Tombstone epitaph., 1888-01-07
THE CATTLE INDUSTRY.
Interview With the New Msxico and Arizona
 Delegates

eastern paper at Washington on the con. dition ofthe cattle industry, and this IS what they said:
 Hon. Antonio Joseph, the delegate from New Mexico, is heavily interested
 in the cattle business, and is the owner of one of the finest ranges in the Territory, It is located in Taos county, just south of the Colorado line, and west of the famous ranches of Bob Ingersoll and !! Steve Dorsey. MT. Joseph is an enthu- siast on the subject of New Mexicos pos abilities as great grazing country, and in speaking of the business said: "New Mexico is the finest cattle country in the world, and the business has not only been profitable in the past, but it is profitable now, and it has be- come perhaps the most important indus- try of the territory. The losses have never been severe, and last year there were only about per cent. Last winter was perhaps milder than usual, though the winters in New Mexico are always mild. Cattle run on the ranges the year round, and no feeding is necessary, al though a few ranchmen in the northern portion of the Territory feed little early in spring.
 Grass is always abundant in the valleys and on the uplands, and excellent hay may be cut in the lowlands. The ranges of New Mexico are accommodating more cattle now them ever before, and there is yet room for hundreds of thous- ands. The only question is the wa:er supply. Away from the springs t.le ranchmen are sinking wells and building reservoirs in many places with more or less success. An artesian well has been sunk at Raton water being found in abundance at depth of 1000 feet. A similar experiment IS in progress at Santa Fe. I think Congress should aid these artesian well experiments in the west, and an attempt will be made this year to secure legislation to that end.
 "As to the present condition of cattle in New Mexico it was never better Grass has been good, and cattle are all healthy and fat We are free from con- tagiOus diseases, and the prospects now are that the cattle will be in fine condi. tion in the spring.
 "There is tendency manifest among cattlemen to cut down their herds and improve their grade of cattle Many cattle have been brought in from the north, and the number of ranches in the Territory have been materially increased in the past two or three years. As water is developed, the range country will ex. tend, and think the future rule will be smaller ranches, limited herds and finer cattle"
 Hon. Marcus A. Smith, the delegate from Arizona, believes implicitly in the future of his Territory as cattle region and declares it IS the best in the world without any qualifications whatever. "We have no winter at all, as it is under stood in the North" said he. "We are never under the necessity of feeding. The grass is the most luxuriant and the most nutritious that grows and the grazing is excellent the whole year round. Some times in May and June, just before the July rains, it becomes very dry, but it never seriously injures the grass. Its only effect is to limit the supply of water. think, however, that the time will come when artesian wells and reservoirs will remove this difficulty and supply water sufficient for the cattle that may gra.e on every acre of the millions now un- used.
 "The cattle business has grown won. deriully during the past two years in Arizona, many ranchmen from the Indian Territory and other northern regions having removed their herds to our more favored ranges. There is yet no tendency manifest toward cutting down the large herds, but l think the time may come when it will be found more profitable to limit the ranges and graze smaller herds than now. Many thoroughbred cattle are being introduced and the native Mexicans are giving way to the American breeds. The laws of the Territory are very strict upon this point, and its effects will be observed in few years in the improved breeds of cattle.
 "Only one question remains to be set tied, and that is the water supply. If artesian wells; ;ean be successfully sunk, then the problemis solved. To that end I expect to introduce bill asking gov. ernraent aid in the artesian well experi- ment. Other portions of the west want like legislation, and we hope to secure the passage of such measure.
 "The cattle are now in excellent con- dition, and the Territory is free from contagious diseases of any kind. We have good markets at San Francisco and Kansas City, and the business has been very profitable, though perhaps a little