Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-07-26
KINGDOM OF DONA ANA.
The Home of the Mesilla Valley and
the Mineral Ladened Organ
Mountains.
There is Not in This Wide World ;
Valley So Swset''-Luscious
Fruits and Green Fields.

Valley So Swset"-Luscious
Fruits and Green Fields.
Dona Ana county is situated on the
Mexican boundary of the United States
between Grant county on the west and
Eddy on the east. On the north it il
bounded by Sierra, Socorro and Lincoln
counties. 1t contains $3.50 square miles
and includes country almost unrivaled
in variety and richness. 1t is provided
with about 200 miles of railroad commu.
nication in the shape of a triangle formed
by the Santa Fe route and the South
ern Pacific railway. They start from El
Paso on the southern boundary. The
former runs north to Rincon, and then
branches enthusiastically to Deming, in
Grant county. The Southern Pacific
also reaches Deming, forming the base ot
the triangle. The county is unique in
en- njoying such extended railroad facili'
ties.
PHYSICAL FEATURES.
This county lies almost wholly in the
Rio Grande basin, which flows through il
in a enthusiastically direction, carrying
water enough if properly developed ano
used to make world renowned granary
and vineland. Stretching around it and
beginning at the Floridas at it's mid
western boundary, are the Goodsight
Santa Magdalena, Sierra Caballo, Sacra
mento, Jarilla, Huecol and franklin
ranges of mountains, while the Sierra Os'
cura, San Andres and Organ mountains
pass through its center in grand and
beautiful series of peaks. The southwestern
corner of fthis county is included in the sink
of the Mimbres. Here springs abound and
water is everywhere attainable at very
slight depths. The mineral richness Of
this portion of the county is also very
great and there is little doubt that the
near future will witness rapid and per.
development of agriculture and
mining matters along the boundary line Of
Dona Ana and Grant counties. Possess
ing, as this section undoubtedly does
water, mineral and land this is certainty
From the eastern base of the San Andres
stretch vast deposits of gyp'
sum, which will shortly become extremely
valuable as road building material
Hon. G. B. Eddy has already attained con
siderable success with this material at the
town named for him, and experts in the
east predict that it is the best road maker
known.
THE MkSILLA VALLEY.
The greatest and best known region is
however, that portion of the Rio Grande
valley known as the Mesilla. On the east
it is bounded by the Organ mountains
on the west stretches great llano OF
high table land, which breaks down from
the Magdalena mountains and seems to
flow thence southwark along the Rio
Grande. Like Mr.. Silas Wegg, | am
to "drop into poetry" and ex-
claim: "There's not in this wide world a
valley 80 sweet" but will spare the reader
the inhiction. A mere prose picture Of
the country will be sufficient.
LAS CRUCES
is the commercial center of this
valley and the county seat. In
itself it is quaint collection of houses
coming down from the old Mexican
regime. In the early days its richness
immigration from the four cor
ners of the earth, and it's fame had reached
to the Oldest Caucasian cities, inviting the
bold and brilliant to come and found
wealthy families. The era that succeeded
the war, during, which the great trans
continental roads were building, drew
off from it the tide of immigration. 1t
is one of the countries to be rediscovered.
A man goes there, views the lights and
shades, ever changing on the Organ
sees the wide alfalfa fields,
glowing and luscious orchards, grain
fields and vineyards, and is impressed with
the beauty of the scene. He passes q
field to-day and sees it closely clipped of
its verdure. He returns in week or SO
md sees the same billowy mass of
alfalfa. Four ard five cuttings of this
fragrant and profitable crop are garnered
during every season. Grapes are indig-
enous to this soil. Apples, peaches,
plums, nectarines and apricots flourish in
luxuriance. The figures and statistics
hereafter given will furnish an idea Of
the prosperity of the farmer of this val
ley.
CATTLE AND STOCK.
The plains furnish largo crop of
gramma grass each year and large herds
of beef cattle fatten upon it. If the
range is not over stocked the cattle men
can winter their beeves without loss and
the bottoms where the nutritious grasses
that love water grow will fatten them for
market. Thousands of dollars are an
nually made from this industry. The
more progressive stock men raise or lease
large alfalfa fields on which they give
their cattle final feed before sending
them to market. This, however, is not
necessary as rule. The showers which are
not infrequentduring the summer months
keep the ranges in good condition and IL
is only during series of dry years that
artificial grass is at all necessary to bring
stock into condition.
AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE.
The agricultural crops of Dona Ana
and especially of the Mesilla valley, are
alfalfa and the cereals. In the gardens
and orchards the finest fruits of the tenn
perate zone reach perfection. Many