Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-12-20
COLONIZATION PROSPECTS.

Up to date the magnificent opportuni
ties for the. location of colonies on {
prosperous basis have been neglected
At La Cebolla the Mormons have planted
a small settlement OF 100 persons. They
have damned up small canon sc
acres, of which they have now about
200 acres under cultivation. So pro
ductive is the soil that this small area
only two acres per capita--supports
them in moro than ordinary comfort. I,
must be remembered, however, that this
like all Mormon farming, is conducted on
highly intensive system of cultivation
The Mormon achievements in farming are
everywhere lessons of successful thrift
Alfalfa, sorghum, grain and fruits are
their staple crops.
BIG SCHEME.
Opposite Los Lunas is tract
of good land. The valley runs back
to the mountains eighteen miles on a
gradual slope. This embayment is about
ten miles across. into this area numer.
Gus canon streams from the Manzano
mountains empty, while on the west
sweeps the Rio Grande. A corporation
could reclaim nearly the whole of this
area. AS yet all this is open land. An
other scheme would be for a colony of
300 or $50 families to locate here, taking
up under the land laws sufficient tract
to satisfy their wants. community Of
thrifty farmers once located here would
be sure of success, and, though there is an
ample supply for the irrigation of the
whole, they would have prior right to
water in any abnormally dry season.
This is one of the best opportunities in
New Mexico.
SAN MATEO.
In the San Mateo country $4,000 acres
may be cultivated. The following per-
manent streams empty into this valley:
The Rito Colorado, San Mateo, San Lucas
and Ell Dao. Around San Mateo there are
nearly 100000 acres Of arabic land, and
the estimate Of $4,000 acres as possibly
reclaimable is very conservative. On the
northern slopes of the San Mateo noun
tains fruit, except apples, can not be sue
cessfully cultivated, but as a grain and
root country it is unsurpassed.
..- Ell RITo.
The Ell Rito or Cebolleta valley con-
tains about 100000 acres of land, con-
siderable percentage of which is reclaim
able. In this valley the big harvests be-
fore mentioned are the general average.
EVIDENCE OF AN ANCIENT CIVILIZATION.
Every township in the western half of
the county contains ruins of ancient vii
lagos and pueblos, all of them of consider
able extent. It is impossible to travel
six miles in any direction without run
ming upon some of these ruins; near San
Mateo buried village, 200 acres in e1
tent, was lately discovered. That dense
population once inhabited this vast Sec
tion is true. They were not of the same
race as the nomadic Indians, but peo-
pie who were seated on the soil. The
only tradition of them among the Pueblos
is: "They we're children of Montezuma.
When he and his successors were hard
pressed by tho Spaniards, they were
called south to the succor of the City of
Mexico. They responded unanimously,
and none of them ever returned"
Their homes alone tell of their once
fourishing existence. There is no geo.
logical trace of any greater supply of
water than is now known, aad to have
raised crops sufficient for their support
resort must have been had to underflow
supplies, as in India.
TOWNS.
The principal towns are Los Lunas and
Belen. The former is the county seat.
Both are located on the main line of the
Santa Fe route, and have considerable
trade with the surrounding country. The
big cattle and sheep ranches outfit from
these points. Along the line of the At
lantc & Pacific railway there are several
villages and towns of importance, the
chief of which is Ell Rito.
The Rio Grands valley, in the neighbor
hood of Los Lunas and Belen, is one of
the best fruit and grain countries ii the
world. Any section which raises the best
wheat in the wide world is necessarily
fertile. 1t Is no exaggeration to say that
these lands are richer than the valley of
the Nile. The conditions, so far as hardy
crops are concerned, are identical. OF
course, tropical fruits can not be raised,
but the crops to which the English speak
ing people are accustomed to grow in
greater luxurance than in any other
region.
FORT wINGATE.
The military post of Fort Wingate, as
situated, is three miles south of Wingate
station on the Atlantic d Pacific railroad.
1t is garrisoned By headquarters, band,
six troops of cavalry and one company
of infantry. The fort is located south OF
tho Navajo reservation and was so located
for the purpose of watching the Navajo
Indians and atfording assistance to their
agent should 1t become necessary. From
the indications Fort Wingats is one of
the permanent posts ia the United States
and will be military garrison for man y
years to come. It answers to the purpose
for which it was built admirably and has
been found to be great benefit both to
the military branch of the government
and the surrounding country.
RAILROADS.
Valencia county is as we'll equipped
with railroads as any equal area of the
west. The A., I. & s. F. railway crosses
the county from north to south, running
through the fertile Rio Grande valley.
Few if any farmers in this valley would
be as much as ten miles distant from this
road. The Atlantic & Pacific road starts
at Isleta junction, runs short distance