Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-07-25
COUNTRY DOTS.
Prosperity in Southern New Mexico
Revealed bya VisitOr-Substantial
Progress Among the Mes
lerO Apaches.

Col. Frost has returned from two
weeks visit to the southeastern part of
the territory. His mission to that Sec
tion was to gather new data for forth
coming publication by the bureau of i'm
migration and to further the interests of
the 18th National Irrigation congress to
be held in September in Albuquerque.
In the counties of Lincoln, Chaves,
Eddy and Dona Ana, visited by him,
copious rains have fallen and all crops
have been benefited largely, except wheat,
which has suffered to some extent in the
lower Rio Grande valley on account of
too much moisture. It was expected that
the wheat crop of the Meslla valley from
Iona Parda to the Texes line would
amount to nearly 100000 bushels, but the
losses have been heavy and it is not i'm
probable that half of the crop has been
destroyed or rendered unfit for use. How
ever, it is believed that the new improved
Touring mill, at Las Cruces, just COM
pleted by Martin Lohman, will have sup
ply enough of wheat to demonstrate the
fact that the Mesilla valley product will
make as good flour as Kansas or Colo
RADIO can produce.
The fruit crop in the Mesilla valley is a
good one this season and is proving
profitable. In the Tularosa country, in
eastern Dona Ana, however, the fruit crop
for the first time in ten years has proved
failure. Alfalfa and corn look we'll all
over the section and the acreage thereof
has largely increased this season.
The ranges look better than they have
for many years and the stockmen are as
sured of good feed for their cattle, sheep
and horses for the coming winter. Water
holes and lakes, usually dry, are full and
it is estimated will keep n supply of
water for stock for eight to ten months,
The tornado del Muerto, instead of look
ing like Tourney ofdeath," looks like a
green carpet. A great many cattle have
been shipped ard driven from south
eastern New Mexico counties during the
past eight months. This has benefited
the ranges and the remaining cattle are
fat and healthy. The fruit crop around
Roswell, as far as regards apples, will be
plentiful, but peaches were killed by
early frosts.
In the Pecos valley and the Captain
and White mountains and on the Mesca-
lero Indian reservation, it has been found
that potatoes do we'll and many acres
have been planted this year in that tuber
with prospects of excellent crops.
On the Mescalero reservation, where
Lieut.. Stottler, of the 10th infantry, we'll
known here, is agent, the Indians have
greatly improved in everything that goes
toward civilization and Lieut. Stottler is
proving himself first-class Indian agent.
Of 1O4 children of school age in the tribe,
seventy-four are at school on the reserva-
ton and twenty-five are at other schools,
making ninty-six out of 104, the largest
percentage on any reservation attending
school. The Indians are now doing their
own freighting, for which the govern
ment pays them; have more land under
irrigation and cultivation than at any pre-
vious period; have larger water supply
than ever before; are building houses and
are getting to understand that they must
become self-supporting and are desiring
land in severalty. The corn and oat crop
raised by them is purchased by the gov
eminent and no corn or oats from out
side parties will be purchased this year,
the Indians raising enough for the needs
of the agency and themselves. The Mes
caleros have not increased any in num-
Der in past years, the census showing 454
men, women and children at this date.
Lieut.. Stottler is strict and rigid dlsci-
plinerian, but ABSOLUTELY just and impair
tial and his regime has had mighty
good effect on the Indians in every par
ticular.
The stock laws enacted by the last
legislative assembly have had very
beneficial effect and no cattle stealing is
going on in southeastern New Mexico to
any appreciate extent. In fact, W. H.
Cox, leading stockman of eastern Dona
Ana county, said that during the past
three months, he thought no cattle steal
ing at all had prevailed in the Mesilla
valley and in the Soledad plains regions.
The Southeastern New Mexico Stock
association is enforcing the laws rigidly
and this is having an excellent effect.