Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-01-19
FLORIDA'S CLAIMS.
A Citizen Of Deming Speaks of the
Project to Create a New
County.

Speaking as member of the Deming
delegation now at the capital in behalf of
bill to establish Florida county, Col. P.
R. Smith said to-day:
"We claim that we are entitled to the
new county, first, as matter of justice,
and second, as matter of policy. The
inhabitants of Deming are an enterpris-
ing and progressive people, and during
all these depressing times there has been
a steady and healthy improvement and
to-day there is not vacant dwelling in
the place which is fit to live in. We are
amply able to assume and pay our part
of the Grant county debt. We have the
taxable property to justify the response
bility of a new county, and our people
are unanimous for it. We have railroads
centering in Deming from the north,
south, east and west; we have an elegant
new school building with fine corps of
teachers and large attendance of regu-
lar pupils; We have large cana agria
factory, employing several hundred
laborers in digging the wild cana agria
plant and putting it into an extract,
which has an extensive and growing de-
mand at remunerative prices, and ar
rangements are now being consummated
to put into cultivation large area of
land in this cana agria plant in order to
supply the demand for the factory when
the wild plant shall have become ex-
hausted.
"We are just completing an extensive
water and irrigation system by which we
will soon have several thousand acres
under fine state of cultivation, with Or
chards, vineyards, lawns, shade trees and
small farms, occupied by an industrious
and thrifty colony of eastern, western
and southern people, who are now COM
ing to our county. All these things have
been accom- plished by private enterprise
and the pluck and progressive energy of
our people. We are not asking the terri
tory for any financial help or begging
for appropriations, for normal schools,
sanitariums or any other pap from the
public crib. All we ask is what we are
Justly entitled to. Give us the new coun-
ty and we will take care of the rest, and
with our delightful valley, our pure water
and healthy location, we will build up
city and community which this territory
will be proud of.
There have existed for years, and still
exist between the northern and southern
portions of Grant county land particu-
larly between the towns of Silver City
and Deming), contentious, prejudices,
ill feelings and rivalry which retard the
progress of the county, and keep up a
continuous friction between the two sec
t,ons, and all this would naturally die
out if these conflicting interests were
settled and a new and healthy state of
things would be inaugurated. Our peo-
pie are mainly interested in securing a
separate county for ourselves, and have
no special interest in the Mogollon de-
tachment, further than our good wishes
for their success so far as their claims
are justified by the necessity and equity
of the situation.
"We ask and expect fair and impair
tial consideration OF our claims by our
representatives, and if found that our
representations are true, We expect to re-
ceive at their hands that recognition
which we dsserve-nothing more, moth
ing less.
SIN addition to the above and forego-
ing good reasons, the question of econ
omy demands the creation of this
county.
Experience has demonstrated that two
small counties can be operated at less ex-
pense than one large one. The only ad-
ditional expense created by the new
county is the salary of officers, which is
insignificant when compared to the Grim
inal costs. When officers are paid % cents
a mile and have to go long distances after
criminals and Witnesses, it does not take
to accumulate great cost bill. It is
we'll known fact that fully two-thlrds of
the criminals confined in the Silver City
jail are carried from Deming over the
Southern Pacific and Silver City rail-
roads. Not one of these prisoners can
be delivered at Silver City from Lords.
burg for less than $23; from Hachita, $50;
from San Simon, $36; from Cooks Peak,
1924; from Columbus, $2S. Take for in
stance the expense of Lincoln county.
For example, few years ago it included
Chaves and Eddy counties, and owing to
its large size the court costs were so great
that the county was unable to meet its
expenses, but since its division into three
COuutlos IHo DufuoAs nave UooA 80 leS-
sened that the county has paid some
$4,000 of its indebtedness and Lincoln
county scrip is at par, and the conditions
in Grant county to-day are very similar
to those Of Lincoln county few years
since.
''Give us chance to manage our own
county affairs and we will make one of
the best counties and one Of the best
towns in this territory"