Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-06-06
THE FAIREST SYSTEM.
That is What all Expert Says of the
Irrigation Plant in the
Lower ePecos.

Eddy Argus: MA. Downing hast spent
the past week driving over the Pecos
valley, making study of it. For ten
years past he has been connected with the
agricultural department at Washington
and been especially engaged in inyesti-
| eating matters pertaining to irrigation.
He was assistant expert to Col. Hinton
and has acquired q fund of information
upon this subject. He has visited every
extensive irrigation plant in the United
States and assisted in preparing govern
ment reports upon this subject. Some
months ago he Joined the New MEXICAN
staff and is now travelling over the terri
tory. Mr.. Downing's opinion of the
Pecos valley was solicited by the Arsus
the other day. While he reserves his
description Of the valley for his own
paper, he spoke freely in praise of this
section.
~ am pleased with the valley he
answered. "You have here the largest
projected storage system in the United
States, the Bear valley system being next.
The river flow alone, including that from
Black river, is at the dry season 600 cubic
feet. That is, below the dams that turn
all the water into canals, 600 cubic feet
of water is supplied by springs. The
system of lateral bitches is an excellent
one. have never seen large area of
country so adapted to irrigation, so far
as drainage goes. You have, north of the
Texas line, a territory 100 miles long
averaging ten miles in width 600
square miles-that can be irrigated.
That includes mesas, but in time they
can be irrigated at higher expense than
the lower lands, but it will eventually pay
to reclaim them. The gypsum in the
soil here is source of fertility to the
land. In tho San Juan country, where
the ideal deciduous fruit grows, the
country is cut up by arroyos and the
gypsum there forms a crust an inch
thick along the banks. When water
evaporates from the land here, leaving a
whitish crust, it is gypsum, which comes
to the surface by the action of water. l
shall strenuously deny that alkali and
water are injurious here. l have seen
very little alkalj and that only in minute
areas. There is pra'.icall, no harm
full alkali, black or white, in this Sec
tion.
81 would say that 1 do not consider
that it will pay to raise grain in the Pecos
valley. 1t will give bigger profit than
can be had on eastern farms. But fruit
and vines will pay SO much better that it
is best for the people to buy flour rather
than to raise the wheat.
II have talked with many of the farm
ers and fruit growers and they are con-
tented and say they are doing very well.
do not doubt the success of the fruit
growers. There is every reason why
settlers should feel encouraged to come
to the Pecos valley. The economy of ir-
rigation requires cooperation. For this
reason colony efforts have been so sue
cessful. 1t is not individual effort and
competition that makes irrigation sue
cessful. The duty of an irrigation COM
pany is to furnish water for reasonable
price, promptly when wanted and with
due regard for the interests of all the
people, without impartiality. The Pecos
company seems to have shaped all its ar
| rangements SO as to compel cooperation
the same as is in vogue in colony
schemes. At the same time it furnishes a
more comprehensive and perfect system
because of its larger capital and the
liberality of its management. I consider
the system to be the finest, best and most
economical in the United States. have
been informed by many settlers that they
are fairly treated in every way and they
are perfectly satisfied in all respects. The
country can not but be successful and
prosperous.
II shall give my views at greater length
| in the NEW MEXICAN and present some
interesting phot ographs taken on this
trip."