Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-12-30

general purposes of colonization; and the
experience Of years has not operated to
change that conclusion. The general
elevation of the plains or mesas ranges
from $500 to 1900 feet above sea level.
The county may be divided into irri-
gable, lands occurring everywhere that
watM is found, pastoral lands covering
all the valley and table lands not irrigable
bat especially in the southern portion.
RAILROADS.
There is ample railroad accomm oda-
ton to meet the present or Immediately
prospective demands of commerce. The
Santa Fe route crosses the territory
from east to west, and a branch line ex-
tends from Lamy, town about the mid
die of the county, eighteen miles to Santa
Fe. The traffic is SO arranged over this
branch that only small freight has to be
transhipped, and the Santa Fe merchant
enjoys about the same privilege as if the
town were located Immediately on the
main line. To the north the Santa Fe
Southern runs to Espanola, where it
meets the Denver &c Rio Grande railroad.
The county and it's capital have therefore
direct communication with tho country
at large, there being practically two
routes to Denver, two to the Pacific
coast and direct traffic with the east and
south over one of the greatest transcon-
tinental lines-the Santa Fe.
IRRIGATION.
The extent of the irrigated area is not
very wide because the water available
has not as yet been scientifically adapted
to it's purpose. With The exception that
the altitude is greatly higher the topo-
graphy is similar to that of southern
California. The principal drainage areas
are the abrupt sides of high mountains,
whence the water pours torrentially into
the comparatively level plains. Owing
to this fact the least amount of water oc-
ours at just the period when mo st
needed. No matter how much water is
available in the spring the amount and
spread of tho crop will be regulated by
the quantity to be had during the summer.
For this reason, just as in southern Cali
fornia, storage reservoirs are needed to
cultivate the possible area of irrigation.
The possibilities of reclamation in Santa
Fe county are very great. 1t is estimated
that the amount of rain from three to
four inches) that fell on the water shed of
the Rio Santa Re, small stream, during
thirty-two hours of September 81 and go,
1898, was sufficient to lrrigate for one
year 1920 acres of land. The total
yearly precipitation of rain and snow,
allowing for evaporation and seepage is
enough to irrigate between 10000 and
$4,000 acres of land. This is only from
one source--the Rio Santa Fe. The
Nambe carries four times as much water
as the Santa Fe, and by careful conserva-
ton of its flow could irrigate a much
larger area. Besides these, the waters of
the Tesuque, Galisteo and various ar
royos could be stored and delivered as
needed on the Santa Fe plains, solid
body of land of $4,000 acres. This can
all be irrigated at somewhat less than the
usual expense.
At present there are 1850 acres irri-
gated annually. and there are 1S,44O acres
settled in addition to this FOR the purpose
Of dry farming. There is no doubt but
that this latter area under good system
of bitches and reservoirs could be made
much more productive than it 10 now. In
the immediate canons aud stream beds
of the various creeks there are 1880
acres that could be reclaimed in addition
to the amounts now actually cultivated.
Tho inducements to capital to develop
irrigation works in this county are very
great. An area of 557,Ss0 acres is in
cluded in Mexican and Spanish land
grants, the titles of which could be
cheaply purchased and tho land i'm
proved. In brief, it may be said of
Santa Fe county that it affords $4,000
acres of the best grazing land, partially
covered with timber, and about 100000
acres of arabic land, 100000 acres of
which can be irrigated. This will not all
be from one source, possibly one $4,000
acre tract lying under the Nambe, and
Immediately south of Santa Fe, will be
by far the largest.
COLONIES.
The best method of settlement will vary
according to circumstances, but the plan
most quickly successful will be for small
colonies of from ten to 100 families to
locate in body. They will have com
munity of interest and purpose, and in
this will be able to solve easily many of
tho problems that would perplex isolated
settlers. For some little time TO come the
opportunities to plant colony will be ex-
ce ptionnl. Parties consisting of say 100
families could now have pick and choice
of several beautiful 5000 acre tracts, that
they could put under water at nominal
outlay if they determined to do the work
themselves, or very cheaply if the water
is contracted for with local irrigation
companies. 1t would be invidious to
mention special tracts, but the Bureau of
will give personal attention
to the planting of such colonies either in
Santa Fe or any other county.
AVAILABLE WATER.
The Santa Fe creek, at the canon, has
flow during February, March and April of
each year of eighty acre feet per day. This
is sufficient to supply 100 days of irriga-
ton. This flow comes from the spring
rains in the mountains. The flow from
the melted snow and the summer rains of
July and August is very heavy. During
these two months the normal rainfall
observed at Santa Fe is 533 inches. AL
lowing as is shown by observation that
this normal for these two months is
greater close into the mountains and IN
the canons, it may be conservatively es-
timated that six inches of rain falls dur
ing the same period on the drainage of
tho SANTA Ea nhara tho N, nnth Of Aho