Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-10-23
new MEXICO'S GARDEN spot
Special Agent Mckinley Gives Glowing
Account of Southeastern Portion
of the Territory.
A REGION VERY RICH IN RESOURCES
Wonderful Fertility of the Sacramento
Mountain Valleys Great Apple
Crop at Tularosa and La Luz
Game Abounds.

Mr. forrest Mckinley, special agent OF
the general land Office, returned this week
from trip to the southeastern part of
the territory on official business. He is
enthusiastic over what he saw, and says
that the valleys 10 the Sacramento noun
tains make up the garden spot of the en-
tire southwest.
The business which took Mr.. Mckinley
to that part of New Mexico was the in
spection of the proposed forest reserve
in the Sacramento mountains, of 13 town
ships, for the purpose of perpetuating
water and timber supply. This land has
been suspended from public entry until
the government determines the sdvis-
ability and utility of creating the re-
serve. Before the land was reserved
from homestead entry, Ill homesteads
we're filed, and these cannot be disturbed
even If the tract is made national park.
Mr.. Mckinley has forwarded his report
to the general land office at Washington,
but has not made known its contents
here.
In going to the Sacramento country
Mr.. Mckinley passed through the mining
district in the Organ mountains, 20 miles
east of Las Cruces, and was considerably
surprised at the activity manifested in
the mines. smelter is kept busy on
ores from the camp, and much develop
ment work is under headway. One night
was spent in camp at Judge Falls mine
in the Black mountain, and Mr.. Mckinley
pronounces this property one of great
value. So soon as the Ell Paso & North
eastern is built into this region, vast
amount of work will be done in the mines
and large shipments of ore made.
On the Sacramento river, the Fresnal,
Aqua Ohiquita, Penasco and other
streams, in the La Luz canon and in Elk
canon Mr.. Mckinley found many beauti-
ful farms, where potatoes, turnips, beets,
cabbage, oats, barley and wheat are
raised to shs greatest perfection without
irrigation. The climate is superb. The
elevation is over 1000 feet, and with q
southern latitude, the weather is beauti-
full the whole year around. The land is
very productive and requires almost no
cultivation. The manner Of growing po-
tatoes is somewhat peculiar to say the
least. In the spring the farmers 60
the seed. In the fall the increase is
gathered, no other attention being re-
quired. The yield is something enor-
nous.
At Tularosa and La Luz the fruit crop
has been unprecedented this year. One
orchardist at La Luz has a trainload of
apples which cannot be marketed because
of no transportation facilities, and the
valuable product is rendered practically
worthless on that account. The building
of the new railroad will change all this,
and next year hundreds of thousands Of
pounds of fruit from the vicinity of these
places will be placed on the market.
East of the Sacramento mountains, ut
Weed, Mr.. Mckinley passed through a
settlement of cattlemep, which is in a
most prosperous condition. The herds
are small, but the cattle, having unlimited
range on black gramma grass, are in
splendid condition, ard at present prices
the owners are growing wealthy rapidly.
Hard times are unknownin the section of
country visited by Mr.. Mckinley; every
one is prosperous, and when the railroad
opens the country wealth will fairly fall
into the laps of the settlers.
Game abounds in the mountains and on
the mesas, and hunting parties fairly revel
in deer, antelope ana wild turkeys. Deer
and antelope roam the plains and hills
in vast droves, and the reservation will
aid in preserving the numbers of these
animals.
According to Mr.. McKinley's way Of
thinking there lie wonderful future in
store for this great area of country, and
the time is not far distant when it will be
the banner section of the territory.