Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-07-12
THRIVING GRANT COUNTY.
Its characteristics Resources
and Products.
The Progress of Its Cities and Towns
Stock. Mines and Farms.
A GOOD Country to Settle in-At1ord-
ing Sure Prospect Of Comfort
and Success.

Grant county is large tract of land
occupying the extreme southwest corner
of New Mexico. Its organization Is %
years old, and it is named after the great
soldier. 1t has an area of 9,2S4 square
miles, and is ia miles long by 81 miles
wide. It is bounded on the west by Ari
zona, on the south by Old Mexico on the
east by Dona Ana and Sierra counties and
on the north by Socorro county.
PHYSICAL FEATUREs.
The general appearance and contour of
Grant county is anamolous. The great
divide comes down near its western line,
trending southwest. 1t divides the coun-
ty into two very unequal portions; the
larger of which, or Mimbres basin, has
no ocean drainage, but its waters flow,
some times in great, all-devouring floods,
at others in unnoticed seepage toward
Palomas lake or Ihe sink Of this great
region. The Gila drains the northwest
Of the county into the gulf of California.
THE GILA.
This river rises in Socorro county, ana
carries off the Pacific drainage OF the San
Francisco, the Mogollons, the Datil and
Black mountain ranges. Owing to the
influence of the moist winds that con-
stantly pass over it from the western
ocean it has generally been supposed that
farming might be conducted without ir-
rigation. On the Sapello, Copper, Duck,
Mog ollon creeks and the Gila meadows
and plateaus there are numerous small
tracts where crops have been matured for
period of fifteen years without any
artificial application of water. The long
series of dry years has however dissipated
this idea to great extent. Crops for the
past three years have to say the least
been precarious. The great underflow
alone offering sustenance to vegetation.
During this dry period large increase Of
irrigation on the Gila by means of small
farm bitches has taken place. This re-
gion, however, offers to the capitalist
tempting possibilities of gain. 1t is in
the midst of one of the greatest mining
centers of the world. Every hillside is
pregnant with rich ore; the market for
farm produce is immediate, and high
prices are realized. With a comprehen-
sive system of works about 10000 or
10000 acres could be reclaimed; and the
farmers could realize from deciduous
fruits returns that would rival the orange
groves of California. Apples, pears,
berries and such fruits here reach perfect
ion. The country is free from insect
pests, and the intelligent farmer with
we'll watered land has nothing to foar
from dreuth or frost.
THE M1MBREs.
Tho Mimbres rises in the mountains OF
the same name, taking its head waters
within mile or SO of some of the princi-
pie feeders of the Gila, but on tho gulf
side of the mountains. During its upper
course it takes up the waters of many
large springs and small water courses,
and supplies water for over 100 farms
ranging from 200 to about ten acres in
extent. These furnish the majority of
the vegetable food of Silver City and the
surrounding mining camps. They are
thrifty, well kept plantations, and their
owners enjoy certain prosperity. The
water is taken out of the river on the
community system by small bitches and
distributed pro rata to each cluster OF
farms. Owing to the peculiar situation
of the valley it is doubtful if this system
could be much improved by a compre-
hensive ditch system.
THE sINGuLAR1TY OF THE MIMBREs BASIN
Below the mountains the Mimbres
takes the form of what is usually termed
"lost river About thirty miles north
of Deming it debouches onto large plain
of deep alluvial soil. Little or no water
is in sight except in the food seasons
but it may always be had at moderate
depths below the surface. For sixty
miles south to the Mexican line, and
for similar distance east and west,
the same conditions prevail The
rivers rise in the mountains, drain a con-
siderable water shed and then disappear
into the earth. The Importance OF this
underflow may bc judged by the numer-
ons lakes which appear in Old Mexico
just south of the line. Palomas lake is
the principal. 1t is about five or six
miles long, three-quarters to two miles
wide and fed by hundreds of springs.
Some of these are SO strong that their
disturbance of the water can be plainly
seen on the surface OF the lake.
This important source of supply is
being exploited by two large companies.
One project is to sink bed rock dam
across the Mimbres canon, effectually
stopping the underfow of the river at
that point and there to take the water
raised to the surface out by gravity
bitches on about 10000 acres Of as good
land as exists. This project is we'll
underway. 1t has been examined by the
best engineers and pronounced feasible.
Next season will probably see it COM
p1ota1 Tka nthar ia hv unIarAoxv
bitches to obtain the water Of the MINI
bres and also that of the Burro noun
tains, which will then be carried by
bitches to the neighborhood of Deming
and placed on small ten acre tracts. This
scheme also appropriated large per-
centage of the surface flow of the MINI
bres. Both are extremely practicable
propositions. The water is there and