Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-10-12
A GLOWING TRIBUTE.
Delegate FERGUSON speaks of the
Wonderful Riches of Southeast
ern New Mexico.

Hon. II. B. FERGUSON, New Mexico's
delegate in congress, was seen the other
day by an Albuquerque Democrat re-
porter and in reply TO question as to
the probable effect of the building of the
Ell Paso q White Oaks railroad upon the
development of the rich district through
which 1t will pass, spoke as follows:
"Yes, have for Is years been we'll ac-
quainted with Lincoln county, and, gen.
orally speaking, with the section of New
Mexico which the Ell Paso q White Oaks
railroad will traverse; and you can hardly
overstate the advantages that this road ia
going to confer on New Mexico. 1t will
furnish transportation and market to
one of the richest portions of our terri
tory, rich in agricultural possibilities, in
coal, lumber, marble, building stone, gyp-
sum, the precious meta Is, cattle and
sheep, and with a railroad all their mag.
nifcent, though unoeveloped resources
will both become accessible to the out.
side world and also find a ready market
This will insure rapid increase of popu-
lation, because both money and men will
20 where there is sure return for invest
ment and effort, and there is room in
that section for a little empire. The
southeast quarter of New Mexico would
make state larger than the average
state of the Union. 1t is already peopled
with very desirable population, sturdy
Industrious, intelligent, owning their owr
thrlfty-looklng farme, with churches and
schools; they only need transportation
facilities to make their labor remuner-
alive to high degree.
"In the magnificent mountain ranges
that traverse Lincoln county and eastern
Dona Ana county, numerous streams
have their headwaters, and the melting
SHOWS make the flow of water perennial
The farming land along these streams is
as rich as the Mississippi bottoms, or the
delta of the Nile. And these creeks are
numerous. At random I might mention
the Tularosa, Eagle creek, the Ruidoso
the Penasco, the Bonito, Rio Felix, and
Three Rivers.
"The usual crops, corn, wheat, oats and
alfalfa, grow luxuriantly; but as fruit
growing section it almost surpasses be.
lief. Its apples are really a marvel. Fol
certainty of crop, for abundance, for fla
vor and freedom from flaw, it is won
derful apple country.
II ought to mention also, the surpass
ing beauty of this section; not merely
the beauty Of the cultivated fields, tn
timber and the clear running streams
! but the grandeur of the mountain scenery
1t is destined to be great summer re-
sort. All kinds of game, bear, deer, tur
key, in the mountains, and antelope or
the plains, and the finest trout fishing il
the United States; and all of this is II
New Mexico. The road does not strik'
anything worth seeing or having unit
after the southern line of New Mexico il
crossed. 1t will greatly benefit Ell Peso
OF course, but it will benefit New Mexico
more, and some day this great section O.
New Mexico will become tributary te
some New Mexico city, to Socorro or AL
buquerque, or Santa Fe, or Las Vegas
For it is not to be believed that the San
ia Fe road will permit all the traffic o
this section to 20 to other roads, that i
will not itself have branch from tn
main line into such productive region.
"Can these lands be acquired by set
tiers under ths United States land laws
"Yes, because there are no land grant
along the line of this road ever claimed
or in the country tributary to it. All o
it that has not already been taken up m
der the government land laws can b
taken up ard perfect title acquired"