Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-02-26
Atlantic &PaCifC
r. r 90.
Law and Land Department.
]. A. WILLIAMSON, General Solicitor, Land
Commissioner,


| ALBUQUERQUE, N. NJ, January l., lSSv.
| When the Atlantic d Pacific Railroad com
pany established its land department at Albu-
querque, New Mexico, In June, 1851 but little Of
| its road was completed and the country adjacent
| to its proposed line was uninhabited except by
| indians, and comparatively unknown. The
| company was DESTROYS of securing agricultural
settlers and stock raisers along its line and with
| that end In view placed merely nominal price
| on its lands when sold to actual occupants. AS
soon as the land department was organized and
| established the company advertised its lands for
SALE and letters were received from all parts OF
this country and from many of the states Of
| Europe making inquiries as to the location,
| character and price OF its lands In answering
| these letters the low prices at which the COM
pany was willing at that time to sell its lands to
actual occupants were given. Correspondence
| concerning its lands has been continuous and
voluminous, and, when required, the prices and
terms of payment for the several classes OF land
have been given, and consequently there are
great numbers OF letters in the hands OF cores
| pondcnts, written between July, 1881, and the
present time, in which prices were quoted which
| would no longer be accepted
| Since surveys have been made and the land
explored and its quality and capability for pro-
| ducing various crops have been ascertained, the
prices have, in some localities, been advanced,
and letters recently written in answer to in
quiries as to prices have named the present
| prices--highcr than those formerly given. The
| company learned that in several cases where it
| has written to correspondents naming the price
| of certain tracts especially valuable for timber
| or on account of the abundance of water, that
| they have been told by persons holding letters,
written in some instances several years ago, that
| they could buy the land at the prices named in
| letters which they hold
| In consequence of the facts above stated Ii be-
comes necessary to withdraw all offerings of any
| of the land at prices heretofore named, and to
| inform all persons with whom the land commits
slSner has had correspondence that all offers to
sell particular tracts of land at prices named are
| withdrawn. A new scale of prices, according to
| actual values, whether higher or lower than the
| prices formerly quoted, will be given to CORE
spondents verbally or in answering written in
quries from and after this date
| Careful examination Of the lands owned by
the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad company by
| competent explorers had developed the fact
| that there are local reasons why either large or
| small areas should be sold for more or less, as
| the case may be, than other areas of equal ex-
tent The greater abundance of grass water
| and timber of one section may greatly enhance
| It's value over another.
Definite information as to the price of any
| tract, large or small, can only be given when
| the land has been definitely selected. For the
general information of persons interested it
may be stated that the average price of grazing
| land, in compact bodies of say not less than the
railroad sections in four townships, aggregating
49, $50 acres, Is II % per acre. There may be rea-
| sons for increasing or diminishing this price,
| owing to the quality OF soil and quantity of
grass, water, and timber suitable for fences,
| corrals and general ranch improvements, and
also owing to locality.
| The price OF coal and timber lands situated In
localities where the company will entertain
| proposals for their sale, can only be fixed by
actual selection, and will range from So to $40
| per acre.
| Agricultural lands along streams, where there
| is sufficient water supply for irrigation will be
sold at $50 to $40 per acre, owing to Locality,
| abundance Of water and proximity to railroad
Irrigable lands will be sold in quantities to
suit purchasers.
| Ali letters which have heretofore been written
to any or all persons authorizing them to sell
any OF the company's lands are hereby revoked,
and persons claiming to be agents for the sale
of land must produce authority from the land
commissioner bearing date of January /, 1889, or
subsequent, to be OF any validity.
The agricultural and stock raising capacity Of
the lands owned by this company Is only be-
ginning to be understood. The country is de
veloping and settlers are finding healthful and
beautiful homes on the most productive soil. A
few acres of irrigated land will produce more
food supplies than a large farm in the eastern or
middle states. The climate is all that can be
desired, being more genial and sunny than that
of Italy. ..-. -,
he given to purchasers when desired.
J. A. WILLIAMSON,
Land Commissioner.