Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-06-25

demanded by the reclamation propose,
The soil was there also. Another an
most significant fact which Observable
readily grasped is the existence OF greI
underground supplies as shown by tt
presence OF large springs in great nun
Ders. All these points as regards watt
supply were to great extent gathere
and collated by Mr.. Greene in the earl
inception of the enterprise in which he
associated. In the whole course OF th
river as now open to reclamation thei
were but two small water rights taken u
under the law of prior appropriation
For distance of more than 100 miles n
obstacle whatever was in the way Of
reclamation, organization aud corporation
whose scope readily broadened with cor
tlpued observation. In this wise the ou
lines became fixed in the mind of it
original projectors. Business aspect
grew rapidly and soon grew strong enoug
TO take the entire valley within it
borders. No irrigation project then COL
ceived OF and none since formed, withou
! special climatic and storage conditions
such as exist in southern California, wa
or has been able to take on go admirabl
the fixed outlines and ample area that i
found in the New Mexican portion OF tn
Rio Pecos valley.
A GREAT REGION THUS UNoCCUpIED AM
uNDEvELoPED
was this. But there were no means with
in its borders sufficient to secure com
petent administration of such project
The first money invested was raised il
Chicago by Mr.. Greene, about $75 900
Ihe first company organized had Gen. l.
Z. Bradley, retired officer of the U. S
army, afterward succeeded by Mr.
j. r. Mckay, as president. Mr.
y. b. SHAW, was treasurer. while
Mr.. R. W. Tansi was one of the
large investors and was in the board ol
directors. Mr.. Greene was general
manager until reorganization was
brought about through the fact that Mr..
Iansil, then, as now, resident at Colorado
Springs, had induced Mr.. Hagerman,
the well known owner OF the famous
MoIlie Gibson mine at Aspen, Colo, to
invest $40 900 in Pecos stock. Col. G. B.
Eddy was then active in obtaining larger
investments on Mr.. Hagerman's part,
and the latter very naturally became the
president of the company, Col. Eddy,
with equal propriety, becoming vice prcsi-
dent and general manager. Mr.. Greene
then determined on carrying out busi-
ness plan he had long in mind, and es-
tablished himself in Chicago as broker
and promoter ofirrigation stock and enter
prises. He has been very successful in
the new business. He was the first to
organize and develop, and in which he
has Obtained great reputation in Great
Britain and Europe, as well as in the
United States. After achieving secure
reputation in this regard, this busy irriga.
tion pioneer turned his personal attention
to the development of the large area OF
land he owned in this valley.
THE PROGRESS OF PECos VALLEY IMPROVE
MENTs
since 1890 has been quite rapid, as much
so as was necessary to insure certain
foundation to business projects involving
such large possibilities and permanent re-
suits. Three years ago the population of
Ss'is whole valley was less than one thous.
and persons; it is now over six thousand.
Three years since Mr.. Greene built the
first house upon the site of the'town OF
Eddy. There are now two thousand per
sons resident therein. The New MEXICAN
is familiar with its material progress, and
shall not repeat that tale. 1t is in every
way creditable result of 80 brief period
of organized endeavor and energy. II
will be wise thing if more effort is here.
after made to enlarge the population on
the farms. From the day of the pioneer
promoter who saw the possibilities OF
this unoccupied section, to the present
hour, when nearly two million dollars
have been expended in improvements, q
long stride has been made. The con.
structlon of the dam and reservoir is alone
an effort worthy OF any corporation. One
billion cubic feet of water is constantly
mpounded by dam 1000 feet in length
and SO feet high, which has already shown
it's good qualities as piece of construc-
ion by its standing the severe strain of
asst season. A canal mileage of over 100
miles, 40 of which belong to the main
channel, is another evidence of the ex-
.ensive scale on which the work OF recla-
nation is laid out. The northern canal
.aking it's water from the Hondo river,
ninety miles above Eddy, is 80 miles in
ength. The two principal canals were
projected when Mr.. Greene was acting as
general manager. But other projects
consummated by the irriga-
ton company include the construction OF
the Hagerman canal, fifteen miles below
Eddy; also large purchases Of land south
of New Mexico and in Texas, with the
of canal 80 miles in length
above the well-known pioneer canal along
the lower Pecos in Texas. There are
eighty-nine miles of railroad also pro-
jected and constructed out OF the condi-
tions largely created by the early move.
ments l have briefly outlined. The ex.
penditures have already reached about
two millions Of dollars. This Is money in
large part secured by the influence of Mr..
expended under his direction
and practically through the supervision
Of Col. Eddy. 1t is the work of less
than three years of company manage
ment, and it is work on which all en-.
gagged deserve great credit.
THE SETTLEMENT OF LAND
has been rapid, though until recently
very little effort has been made to induce
immigration, companies simply supplying
water to the entrymen and purchasers oI
land. By the time the company was
ready to deliver water from the irrigation
works, water rights for 10000 acres hac