Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-08-05

represent important reasons ana lQuuce-
ment to energetic young men starting
out in life to cast their lots with a COM
munity of go ahead people.
THE SYSTEM OF IRRIGATION.
| In order that the development above
outlined may be understood, the readers
attention is requested to the considera
tion of the local system of irrigation. 1t
is the largest on the continent and in its
plan one of the most perfect in the world.
The irrigable area of this great valley be-
gins short distance above Roswell. 1t
stretches thence south to below the Texas
line distance of about 40 miles, Low
limestone ridges flank the Pecos through
out this part of its course. Sometimes
they stretch away for distance of forty
miles, leaving wide level mesas, easily
commanded by water. At other points
they converge and crowd the streams in
narrow gorges, so, 80 or 100 feet high.
Behind the gorges usually lie ideal sites
for reservoirs. Under one general plan
four great systems of canals and reser-
veirs have been laid out They COM
mand the entire irrigable area of the val
ley just described.
THE NORTHERN CANAL.
Beginning on the Rio Hondo, as will
be seen on the map, about five miles east
of Roswell, the Northern canal takes its
water. This system commands the coun-
try down to Seven rivers. The canal is
thirty feet wide on bottom, six feet deep
and has a gentle fall of one foot per mile.
1t is over thirty-fve miles long and now
waters 10000 acres. 1t will be SO extend
ed as to cover 100000 acres more. At
the intake of the canal the water is raised
fifteen feet by means of heavy timber
dam well founded on closely driven piles.
1t will carry a maximum amount of SCI
feet per second, or ample water for 100,-
900 acres. The natural flow of this river
is sufficient in the growing months to ir-
rigate the land served with water, but in
order that no dearth should be suffered in
times of exceeding drouth, reservoir is
now being constructed at favorable
point to feed this canal Its dam is 1850
feet long, thirty-fve feet high, slopes
three and one-half to one on the face and
two to one on back, and the reservoir has
capacity of over 2,000,000,000 cubic
feet. All the waste water will therefore
be stored and the area served by the canal
will be amply supplied with water.
THE SOUTHERN CANAL.
The next system in order is known as
the Southern canal, which will be seen on
the map starting from reservoir six
miles above Eddy. 1t is forty-five feet
wide on bottom, with a side slope of one
and ene-half to one, carries seven feet of
water and has maximum discharge of
1920 cubic feet per second. Three and
two-tenth miles from it's head it divides
into two branches, the southern of which
crosses the Pecos by means of terra.
plane or dyke, 1900 feet long and sixteen
feet high, and splendid fume. 1t also
crosses the Black river by another fume
l,O4O feet long and sixteen feet high,
carrying five feet of water. 1t is now con-
structed for forty miles. The other canal
known as the East side canal has total
length of nineteen and three-tenth miles.
THE IMMENSE RESERVOIRS.
The reservoirs from which this canal
will be fed with water are splendid ex-'
amples of wise location and good con-
struction. Water is taken from Reservoir
No. 2, as it is known, through gate cut out
of live rock. The storage is 1000, 100000
cubic feet of water and submerges 1,032
acres of land. This is again supple
mented by the largest single storage basin,
on the continent. Its dimensions, capacity
and description according to the en-
gineers figures are as follows:
NO I-sEyEN RIVERS NJ NJ