Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-01-20
OTERO COUNTY.
Cogent Reasons Given by ". NJ. Clute, Of
Lincoln, Why the Proposed New Coun-
tv Should Be Created,

W. M. Clute, a prominent citizen OF
Lincoln. is stopping at the Palace hotel
on business connected with the legisla-
ture, and was asked today for informa-
ton about the proposed creation OF
Otero county out of portions of Dona
| Ana and Lincoln counties. lie said in
reply:
This movement has been contem-
| plated for several years, and during my
| residence in Dona Ana and Lincoln
counties | have been in a position to
learn thoroughly the conditions existing
in that part of the territory. The peo-
| pie of that section ask for nothing that
can in any way be construed as unreal
sonable.
"Otero county, as now proposed,
is formed from the eastern portion of
| Dona Ana and the southern part of Lin
| coin counties, all of which is now dis
tant 80 to 100 miles from their respective
| county seats, and this is advanced as
one of the chief arguments for the for
nation of the county.
"The large interests Of the Sacramen-
to mountain country imperatively de-
mand a more accessible point for the
transaction of public business than Las
Cruces or Lincoln. For years the resi-
| dents of this region have be II compelled
to travel two or three days in order to
! reach their county seat when attending
! court or upon business before the com
m%issioners or other county officers. The
expense, and more especially the loss of
time occupied in making the trip, have
been a serious drawback to the settlers
there. Another and more potent reason
for the formation of this county is the
expense incurred by the present coun-
ties for mileage in connection with Of
ficers' fees and terms of court.
SIN Dona Ana county the expense to
the county is largely in excess of the
revenues derived from taxation in the
part of the county taken in by the Sa-
cramento county bill. In Lincoln coun-
ty the conditions are much the same,
but the receipts are usually slightly in
excess of the expenditures, but not suf-
t~iciently large to result in any practical
benefit. The citizens of Lincoln county
who live along the Penasco river, which
will be included in the bill, are divided
in their opinion regarding the division.
Those living in Lower Penasco prefer
going to Chaves county to either remain
ing in Lincoln or being Incorporated in
the new county. They are, geographic
ally speaking, really a part of Chaves
county, and their natural commercial
and trading point is Roswell, and there
l.being no desire on the part of the pro-
| ,ato,, of %ba ov oo,,,t, hill 10 inol,do
them, against their wishes, it is prob
able that in the event of the passage of
the Otero county bill they will be
added to Chaves county. A petition to
this effect is now being circulated in that
precinct.
''If Otero county is created it will
begin business by a fair amount of
taxable property. and the assessment
roll will rapidly increase. The large
mills and buildings of the railroad COM
pany, its town sites and other property
will be a considerable item, and the road,
which is at present exempt, will in a few
years pay taxes on about $50 miles in
Sacramento county.
1.-THE controversy owe the county seat
between Tularosa and Alamogordo has
DceH iUlCuDll uuJuSJeu. dlu dll are
working together tremendously for the
passage of the bill and a good admins
~tration of the county affairs afterwards.
From the fact that all of the people now
living in the proposed county earnestly
desire its formation; that Dona Ana
county favors it; that no serious objec-
tons are coming from Lincoln county,
and that the new county will be abun-
dainty able to care for itself, the bill
should pass both houses without opposi-
ton"