The Black range., 1895-03-08
Sierra County.

eutTHt New hcAiOos oothc
the north and east by SOcorro county
out of which it was mainly takenl;
ON the south by Dcna Ana county anu
on the west by rant aud Socorro coun-
aies. Tke principal meridian oil New
Mexico forms its eastern boundary lof
AZ miles. The summit of the Black
Range is the western limit. Ii not
very large in extent, averaging my
four miles from north to soutn' anu
and about the same from east TO west
2,s7s square miles, the county has a oi-
yersiRed topography. In the exttehe
east are large plains; then asystem Oh
mountain ranges, running from north
90 south, along the east bank OF the
Rie G Grande Sierra Fa Cristoba ana
1,ahallol and at their western base that
river. leaving about one-third OIL Tue
area of the county on the eastern
nank. On the west side plains. inter-
rupted here and there by promlnehces
extend to the foot hills OF the biacA
range for from twenty to thirty miles
while ainally that range occupies the
Westernmost portion. Slopihg' hoU
only from north to SOUTH ouI aiso
from the northeast to southwest Che
drainage is well defined. With the ex-
ception of few creeks, in the utter
most northwest corner, when now
westward into the Rio Gila, all streams
dow southeast, into the Rio Grande'
The beds of these streams, approach
sng their mouths, are worn deep mo
the plains. ~
Eleyationsin the northern part OIL tle
county, vary from 1,4s4 (Fests FefrY
to5,l77 Alamosal, 6,54O canada Ala'
mosal. to s,O45 Nel's Pass, from the
Rio Grande, to the western boundary
IN the northern part from 1000 lhlo
Grande, aboye Rinconl, to 1859 labove
Mutt stationl, 1924 [Hillsboroughb y
494 [Berrenda springl, to 1874 hen
drick's Peakl. On the east side OF tfe
RIO Grande, the plains gradually des-
cend from 4,72O [below Lava stationl,
to 1892 feet above Grama, in distance
of forty-elght miles. There are springs
scattered over this eastern part OF the
country, and that water can De oo'alh-
ed hvsinking tubular wells, there IS no
doubt Asa proof that water exists,
the railroad well, at Upham station,
gformerly Martins we'll may be men
toned. The Atchison, Topeka y Santa
Fe road runs through the entire iengIh
of this part of the country, sklrtihg IL
also around its southern limits, ana
making connection, at Mutt station'
with Lake Valley, by northeriy
branch of 10 miles.
Stage lines connect the country across
she Rio Grande. starting from Engle
stations, to Cuchillo Negro, Chlorlue'
Fairview and Grafton, or in the south
from Lake Valley to HlllsDorougn'
Kingston, Pearcha City and herhosa
which latter, also, can be reached lrom
Engle, via Cachillo Negro.
The western part OF the county Is
well watered by creeks and streams
In the northwest corner, eight or nine
creeks empty into the Glla' on ths
west side of the Black Range. On tne
east side are, heading in the blach
Range. Alamosa creek, having a soutl
easterly course, with Alamosa Monu
cellol the principal town.
Rio Cuchllo Negro: its upper course
ia formed by Poverty, Pine, Bear, Mlnel
al. Dry and Chloride creeks ana ooutl
Fork. There are, in the Range, th'
following towns: Grafton, Falrvlew
Chloride and Hermosa. Cuchlllo Ne
gro is in the 10 Eer valley.
Rio Palomas, Rio Seco and Rio AM
mas creeks are of the same origin AM
the same general course.
Rio Percha waters, with seVera
heads. Percha City. Kingston and I'LL
borough.
The county is well divided into I'll
valley. mesa and mountain land en-
hracing considerable section of til
Rio rapde valley, where agrlcultur
is followed; wherever openings in IN
valleys of the different atfiuents aifor
room enough tod so, agricultural pul
suits are followed.
BEING well watered, the pasturag
lands are fully available. and the stoc
interests are ia good condition.
The main interests of Sierra count
are centered in the mines.
The principal mining districts arr
Apache, Black Range, Cuchlllo Negr
Kingston, Hermosa, Anlmas, Hill
borough, Percha and Lake Valley.
The center of Apache mining di
trict is Chloride; in Chloride guic
n.r o.oaly Miuarat creek Rear cree