Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1890-05-23
Te|egraphic Tidings
A PRODUCTIVE REGION.
Our Correspondents Notes from Charm
ing Section of the Rio Grande
Valley.

Special Correspondence OF the New Mexican.
SAN ANTONIO, N. NJ, May 81, lS90.-
The little town OF San Antonio is situated
in southern Socorro county on the banks
Of the Rio Grande and on the A, T.
s. F. railway, 16S miles north of Ell Paso
South of the town ON either side of the
river stretch broad and fertile valleys
which at present are lovely to look upon
clothed in waving fields of grain. There
has been but little rain in the vicinity fol
weeks, but the facilities for irrigation and
the bountiful supply OF water from the
Rio Grande assure the farmer element Of
good crop. Just now dozens of moving
machines are kept busy from morning till
night cutting the first crop of alfalfa, and
the prospects are that from two to three
more crops of alfalfa hay will be harvested
during the season.
For several miles up and down the
river the valley is dotted with pleasant
homes, many of them bearing evidence
of thrift and prosperity. Among the
owners of some of the large ranches in
this section is Hon. Eutimio Monte a,
who by the way is one of the most sue
cessful and enterprising farmers and
viniculturists in southern New Mexico.
He has just finished putting out two very
fine orchards, the two containing 6S,000
trees OF different varieties, and all select
ed especially for this climate and
other natural conditions. These Or
chards are near the old town
of San Antonio, about one mile north of
the new town. Mr.. Montoya also owns a
very large ranch eight miles west of here,
mostly under fence and irrigation. This
tract is known as the "Nogal" ranch,
and is we'll stocked with cattle, sheep
and horses; another large tract OF land
belonging to this gentleman is twenty
two miles east, on the stage line to Lin
coin. Water in the vicinity of this ranch
is extremely scarce, but an ample supply
has been obtained by sinking big well,
which is made to furnish an abundance
for all practical uses by means of horse
power. This well affords the only per-
manent water on the road between the
river and White Oaks, a distance of about
eighty miles.
1t is conjectured that the valley along
the Rio Grande in this county will soon
be known as the second Meslla valley,
for its productiveness and in the raising
of fine fruit.
Among the representative business men
here are Price Bros. q Co. This firm has
been doing business in the town for the
past ten years and is enjoying a large and
steadily increasing trade in general mer
chandise, both in retail and jobbing de-
partments.
D. Perez, who will be remembered by
many Santa Feans as having been busi-
ness man in the capital city number of
years ago, is here engaged in general mer-
chandislng and is doing well. He came
here from Las Vegas two years ago, and
has established splendid trade.
San Antonio is the place where passen-
gers take the stage for Lincoln, White
Oaks, Roswel Eddy and other eastern
points. A branch of the A, 7. q S. f.
also runs from here to Carthage, the coal
town of southern New Mexico, nine miles
distant. The New MExICAN's corre-
spondent visited the camp to-day and
found tia very busy place. The mines
are operated by the San Pedro Coal &
Coke company, and employ about 200
men, the output being Oh an average Of
sixteen cars per day, consumed mostly by
the Santa Fe and Mexican Central rail-
roads. There is no water at Carthage
and the daily supply is hauled from the
Rio Grande over the railroad every morn
ing in tank cars, families being furnished
at the rate of 80 cents per month.
Gross, Blackwell 4 Co., of Las Vegas,
have recently bought out the Blanchard
supply store at Carthage and are the only
firm doing business there; the San Pedro
Coal & Coke company is a corporation
owned by the Santa Fe Railroad company,
and is understood to be in a prosperous
condition and to be making money for the
railroad company.