Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-07-04
A New Country for cowmen.
New Mexico stock Grower


New Mexico Stock Grower.
Lying between the Pecos river on the
north and the Captain mountains on
the south, and the mountain ranges
bordering on the Rio Grande rlver on
the west and the Pecos river on the
east, there is scope of prairie country
about 40 miles square, in which there
are but few ranches, and no stock OF
any kind worth mentioning, and yet it
is one Of the best grassed sections of
New Mexico. The inquiry then natu-
rally arises, what is the cause for this
dearth OF stock in such rich pastures?
The answer is easy. There is no sur
face water. But this is no proof chat
water in abundance cannot be obtained
by digging, and this is the point that
the New Mexico stock grower wishes to
discuss in this article, as it is the OBJ
ject Of this paper to see every available
acre Of rich grass lands covered with
growing herds of cattle or horses. 1t
must be borne in nind that this vast
area of pasture lands comprises about
IA, 400 square miles, or about 9,2l6, 900
acres and capable of supporting nearly
100000 head of cattle. The face of
the entire country is gently rolling and
covered with luxuriant growth of
gramma grass. Over a great part of
this country good shelter is afforded by
pinyOn timber, which in some places is
quite heavy. But all through these
groves are small parks filled with the
best of grass; there is food and shelter
happily combined. Now while our
plains are being so closely bought up
and utilized for ranch purposes, would
it not be a paying investment for some
of the cattle pouring into New Mexico
to be utilized in testing for water and
to redeem this empire from the wild
deer, antelope and turkey that now in
habit it. 1t has not been demonstra-
ted that water cannot be found in
abundance, in fact it has never been
sought for. On the other hand, how
ever, there is every reason to believe
that water can be obtained in plentiful
quantities simply for the searching for
1t. One good indication for this is the
fact that springs exist at Peder Nails,
on the Gallinas mountains, in fact, at
numerous points above the general
level of the plains. Another fact that
! indicates bOunteous flow of water is
the fact that at numerous points east
and south of the Captain range OF
mountains large bodies of water burst
from the plains, producing the two An
telOpe creeks and north and south
Spring rivers, i'll the vicinity of Ro-well
besides large numbers of springs. None
of the rivers mentioned above are over
fifteen miles long, and are entirely
without headwaterS or tributary
streams, the body of water which
makes them simply bursting from the
plains at one place and not covering
more than an acre or two. This strange
phenomena points to large bodies OF
subterranean waters somewhere to the
north, and also tends TO explain the
reasons for the water showing itself OF
the tops of the mountains, where the
strata of rocks were broken in the gen
eral upheaval. In crossing this splen
did country, one cannot help being i'm
pressed with the idea that at some time
in the past a river has been dropped
from surface to a subterranean chan
mel. Be that as it may, however, il
cannot be denied that it is one of the
finest stock sections in the west, botf
on account of the grass and shelter ant
splendid climate, and it is entirely Civ
en- over for the pasture grounds of dee
and antelope. There are a number o.
salt lakes on the western portion o.
this country that could also be utilized
If it was once made inhabitable. Thert
is no reason why artesian wells coult
not be put down at various points ant
a thorough test be made for water. A
small amount of capital could not b'
expended in a better manner and will
richer returns in case water should b,
found. Men gamble in stocks in Wal
street with many times less chances TO
success, and men purchase rancho
with surface water in small amounts
at exhorbitant prices. when they ar,
morally certain that when dry season
comes, as it sometimes does, thei
losses will far exceed the expenses at
tendant upon the sinking of arte
sian wells, especially where the pros
poets for obtaining water are as good a
in the section of country just described
Small areas of waterless country ca
sometimes be passed over withou
much attention, but the Stock Grove
! regards this area of magnificent pas
lures with a jealous eye, and is desil
; Gus Of seeing it also covered with fin
herds of cattle. 1t is certainly one Q
the finest pastures the Creator has see
fit to create without surface water, an
the chances are that he who possesse
capital and expends it in seeking fo
water will reap rich reward. FC
this consummation we shall ever pray
Dodge City Globe:-The first shi,
. ment of grass cattle left the yards Sa
r urday, numbering about 400 hea,
The cattle were in fair condition an