Las Vegas free press. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1891-1???, 1892-08-06
aLIxpsEs OF NEW MEXICO.

1
the features of which was over 400
miles of travel by blackboard through
the land of the deep blue sky, the
greaser, the burro, the cactus, the
soap weed, the blanket Indian, the
miner, the cowboy, the adobe, the
desert plain, etc.
They made stops long or short, as
business required, at White Oaks,
Lincoln, Roswell and Eddy, in New
Mexico; Pecos City and Ell Paso, in
Texas; Juarez, in Old Mexico, and
got back home with their scales, look
ing and feeling better than when
they left, month ago.
Asked by Journal representative
for some interesting features Of the
country, Judge McDougal said that
except for a few towns that had
sprung up and the decreasing grass
supply, he found but little change in
southeastern New Mexico since he
spent summer there at n mining
camp in the Galinas mountains
eleven years ago; that the range had
been overstocked, the grass eaten off,
and that this, coupled with the
drouth, had destroyed the grazing;
that in over 500 miles of travel
through southern New Mexico and
northwestern Texas the dead cattle
outnumbered the living by at least
five to one, and that from death, de-
probation and removal alone the as
sessment in Lincoln county has
fallen off over 100000 in the past
two years.
Earning without irrigation being
out of the question:" he continued,
"the Pecos Irrigation and Improve
ment company was organized two
years ago with capital of 81, 100000
to supply the vast plains along the
Rio Pecos with water for agricul-
tural and horticultural purposes.
This company is already supplying
1900 acres of land with water and
the extensions to be completed this
year by its system will increase this
to over 100000 acres. Whether it
will prove the glittering success pre-
dicted remains to be seen. The pic
lures of the splendid fields of golden
grain, magnificent orchards and lux
uriant meadows, sent out by the
company, are very seductive; but the
man who finds the originals must
spend days IN locating them, for gar
den spots are few and far between.
BY the terms of the contract be-
tween this company and the land
owner, an iron bound instrument
drawn with diabolical skill, the own
err not only constructs his own lateral
bitches and pays the company Sl.25
per acre per year for water privi-
leges, but, as usual, is bound in every
way, while the company is bound in
nothing; yet the country is being
doomed, fools and dupes, as well as
bright, brainy men, are tlocking there
now, but doubt if it can last. With |
irrigation, it is true, they can and do
raise everything; without it they |
raise only one thing-hades, and lots
of it. Why, at the little town of
Seven Rivers, in this valley, the citi-
zen points with pride to the graves
of 6s men who had there died with
their boots on within the past Is
years.
"After our many miles of travel
over these desert plains, where dead
and dying cattle were hourlyin view,
to return to the fertile fields of Mis-
souri, and Kansas, where splendid
crops and slick cattle are always in
sight, was a most welcome change,
and ] could not help thinking that
farmer who thought of removing
from this country TO that was a fit
subject for a lunaiic asylum. Better
stay at home, Stand up for Missouri
and hurrah for Kansas. There is one
thing to be said in favor of New
Mexico, and that is that, taken as
whole, it has the finest climate in
America-that's all.
"When in New Mexico.in 1881, as
we'll as on this trip, the ruins Of one
of the many prehistoric cities Of that
that interested me greatly