The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-10-19
NEW MEXICO 4 3
The Annual Rep ort of Gov
ernOr Ross.
SHE HAS AN UNUSUAL DROUTH.
What the GovarnOr Says About Land
Titles and Land Frauds-On
the tn f-Other Notes.
The Condition OF New Mexico e..

WASHINGTON, October s18.-Hou
Edmund G. Ross, Governor, Of Mexico
in his annual report TO the Secretary OF
of the Interior, says During the first
half of the calendar year, New Mexico,
in common with the west generally, was
afflicted with an unusual drouth. il
consequence of which the cattle N
dustry suffered seriously. agriculture
aud miniog also suffered, though in
much less degree, from the scarcity Of
water Since early in July, now
ever, the usual beginning OF what
is known as the rainy season, rams
have been unusually aoundanE. Feed
on the ranges is good, with stock water
IN good supply aad convenient, anu the
stock Is rapidly getting into excellent
condition for winter. Agriculture, too.
has been efiectually benefited. and
crops of all kinds will be fully no to the
average in the quality AMI yield per
acre, while the increase has been
argely increased over that of the
former years. The rains have
in some parts OF the Territory. resulted
iu dis astrous floods, doing great dam
age to roads-and bridges, aud other
property, especially railroads. The
governor refers to the plan suggested in
mis- last report, OF storing, surplus water,
and adds the system OF storage basins
at the heads of several streams, es-
peciaily the RIO Grande, for which
numerous canyons and aroyaS are ex-
eeliently adapted, would save a vast
amount of water, sufficient to irrigate
not only the river valley proper,
but also the mesas or up
lands, practically to the foot
of the mountains on either side rum
ming parallel Herewith. This, he says,
would reduce TO cultivation many mil
lion of acres of productive land now
barren and desOlate. He asks for a
sufficient appropriation to at least salts
factorily test this theory. The cultiva-
ton of alfalfa has become somewhat
general and is invariably successful.
This grass is harvested from two TO
five times a year; the average yield at
each cutting is from IL to tons per
acre and it sells in this market at an
average OF SIS per ton.
On the subject of land title s and land
frauds. the Governor says: 1t is IN
deniable, as shown by the inyestiga-
very large areas of public lands,
amounting to many hundred thousand
of acres, have been Illegally and fraud
ulently absorbed IN pretended Spanish
and Mexican grants. AMI that many
thousand of acres of public lands are
still incIosed by private fences and
otherwise held in the great cattle
ranges TO the exclusion of small
farmers, in defiance not only of law, but
of the private right to the common
occupancy and use OF the public domain.
Governor refers to the presence of great
landed estates that have been developed
in the larger Spanish grants as q. serious
and threatening evil to the welfare OF
the Territory, and concludes by sug-
costing to Congress to prohibit alien
ownership CT lands. He expressed
his satisfaction at the result
of General Miles campaign against
the renegade Apsches, and adds
that all fear of Indian disturbances in
New Mexico is forever settled. The in
crease of taxable property during tie
year is some seven and u half millions,
the amount OF the assessment for 1886
being $56, 100000. a growing interests
being manifested bv al the people OF the
Territory in educational matters. s