Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-12-04
PROGRESS In new MEXICO
Gov. Thornton Talks Hopefully OF
This Territory to the Denver
Republican.
STATEHOOD is GENERALLY DESIRED
Cattle, Sheep and Mining Industries
Floulishing-Good Work of Land
Court-Mineral on Grants
Sugar Beet Culture.

The Denver Republican of Wednesday
prints the following:
Gov. W. T. Thornton, of New Mexico
is at the Brown Palace hotel and will re
main in the city several days. "Nev
Mexiso is improving steadily" said the
governor, "and think that, on the whole
the past year has been more favorable fol
our people than 1895. Our main interests
are cattle and sheep, these interests over
shadowing our mining enterprises. The
cattlemen have done very much better
than they did last year, and there has
been some improvement in wool, and
therefore, our people have no cause for
complaint.
sour mining interests are very large,
but in that direction New Mexico labors
under very great disadvantage in the
/ fact that SO much of our territory is
covered by the old Spanish grants, many
of which are now being considered by the
court of private land claims. The old
Spanish law did not convey the mineral
in these grants, reserVing it for the
crown, and when these grants have been
confirmed by congress the same course
has been pursued. But there has been
no disposition made of the mineral lands
within the grant boundaries, that matter
remaining to be settled by congress at
some future time, and, consequently, the
lands containing mineral deposits have
not as yet been thrown open for settle
ment. New Mexico is extremely rich in
mineral wealth, but there are SO many
rich deposits included in the grants that
the condition of affairs is great draw
back to the development of our mineral
resources. A great many of these land
grant claims are being disposed of, how
ever, by the court OF private land claims,
and, as titles become qhieted, our mining
enterprises will gradually become more
important. Some of the owners of the
land grants which have been con-
firmed by congress have title to the min
eral included within the boundaries of
their grants, bat in all such cases the
right has been conveyed by special act of
congress, which operated as a quit claim
to the mineral on the part of the United
States. In all other cases the right to
the mineral is vested in the United
States.
NEW RAILWAY PROJECTS.
"The construction of two railroads,
which are now under consideration, that
from Ell Paso to the neighborhood of
White Oaks, and that from Roswell, on
the Pecos, to Amarillo, Texas, will
be of the greatest importance to the ter
ritory. The former will tap an exceed.
ingly rich mineral country and will open
some of the finest coal deposits in the
world. New Mexico has some very fine
coal measures, the veins being very large
and the coal of excellent quality. The
mining interests in the White Oaks dis
triot are already very large, and with
the advent OF the railroad from Ell 'Paso
they will be very largely increased; as
there is vast quantity of ore in proper
ties as yet undeveloped, which can not
be shipped yet on account of the heavy
transportation charges. The opening of
the road will eventually lead to the ereo-
tion of smelters in the coal district which
is only comparatively short distance
from the mines. Mr.. Eddy, the promoter
of this enterprise, is now in Europe, and
am informed that he has succeeded in
making arrangements for the completion
of the road.
THE PECOs VALLEY ENTERPRISE.
"The other road is the one projected
by Mr.. Hagerman of your state, which
opens a wonderfully productive agricul-
tural district. Mr.. Hagerman, l under
stand, has also succeeded in securing the
funds necessary for the northward ex-
tension of that road. regard the en-
terprise of Mr.. Hagerman in the Pecos
valley as one Of the most important that
has ever been undertaken in the country,
and when completed it will be the larg-
est and most complete irrigation system
in the United States. He has constructed
one reservoir which is thirteen miles
long and covers 5000 acres, end which
will irrigate 100000 acres, and will make
one of the finest farming sections of the
western country. The development OF
the agricultural resources of this section
will be of tremendous advantage to the
territory and the construction of the
railroad to point of junction with the
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad
will enable the farmers to find market
IOC Vu0IE PIOuuCCs 4uooO WV luALO0o
enterprises will in my opinion, give g
wonderful impetus to the population ol
the territory, and l can not too highly
express my admiration for the energy Of
the two gentlemen who are so vigorously
pushing them to conclusion.
fA GREAT STORAGE RESERVOIRS.
"An English company with which
hc - ,sv,o loo onksnu NJ a
of the local directors, has undertaken an.
other irrigation enterprise on the Rio
Grande. The difference between the
Pecos and Rio Grande river is that while
the former has solid bottom through.
out its course the latter. in very great
measure, sinks out of sight in the sand
duringits course through New Mexico.
Our company proposes to save the sur
plus waters which come down during the
food season in system of reservoirs. To
do this will require number of dams
and contract has recently been let to a
Mr.. Bradley, of Denver, for the erection
of these works in the Mesilla valley, on
the Rio Grande river. We have already
constructed one reservoir, which is seven
teen miles long and nearly mile in
width. At one point on the Rio Grande,
where the water commences to sink, the
river is CROSSED by substantial dixie, and
at this point the first dam will be con-
structed to save the water, which will be
carried through large canal to the res.
ervoirs. Other dams and reservoirs will
be erected, and when the system is COM
pleted it will reclaim tract of land large
enough to support many thousand fami'
lies.
SUGAR BEET CULTURE.
The first experiment in the culture o.
the sugar beet has just been completed
A factory capable of using $50 tons PEI
day has been erected in the Pecos valley
under the Hagerman irrigation system