Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-05-27
The COUNTY SEAT QUESTION
RatOn's Claims in This Matter Ex-
haustively Presented by the New
Mexicans Special COrre-
spOndent.
REMOVAL OF The RAILROAD SHOPS

Inc Maxwell Land Grant People Dong
Great Deal to Develop the Min
eral Resources of Colfax Coun-
ty, by Inducing Capital to
Invest in This Paying
Industry.
Special Correspondence New Mexican.
Ration, N. M, May 25.-Since the sale
of the A. & p. railroad to the Santa Fe
company SO much has been heard about
the removal of the shops from Ration to
Albuquerque, that | had come to look
upon that change almost as an assured
fact. However, while in Albuquerque
short time ago I called upon an official
of high standing of the A. i P. and made
inquiries concerning the removal, and
was assured by the gentleman, that 80 far
as he had any information on the subject
there was not the slightest foundation
for the report. In talking with Ration
business men today find that no one be-
lieves the shops will be taken away.
From time to time, for Is years past, the
removal of the shops to Trinidad, La
Junta, Albuquerque, and various other
places, has been talked of, but talk has
been the result 80 far. Ration is near
valuable and extensive gold mines, has
plenty of water, is pleasant place of
residence for the men employed in the
works, and above all seems to be con-
venient location for the company to
maintain extensive repair works, 80 |
guess there is not much danger of any
other city becoming the gamer by the
despoiling of this town.
PROSPEROUS RATION.
The boom in the mining districts of
Colfax and Taos counties has it's effect
upon Ration, and the merchants are doing
large business in furnishing the camps
with supplies of all kinds. Long trains
of freight wagons come and go daily, and
the business of freighting and selling
provisions for the towns off the railroads
is assuming large proportions.
So far as car be learned, business gen.
orally is good. OF course the large num-
Der of men living here drawing good
salaries from the railroad company, nat
urally results in steady volume of trade
which towns not so fortunately situated
cannot hope to have; added to this is the
trade of a large scope of country in all
directions, and the aggregate is large.
ON THE UP GRADE.
AS in other sections of the territory the
cattle and sheep industries are on the up
grade. Not for years past have the
ranges been so good at this time of the
year in northern Colfsx county, and con-
ditions otherwise are most favorable for
the cattleman and fockmasters. The in
crease in sheep will 60 over 80 per cent,
and that alone, considering the prices Of
fered for wool and lambs, is sufficient to
bring prosperity to the whole country.
The herds of cattle are much smaller
than in the days of the cattle barons, but
the general opinion is that good prices
will tend to encourage breeding, and the
time is not far distant when the mesas
will be covered With cattle, and they will
be of better grade than those once so
numerous in the country. The ''long
heralded Mckinley prosperity" may not
have reached the southwest country, but
judging from what has been seen and
learned in different sections of New
Mexico it is on the road in strong force.
DOING GOOD WORK.
The Maxwell Land grant people are do
ing much to develop the extensive min
eral deposits on their lands and induce
capital to invest in mineral properties.
This company is issuing a descriptive
circular Of the Elizabethtown, Badly,
Moreno, and other districts of the grant
which is one of the best ever gotten out
in the territory. This pamphlet also
states clearly upon what terms miners
can locate claims on the grant. These
terms are most liberal, the length of time
allowed for making payments, the total
amount necessary to secure claim be-
ing small, is sufficient to enable miners
to meet them without difficulty, and the
result cannot be otherwise than to open
up many mines in very short time.
| The indications now are that before snow
flies next fall the mines of Colfax county
will attract worldwide attention, and
much of the success in bringing about
this desired result will be due to the ef-
forts made by the Maxwell Land Grant
company and its methods of encourag-
ing development.
A BRANCH LINE VERY PROBABLE.
There is every reason to believe that
the Santa Fe company will build branch
line of road into the mining country. Re.
Gently party of officials, experts and
Ration businessmen were in Elizabeth
town inspecting the mineral deposits ir
that locality, and other districts were also
visited before their return. Another oh
ject of the visit was to get a general idet
of the topography of the country for tn,
purpose Of determining the building o
the branch line. The people here and a
Springer are almost positive the road will
be built, and are speculating upon tn
starting point. Will it be Springer o
Maxwell City? that is the question. u
in the mountains the place of beginning
is of little import, "Will it be builtf" i
the one absorbing query. Really, cam
answer this question.
. THE COUNTY SEAT REMOVAL.
The county seat removal is a mucl
bruited matter here as we'll as in Springer
Ration wants the county seat, and feel sur
that the election to be held on June
!, will result in favor of removal. Az an
Ratonian this morning some of th
reasons we have for bringing the count
capital to our city will prove interesting
; In the first place Ration is the largest tow
in the county, furnishes four-fifths of tn
! court business and pays generous shar
} of the taxes. The cost to our people TO