Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-11-24
NOVEMBER
LAS CRUCES LETTER.
Seriousness Of Interference With Irrigation
Interests Considered.

Interests Considered.
Las Cruces, November 22.-The New
Mexico Townsite Company has decided
to get rid of all it's land holdings in the
| Mesilla valley, and to that end has
placed on the market all its lots in the
| townsites at Las Cruces and at Mesilla
| Park. Lots which have heretofore at
| Las Cruces sold for $100 and $125 pei
| lot have been thrown upon the market
at from SIS to $25 lot. In consequence
| there has been brisk sale this week.
and many of our most prominent resi-
opportunity during the past few days
| to purchase good dwelling sites, so that
| it may be anticipated that at least sew
eral nice modern residences will be con-
structed in that part of the town during
the coming year. Among those who
have bought lots are l.. Lapoint, D.
Seligman, f. D. Williams, Mary Cuniffe
and r. c. Wade, the attorney at law.
The Elephant Butte dam case will be
heard before Judge Parker on the 18th
of December. The momentous cOnse-
quences of this case to the people de-
pendent upon the Rio Grande and its
tributaries for water for irrigation are
little realized outside of the Mesilla val
ley. In this action the government un-
dertakes to enjoin any enlargement Of
the present irrigation facilities of the
Mesilla valley on the ground that such
enlargement will impair the navigabil-
ity of the Rio Grande above Browns
ville Tex. However, the leading coun-
sci for the government admits, if his
interviews in the newspapers are to be
credited, that this ground is "a sham
and delusion." He frankly admits that
the government cares nothing for the
alleged navlgabllity of the lower Rio
Grande, but seeks to get control for the
purpose of apportioning the waters Of
the river between the republic of Mex
leo and the citizens of the United
States. 1t is openly avoWed that the in
tention of the department of justice is,
just as soon as the present case is dis
posed Of, if settled in favor of the gov
ernment, to move on up the river and
attack the new irrigation bitches con-
structed and in contemplation of con-
struction on the river in central and
northern New Mexico and in Colorado
1t will thus be seen that all the people
of the Rio Grande valley, within the
arid regions, are vitality interested in
the result of the action to be deter
mined on the 18th of December. If the
government would assume control Of
the waters of the river, construct stor-
age reservoirs, and in times of scarcity
Of water apportion it in accordance with
the priority it would be well and good,
but such action on the part of congress
Is far in the distance, and in the mean
time, if the conspirators who have
gained possession of the ear of the at
torney general, in their anxiety to pro-
vide an international dam and irriga-
ton system for the republic of Mexico
at the expense Of the people Of New
Mexico and Colorado, should succeed in
their present efforts, all enterprise and
progress within the valley of the Rio
Grande would be blighted. The impor-
tance of the issues involved may thus
be seen. Far-seeing men, not only in
New Mexico, but in Colorado, realize
the gravity Of the situation, and are
giving their moral support to the cause
of the people. The testimony in the case
promises to be very voluminous, and the
hearing will last probably ten days. l
am reliably informed that the defense
in the case will be assisted by one or
more of the ablest lawyers in Colorado,
and several irrigation experts of ma
tional repute will attend the hearing
and give their evidence upon the is
sues involved.
If your correspondent might be al
lowed to give any advice, he would say
that the newspapers of the Rocky
mountain region should thoroughly ven-
tilate the inwardness of this interna-
tonal dam conspiracy, and the congress
sional delegations Of this section should
lodge an emphatic protest against this
prostitution Of the powers of the gov
ernment. E. C. WADE, SIR.