Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-09-14
THE LAS VEGAS LAND GRANT
Historical Account of this Grant
Drawn from the Records of the
Surveyor Generals Office.
QUEER CONDUCT OF GENERAL HOBART
Deputy Surveyor Rice's Persistent Eff
forts to Evade Approved Instruc-
lions of Surveyor General Eas-
ley in Matter of New Sur
vey-His Good Faith
Questioned.

Hearing almost daily com plants touch
ing the fatiguingly slow progress of the
final survey of the Las Vegas grant, or
dered by Conn. Lamoreux over one year
ago, and recognizing the right of the
good people of the Meadow city to a
speedy adjustment of the questions that
have so long clouded many of their titles,
the New MEXICAN concluded to make a
careful examination of the records of the
surveyor generals Office with a view to
shedding all the light possible upon the
important subject.
HISTORY OF THE GRANT.
The grant was originally made on
March 90, 1885, by the territorial. deputa-
tion to Juan de Dios Maese, Miguel Ar
chuleta and twenty-seven others. 1t was
first filed under the title of "Town of Las
Vegas" grant by the inhabitants of Las
Vegas"
1t was reported to congress for con-
tirmation by the surveyor general of New
Mexico, December Is, 1858, not as grant
in fee simple, but as concessions to set
tiers and occupants. Tt was confirmed
by congress without survey on June 81,
1860, and it was surveyed in March, 1861.
According to this survey it contained
496,446 acres.
Objection was made to the survey and
an investigation of the boundaries was
commenced in 1875 and continued until
the close of 1889.
The most important investigation with
reference to the boundaries was com
menced in 1887, when Surveyor General
Julian called the commissioner atten-
ton to the incorrectness of the existing
survey and the commissioner authorized
the execution of new survey.
Preliminary to this work Mr.. W. M.
Upton was appointed special agent to
make an examination of the grant. After
receiving Mr. Tipton's report, Surveyor
General Julian gave notice that new
survey would be made.
On November %, 1887, instructions
were issued to Mr.. Russell b. Rice, then
and for some time after officiating as a
special agent rather than a deputy sur
veyor, to make investigation as to the
validity of the grant and the allotments
Hereunder. Special Agent Rice con-
tinued thus employed, except when inter-
rupted by lack of funds, until about the
close of 1889.
PROTEST FILED.
On December S, 1889, P. Milhiser filed
protest against the re-survey, claiming
that he and his associates were entitled to
all the lands within the boundaries estab-
llshed by the preliminary survey. Special
Agent Rice's Investigation then ended.
On February l. 1891, Surveyor General
Hobart recommended that the original
survey be approved and that patents be
issued for the lands included within its
boundaries.
The matters of the investigation and re-
survey were taken up, on December S,
1891, by Secretary Noble, who held that
resurvey should be made so as to include
only the lands allotted or assigned to set
'lers under the terms of the original con-
'ession, and that patent should issue on
uch survey to the town of Las Vegas for
he benefit of the proper parties. copy
II this decision was sent to Surveyor Gen
raj Hobart in December, 1891, and mo-
ion for review Of same was denied, on
December Is, 1892.
In June, 1893, Surveyor General Hobart
prepared and transmitted to the general .
and office plat and field notes of So ! .
allied survey made by Special Agent Rice.
MS plat and accompanying field notes
Included the Sanguijuela tract of four :
quare leagues of land. I.
According to the statement of r. B,
lice, sworn to before Surveyor General = !
[obart, on December 2, 1892, this survey y
as commenced on March Is, 1889, and !
nded October IA, 1885, =
The certificate of Surveyor General !.
[obart approving said plat and field g
otes was dated June l, 1898, and was .
larked approved and adopted" as the :
esurvey required by the decision of Sec
starry Noble, dated December s, 1891, = =
hen the survey purports to have been :.
ade in 1889. "
CONTRACT EXTRAORDINARY. "
The transmittal of the plat and field q
otes above mentioned was followed n
the awarding of contract by Sur e.
'yor General Hobart for extending the il
nblic surveys over the lands in the G,
'iginal grant not included in this pre- c.
nded resurvey, the latter only embracing HI
'out 5000 acres besides the 1900 acres et
the Sanguijuela tract.
This contract was not approved, and 81
9 so-called resurvey, after consideration CT
I the secretary of the interior, suffered h,
e same fate. On February -, 1894. cl
eaking of this alleged survey, Secretary 81
NTH said in letter to the commits.
oner: M
"This so. called re.survey is evidently to
thing but the result of an incom plete OF
ID partial examination of said grant, OF
stituted by direction of your Office for
Q purpose illustrating clearly the pro-
iety Of adopting the recommendation nc
Mr.. Julian, the then surveyor general, ru
d it is remarkable that it should now All
returned to your Office as 're.survey' at
said grant in accordance with the de- an
decision. concur with You
at said so-called re-survey should be tn
iected for the above and sufficient an
lsons set forth in your letter." he