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


with water also abound. These often
stand out alone on the otherwise dry
prairie.
1t is tho ingenious and systematic
saving and distributing of this water that
has given the Pecos Improvement & Irri-
cation company command of SO large an
amount of land.
| GENERAL WATER RESOURCES.
The water resources may therefore be
summed up as follows.
| Average annual rainfall 121s inches.
Even if all this fell in the growing and
! ripening months it would not be sufficient
to mature ordinary crops; therefore the
other sources must of necessity be con-
sidered. They are:
Average flow of surface water in the
Pecos 500 cubic feet per second.
Average known flow from springs
throughout the irrigable portion of the
Pecos valley, over 1900 cubic feet per
second.
This is total of 1900 cubic feet per
second or enough to irrigate 100000 acres
of land without storage.
At this point the writer wishes to say
responsibly that no other region in the
United States, with the possible excep-
tion of the Tuolumne and Stanislaus
valleys of Central California, and San
Juan county, New, Mckee, can show
eq uai water resources. With the storage
noted above of 13,OOO,OO0,0OO cubic feet
there is nothing at all approaching it in
this country, and only the gigantic sys-
TENS along the Ganges and Nile surpass
the works OF the Pecos Irrigation a. I'm
p.ovement company for economy, capa-
city or skillful engineering. Relatively
speaking, things are equal. The writer
knows whereof he speaks, having person
ally examined all of the largo irrigation
works and systems of tho country.
1t may be said further that this does
not include all the sources of water sup
ply proper to the Pecos valley. In order
to do so discussion of too technical
character to it the present writing would
have to be entered on. Sufficient has
been shown, however, to bear ont the
claims of this paper.
THE CHARACTER AND INGREDIENTS OF THE
The next question to be considered is
the character of this water supply and its
adaptability to agriculture. Malicious
persons have steadily asserted that crops
could not be successfully and continuous
ly grown in Eddy and Chaves counties
because of the predomination of alkali in
the Pecos water.
1t would be sufficient answer to these
statements to cite the progress and devel-
opment up to date. However, as above re-
ports, made and asserted as of absolute
knowledge by interested persons, are liza
BILE to do harm, fuller discussion of the
sub ject follows
In the first place the writer knows
alkali when he sees it, and he has seen
more in almost every irrigated region in
the west than on tho Pecos.
There is more alkali on section of
land around Greedy, Colo, than in the
whole irrigable area of the Pecos.
A better authority, however, speaking on
this subject, says officially to the United
States agricultural department, after
special examination as follows:
"The escarpment of the Llano Estacado
in Texas and New Mexico affords superb
displays of these brilliantly colored strata,
often alternating with bands Of pure
white, saccharoidal gypsum.
"The beds Of gypsum occur over great
area and its quantity is inexhaustible.
X 1t is present in Kansas, New
Mexico, (the Pecos Valley, Oklahoma and
Texas in great abundance, and is the
most important economic feature in the
whole Red Beds region in that its pres
ence is the basis of the fertility of the
Red Beds and it is readily soluble in
water and usually accompanied by it.
The water is SO often strongly impreg-
mated that the term 'gyp water is COM
mon throughout the region. Until re-
Gently unappreciated it is rapidly becom-
ing an important economic feature. =
4 In eastern Mexico (the Pecos Valley
it is often soft like pulverent flour and
is known as 'yezo." This yezo is often
mistaken for the injurious 'alkali, when
in fact it is the fertility of the soil. Miles
and miles of this yezo can be seen in the
Pecos valley" See p. 130, pit. 8, Ex. Doc.
Al, lst session, SD congress. Report of
R. 7. Hill.
The above is the official opinion of one
of the foremost geologists of the world,
and the one best acquainted with the region
of which he speaks. It has been adopted
and endorsed by the q. s. department of
agriculture and published as above in
their official reports.
Col. Richard j. Hinton, late special ir-
rigation agent of the U. 8. department of
agriculture, the foremost expert on the
economic phases of irrigation, and who
has frequently examined the Pecos valley,
holds the same view and has often ex-
pressed it officially and individually.
chemical analysis of gallon of
Pccos water showed: Chloride of calcium
and sodium, 1928 grains; sulphate of soda
(glauber salts) and sulphate Of magne-
SUM (epsom salt), 34.62 grains; carbon
ate of lime, SO grains; sulphate of lime,
80 grains.
This was made by the eminent chemist,
Prof. Precht. He goes on to say:
"This analysis is also of great interest
from an agricultural standpoint, since
careful computation shows that on every
acre Of land irrigated with Pecos river
water over two tons of solids are de-
posted in each year, and these are the
same class of phosphates and carbonates
that many eastern farmers annually buy
and spread on their lands at great cost
of money and labor. 1t will likewise be
seen that these waters must be of great
value for stock as we'll as human beings,
since they possess the elements that are
so essential for the making up of bone,
blood and muscular tissues"