Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-08-21
CANALS AND RESERVOIRS.
Great Enterprises that are Building up
Along the Pecos Valiey-Ths
Land and Its Value.

In the qualities Of strength, complete
: ness, stability and in the observance
+ the most improved methods OF hydrau
p engineering, the irrigation work so t,
accomplished in the Pecos valley is equ;
to the finest works of similar charactC
, now in operation in the San Joaquin va
> ley in California and along the Gia an
Salt rivers in Arizona. The huge heaC
gates erected at intervals along the bed {
the main canal and which control the hol
OF its contents; the sluice gates, wLicl
regulate the distribution into the latera
bitches, together with the wooden weir
which measure the exact quantity 0
water that goes into the acequia of eacl
water right, are OF the most substantial
character. Everything bears evidence
Ihat the company of capitalists havin!
the ,fructiticatlon of the Pecos in charge
know exactly what they are doing anC
that they have come to stay.
This applies to the central part OF the
valley in New Mexico as we'll as to the
region further south, about Pecos City
Texas, where the Ward County Irrigation
company, a Texas corporation, is now al
work. OF this latter enterprise CORE
spondent who has recently visited that
section writes:
The plan of improvement contcmplates
a total length in the main canal of thirty
miles. Eight miles have already been
completed, besides four miles Of liberals.
The dimensions of the main canal are
twenty-one feet OF bottom width, iortv-
one feet 1f surface width, and q carving
depth of six feet.
The water is let into the canal from the
west side OF the river, and after running
six miles, will beCarried through an enor-
nous ilume out upon the lands on the
east side OF the Pecos. This side OF the
river presents better conditions in quality
and quantity of irrigable surface than the
other. The flume will be built OF the
heaviest cypress timber cased in sheet
iron, and will cross the river on an iron
subStructure at point four miles above
Peco5 City. The interior space OF this
huge conduit will be 25X5 feet, with
span ninety feet long, and requires 200
leet OF wooden approaches. The founda-
ton timbers for this heavy structure are
now being placed in position.
A branch canal Leading of at tangent
from the main one will be constructed Oh
the west side Of the river, extending in &
southwesterlv direction and emptving
into salt lake, four miles below Pecos
City. The water supply has been esti-
mated on the basis OF forty inches OF
rainfall per acre per annum, which would
make the canal when completed furnish
irrigation Tor at least 10000 acres.
| have it on the authority of Senator
Leland Stanford that some of the most
productive lands in Southern California
have been made to produce abundant
crops with water supply based on
OF eighteen inches. Should this |
estimate hold good for the Pecos valley
lands the Ward County Irrigation com
pany will, under its contemplated scheme |
OF improvement, bring into condition |
OF luxuriant fertility nearly half million |
acres, capable of an annual yield-ifgiv |
up to the culture of alfalfa alone--of $40
per acre, or total of nearly $4,000 900. |
1t is not reasonable to suppose that
land so valuable will be devoted to the |
cultivation of this product for any great !
length OF time. Ground no better, | am |
told, planted in ramie has been known to !
yield at the rate of 500 per acre every !
year. In the matter OF soil, climate and |
other natural advantages the Pecos lands !
are as favorable to the growth OF prunes,
the almond and English |
walnut as the best sections of California.
Here it is no colder in winter, no warmer
in summer, that along the far famad val
ey OF the San joaquin. In strength Of
soil the Pecos has the advantage over tie
California river.
According to its size, the Pecos affords
easier facilities for irrigating purposes than
any stream in Texas. Heading among
.he ravines at the base of the Rockies it
axes its way through southern New Mex
co and meanders like q tawny, tangled
scarf along q slanting plain in Texas,
which alternates in width from eight to
fifteen miles, until it tumbles into the Rio
jrande at point 100 miles west OF San
Antonio. 1t never goes dry. When many
)ther streams in the state are so low as
@ scarcely more than afford drinking
water for man and beast, the Pecos rushes
iown like "the falls of Lodore," bank
ull and from six to twelve feet deep, from
source to mouth. Its biggest supply al
ways comes in summer, when most
needed. Heretofore whenever tried,
ruit trees, vines, vegetables and every
Kind of grain and grass crops have shown
Is large yield as the most fruitful spots
Il the south and west.