Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-01-24
CANALS, RESERVOIRS
Gen. Bowman's Jornada ana hesilla
Enterprise Favorably
Z ported.
Congrsss will Lend Substantial Aid
Cheering News from Wash
ington.

In the national lower house of congress
yesterday Mr.. Joseph's bill to charter the
Jornada, Mesilla valley and FL pasO irri-
eating canal & reservoir system was
favorably reported. The capital stock Is
to be $l0,000,00o, and water il TO be
taken out Of the Rio Grande at or near
Fort Selden. Congress is urged to appro-
pirate $25, 900 for footing the cost OF the
surveys and the same must be paid back
to the United States within two years.
This Is the enterprise which Gen.
J. B. Bowman has been so encr,
getically engaged in promotin-
for the past year, Yesterdays action OF
the house committee is indeed srand
triumph for the general, Major LEV
ellyn, Judge Newcomb, Mr.. J. X. LiN-
ingston and other prominent southern
New Mexico citizens. In presenting tht
matter othe congressman, Gen. Bowman:
submitted the maps aad profile of pre-
llminary survey, made at the ex
! pense of the in,orporators, show
ing the general route Of the propose'
system of works, together with the are,
of land which can be opened up for agri
cultural and stock raising purposes, Will
| other data of interesi. \ petition wa,
also filed signed by the governor
and other official of the territory, includ
ing most of the senat,rs and representa-
| tives OF the last legislature, and Other
'hief citizens outside of the in
c,rporators, recommending govern
ment aid to such ! great enterprise
and in speaking OF tie waterless tornado
and the fertile valley so near at hand
and urging that the Saste waters Of the
| Rio Grande be caugh5 and store for max
ing them productive, Gen. Bowman
said to the congressman that lit Is across
this portion of the public domain, now
ininhabitated and wdthless to the gov
eminent, that the ileorporators in this
| Dill propose to condud the waste waters
Of the Rio Grande, AMI to construct sys-
TEN OF storage basins and reservoirs ana
aterals, extending thsn along the mesa
lands of the Rio Granle valley to and per-
laps beyond the city d Ell Iaso, Texas, Il
total distance OF 200 mics. Some of the
pest citizens OF New Atxico and FL Pas,
propose to devote their energies and capi
al to this work, and they ask congress t.
| make its success possible by giving sucl
nd as will make the government and the
people the chief bHeticiaries, while
the projectors take all the risk.
Of the venture. AS to the de-
ails of the bill the incorporates as
nothing unreasonable or impracticable
They ask no subsidy; they do not CONT
in the interests OF any cattle kings OF
oarons wh) have hitherto monopolizec
'uch large tracts of land in the west
! They propose to open up to actual settler
| small homes !or farmers and fruit grow
ers, in country admirably adapted t.
| lsri,'ulture and horticulture they ask the
right of way through the public domain
md the right to purchase ut reasonable
| price l,O0O,OOJ acres Of land, now un
ettled and practically worthless, in alter
late sections, adjacent to said reservoir.
md canals aud laterals, thus giving ;
lxed value of several dollars per acre t.
those retained by the government ant
bringing them. immediately upon thu
construction OF these works, into market
They ask for the orssanization Of com
aiI throw all safeguards aroun,
apital, and at the same time protect al
the rights and interests OF settlers tn
water rights conferred will be in harmon
With all state or international laws, AIT
Tor the largest development of Il territor
now asking at the hands of congress tn
blessings of statehood. They ask that
reasonable sum be appropriated and OK
pended under the direction OF the geolo9
ical bureau of the government for the Sui
vey and location of said reservoirs, canals
and laterals, to be refunded within Il res
,onable time after after the completion c
said works. They ask these things fo
the reason that under the present Ian
I,ws of the United States no individu.
}. private corporation can make entries {
p lblic lands in such quantities as to JUS
fly the expenditure OF several millions {
dollars for the construction of irri .atio
works, the benefits of which would equa
ly inure to those who would invest Il do
lar in them.
For more than 20 years Gen. Bowmanho
been practical farmer and agric Ilturis
In his native state OF Kentucky he vas Il,
originator OF the state agricultural colles'
and its chief executive head for year:
He is abundantly able and qualified
larry out this grarder work Of his lift
and upon the success thus far attaine
all New Mexico will join the New MExICA
in sending him hearty gree tings and sill
oere congratulations.
oh. il I only had her cnmnlexinr