Las Vegas free press. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1891-1???, 1892-07-23
some IRRIGATION VIEWS.
FERN LEAF RANCH, ]
SAPELLo River, J
RoclADo p. o., July l6. J


TO the LAS VEGAs FREE Press.
The FREE Press, although only
an occasional visitor to our quiet
mountain ranch, is a welcome one.
The long, dry spring and early
summer have passed, and now we
have summer showers each day. On
the 18th hail fell here in quantity.
Many of the stones were as large as
musket balls. Enough of the icy
bullets were gathered at the ranch
house to aid in making couple of
gallons of fine ice cream.
All growing crops in the upper
Sapello valley are looking fine.
Wherever there has been sufficient
water in the running streams for ir'
rigating purposes this Is the case,
but the early part of this season was
so dry and lacking in rainfall that
the natural water supply in the
creeks and rivers was not sufficient
for irrigation but for few miles
from their sources in the mountains.
This season has demonstrated that
the question Of paramount import
ance before all of the people in New
Mexico, whether residents in the
cities or country, is the one of water
supply for irrigation and farm pur-
poses. The fact is that it is useless
to advertise our sunny climate and
rich agricultural lands for the pur-
pose of securing a new immigration
from abroad until sufficient and
permanent water supply can be as
sured. AT present New Mexico has
nothing to offer any considerable
number of new agriculturists with
all her rich lands and life giving sun
shine, except starvation, without a
great water storage system prepared
in advance. The fact is that the
present agricultural and stock grow
ing population is now larger in New
Mexico than the present water sup
ply will enable to live in comfort
and prosper. This water problem
should take precedence and be solved
before public efforts are wasted in
other directions. There are some
thoughtful men in the territory, like
Gov. Hadley, of Watrous, who are
giving this subject grave considera-
tion and endeavoring to work with
practical effect in starting or laying
the foundation for a water storage
system, but the attention of the gen.
eral public appears to be turned al
together toward matters of minor
concern. This is not as it should be.
With solid basis to work from,
more capital could be turned in our
direction TO secure water supply
for our irrigable lands in a short
time than for any other conceivable
purpose.
The plain facts in regard to this
matter may appear harsh in public
print, but, if so, the necessity of at
tracing public attention to this all
important matter and holding it un-
til some results follow warrants the
plainest of talk now. Outside of
moves in this direction New Mexico
has absolutely nothing to offer fol
the profitable investment at present
of outside capital, except to limited
degree in mining enterprises and in
a small way in some real estate in
vestments. Give us basis for a
water storage reservoir system
then money would flow in from
abroad and enterprise in all direc
tions would result 1t was not your
correspondents first intention in this
communication to say so much on
the subject of water, but somehow il
seemed good time to talk about it
n.n a a