaired and perfected by the Govern men! and the sum of $600,000 has been expended . on the undertaking; water was ready for delivery on April 1st, 1907. Last eaf there wa ample water for 20,000 acre only; other land wil) be added from'time lo time as the water supply and general condition will warrant. , , The maintenance of the system and the distribution of the water will be in charge of Government engi neer, thus assuring permanence, stability and absolute equality in the administration of the affair of the sys tem. ' Water has now been allotted lo 20,000 acres and this was done under government supervision. Title and Soil Before water was allotted to any specific trad the matter wa examined by an engineer, a chemist and a lawyer, each acting for and.on behalf of the Gov ernment A favorable report frota each of the three was required before water wa assigned to thai par ticular tract of land, so that when you buy a tract of land It which water ha been assigned you may be sure of three things: First, that it lays so it can be irrigated; second, thai the soil is such as lo make it worth irrigating, and third, that the title is perfect. The government doe not deal directly with each land owner, but require the water user to form themselves into an association known as the Water Users Association; this association is incorporated and has a capital stock of 20,000 shares. The contract with the Government are made by the officer of this ."'.I ' t . t a a association ana the omcen are elected by the mem ber of the association; each water titer subscribes for as many share of stock at he ha acre of watered land and the value of the stock it $30 per share; thi it payable in ten annual payment of $3 each, without interest; the money realized from .the tale of this stock goes lo the Government to replace the money advanced lo put in the sysltm; when it shall have all been paid in, the water user will be the owner of the water and water rights, but these water right will run with and belong lo the land lo which they are allotted. Under the provisions of the redama- ihe Government systems can 1 only be furnished lo resident land owner, and then flume and ditches money; the proper not to exceed one hundred and sixty acre lo any one owner; thi provision effectually doe away with the tenant farmer and the large holding. Non-residents cannot obtain a water right It is provided, however, thai no land owner shall be debarred from the use of water until he shall have been in default character. As the Veart went tv theaa temnnrarv works began lo give way, the water service became ,or more ,h,B two I've ample opportuni- unsatisfactory and uncertain and the people began to f Pepective resident lo arrange hit affair be Jitcouraged; the fanners hesitated to plant be-, nd uke U3 hU boda m ,h Watioa district. . cause nf the uncertainty of the water; one trouble ' Both the old Irrigation Company and the Beet followed another in quick succession and the evidenc- Sugar Company, in consideration of having water et of failure began to show on every side. The peo-, assigned to their land have signed contract agreeing pie soon began leaving the valley, the tenants simply lo reduce their holdings lo the legal limit within two moved away, moved toother places, and the depop- year and lo sell such land lo parties who are quali ulation of the valley was commenced; such condi- fied to lake and use the water of the irrigating tyt tiont continued until about three year ago, when an tern. Thi ha placed these larse hoUinoa . iU. it all the opportunities of a new country coupled with unprecedented rise in the Pecos river carried away market and it opening the country to. settlement; it . It. ... 1 . 1 ul 1 I I. . Bwiijr v iik auTnmayn n OKief SCtllCQ lOCaiinC. II has good market and good schools; every communi ty ha its church. s . Irrigation The portion of the Pecos Valley thai is now being brought under systematic irrigation lies across the counties of Chaves and Eddy; a distance of about one hundred rrule. ' This district it naturally divided into three parts by th source of its water tupJy; First, the Hondo Project near RoswcB; second, the proven artesian belt extending from Roswell to Lake wood, and thud, the Carlsbad Project located near Carlsbad. lhe first, water it obtained by storing the lood waters of the Hondo river, in the second, wxiot is obtained from artesian well, artesian water being found at depths ranging from 300 to 900 fel the welt being put down by tb individual land own er; in the third, wat is obtained by storing the waters ti the Pccot river and using the normal low of Clack river. This is alto a Govemateral Project and it one of the greet Irrigation Sytiasts h the "... .' ;"" J'-- :'V, .- . .. ". - - i .J ; i Ralda la Slack Kim tmr KaSaf a f I