The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-12-14
Entertaining Description of the
New Mexico of To-day.
A TERRITORY misunderstood
by Those Who Have Never Been
There-wonderru Resources and
u Delightful cIImate-Tbo Mining
Industry-Belleved That IT viii
Become the Greatest Gold Pro-
Queer.

Ne3lCo Oh tO-uay ID very Beuetully iuls-
understood and underestimate in
many parts of the United States. In
every respect in which she can control
her own destiny, she is improving and
advancing. In agriculture and horti-
culture; in improved railway facilities;
in the advance Of mining interests; in
the character OF legislation and the es'
Enlistment OF progressive and eff
cieut school system, this advance has
been substantial and marked.
One OF the most ralyzing influences
OF the past-the uncertainty of land Ii
tles-is being removed by tho lately
established land court.
The advance in farming and fruit
growing in the last few years is great.
As fruit growing state New Mexico Is
indispensable; from the north to the
south, peaches, apples, plums and
grapes OF the largest and finest quality
can be raised. The writer Of this arti'
Gle last year visited the ranch Of Don
Jesus Abreu. in Colfax county, one oil
the northern tier Of counties. MIR.
Abreu had large crops OF as fine peaches
and pears as the writer had ever seen
in the great fruit growing states oil the
east. The fruit was large, perfectly de-
veloped, and OF the most delicious quail
ity. This was in the extreme northern
part of the territory, and it is well es'
tablished fact that Las Cruces in the
southern part, and Socorro in the cen.
trail part, are among the most successful
fruit growing sections in our country.
All of the river valleys and many OF the
mountain uplands are especially adapt
ed to the growth OF fine fruits.
All grains, vegetables and grasses do
we'll in New Mexico, and, under favor
able circumstances. yield enormous
crops. The agricultural development
Of the territory has but begun, and I'M
der present conditions the output is
large. That the possibilities are great
is evidenced by the many hundreds OF
thousands OF dollars being invested by
companies in reservoirs and irrigating
bitches. No subject is OF greater i'm
portance TO New Mexico than this.
There are at present dozens Of such
companies, and others proposed. Hun
dreds Of thousands OF acres OF the finest
land in the world has been placed I'M
der high state OF cultivation through
them, and there are still thousands OF
acres OF land not taken up which will
ultimately become producing land OF
the highest class.
Large crops of fine wheat and oats
are grown, aud potatoes do well IN
many parts OF the territory. Alfalfa is
a success in all parts, three crops being
harvested in the north and four
sometimes as many as far in the south.
All kinds of vegetables can be raised
successfully. Nowhere do all the fruits
OF the temperate zone arrive at such
perfection as here. They have the sign
and beauty OF those Of California, with
the high flavor unknown on the Pacific
coast. 1t has been demonstrated by
careful experiment, that Southern New
Mexico is suited to the growth OF the
higher quality OF wine producing grapes
such as the Black Burgundy and Tokay.
The demand for fruit from the mining
towns OF New Mexico and the cities OF
Colorado affords an excellent market at
good prices. In addition to fruits above
mentioned, cherries, strawberries, cur
rants and other small fruits yield we'll.
Although mining is at present prac.
tically at standstill throughout the
whole west, it may be said, generally
speaking, that the mining industries OF
New Mexico are constantly increasing
in amount and profit. In all sections
development increases steadily. New
and improved mining machinery Is be.
ing constantly brought in and several
new smelters have been erected in the
past two or three years. The annual
output is probably something over
s, 200, 900, and yet mining in New Mex
leo is but in its elementary stages. Vast
tracts OF probably rich mining country
remain entirely unprospected. 1t has
been predicted by expert mining men
of long experience that New Mexico
would ultimately become one OF the
great gold producing regions OF the
world. Auent the placer finds in the
San Juan valley last year we quote the
following from the Albuquerque Git
izen:
"rhere are better placer fields near
Golden, in Santa Fe county, than can
be found on the San Juan river. The
trouble is there is no water near the
placer fields"
This paragraph was commented on as
follows by the FL Paso Bulletin:
"The above paragraph ls timely
statement OF fact. 1t is not impossible,
however, to conduct water 10 these
placer beds. The Rio Grande is about
thirty miles to the west; the Rio Pecos
about the same distance to the east. A
pipeline forty to forty-fve miles long
would solve the problem. Different at
tempts have been made to carry out
this proposition, and its practicability
demonstrated by several hundred thou.
sand dollars put into surveys. Ono oil
tho principal things against it's success
has been the alien law that prohibits
the investment OF foreign capital in the
territories. These placer grounds cover
fully $4,000 acres in Santa Fe county,
and bedrock is from fifty to eighty feet
below the surface. The gold is OF the
shot variety easily saved by ordinary
sluicing, and conservative average
value Of the gravel is probably 50 cents
n cubic yard. Figure $4,000 acres OF
gravel at an average depth OF fifty feet. F."
These placers have been successfully
worked by the Mexicans for more than
hundred years. The largest mug
get Welded by these fields was
worth S3,40O Every one OF tho coun-
tics OF northern and central New Mex
leo possess placer fields Of greater or
lesser extent and value. Capital en-.
barks every day in enterprises more
hazardous and offering less opportuni-