Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-03-04
OFFICIAL GOSSIP.
The Weights and Measures Act-New
Acequia Law-Capital City
News Notes.


If weights and measures, became law.
The act as filed in the territorial secre-
ary's Office is Endorsed thus: "Received
It $3.50 p. m. Feb. 20, 1895. W. T. Thorn
on, governor" Whereas those acts about
which there is no question as to their |
having become law are Endorsed by the
governor "received and approved" and
he date and signature follows. On Sat-
friday afternoon the governor left at the
'ecretary's Office this statement:
"Santa Fe, Mch 2, '95.-There seeming
10 be some doubt as to the executive in
;ention as to the approval of G. B. No.
80, desire to say that the bill was re-
,eived with number of others at $3.50 p.
NJ, February 2S, 1895. The contents met
with my approval, but before l reached
it for consideration had received notice
that both houses of the legislature had
and, being of the opinion that
my power to approve had ceased, l did
not indorse my approval on the bill"
The friends of the measure claim that
the bill did become law. They say the
official record shows that it reached the
governor and was signed just five min
utes prior to adjournment of the assem-
bly,, and cite section 1912 of the organic act
which, in speaking of the duties of the
governor, says: "If he approve he shall
sign it," Therefore they hold that the
absence of the word approved" does not
necessarily prevent the act from becom-
ing law.
THE NEW ACEQUIA LAW.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Pine regu-
lating community bitches, which has
Just become law, may be taken as an in.
dication of the sentiment of the assembly
on very important branch of the irri-
CATION question.
The bill was presented by Mr.. Pine
after full conference with Messrs.
Locke and Hinkle and other members of
the house deeply interested in the subject
matter. 1t provides that all community
bitches or acequias shall be considered
as bodies corporate with power to sue
and be sued. Their officers shall consist
of three commissioners and one mayor
domo or superintendent, each of whom
shall be the owner of an interest in said
ditch or the water therein. They shall
be elected annually on the first Monday
of December, and shall assume Office by
the first Monday of the following Jan
uary, when they shall organize by the
election of a chairman, secretary and
Nd
domo shall give bond. Where there is a
vacancy, the commissioners shall have
power to appoint a mayordomo to hold
office until his successor is elected and
qualities. The commissioners shall assess
the fatigue work or tasks Of all parties
owning water rights in said community
bitches or acequias and shall have gen.
eral charge and control of all affairs per-
tanning to the same, together with the
power to receive money in lieu of said
fatigue or task work at a price to be
fixed by them and shall Immediately
upon taking Office provide bylaws, rules
and regulations for the governing of sale
ditch or acequia.
The mayordomo or superintendent
shall under the direction of said commits
sioners be the executive officer of sale
ditch and shall have the superintendent
of all work thereon and the distribution
of the waters thereof with the collection
of fines, if any, and of amounts to be
paid in lieu of fatigue or task work and
shall perform such other duties in con
nection with said ditch as may be pre-
scribed by the rules and regulations O.
the same or as may be directed by tn,
commissioners. No person who has
after due notice, failed or refused to d.
his work or pay the amount assessed
against him in lieu of said work upol
said acequla or ditch, shall be allowed t.
take or use any water from the same o.
any contra acequia or lateral thereof
whilst default in such payment or failure
to do such work continues.
All secondary bitches taking waite
from the main ditch and which hav
twenty or more land owners shall b.
considered as main bitches and the mayor
domos are hereby required to clean tn
same and make thereon all repairs an
work that he may deem necessary wit
all the laborers, the same as in maintain
ing the main ditch. Outsiders and pei
sons in default in work and payment, VIII
shall c1t, break, stop up or interfere wit
acequias or any contra ar lateral acequi
thereof, shall be guilty of misdemeano
and punished by fine and Imprisonment
either or both. The provisions of thi
bill are made to apply only to communlt
bitches, that is such as are not privat
and such as are not incorporated and ar
held and owned by more than tw
III
tenants.
OFFICIAL NOTES.
A new postofice has been establishe
at Dryer, Colfax county.
Gov. Thornton left last night for
trip to his mines in the Organ mountain
He expects to be absent about ten day
Mr.. Marcelano Garcia, the territori
auditor, has completed his $4,000
official bond and will probably succee
Auditor Perez tomorrow. He has nj
yet designated his deputy.
Judge Laughlin will open speci
, term Of territorial district court in San
/ Fe two weeks from to-day and the ter
will probably continue for five week
) Both grand and petit juries we're draw
at the clerks Office this afternoon.
Mr.. Jas. B. Lazear, for eight years pa
U. s. bank examiner for the district whit
includes New Mexit o and Arizona, and wi
was the government officer that closed I
the rotten Albuquerque National ban
j. has just resigned his position to accel
the cashiership of the Union Nation
bank of Denver.