Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-02-10
THE TAOS VALLEY.
Rich Land EARNED for Centuries The
Mineral Resources.
(Taos CreSSet.)

(Taos Cresset.)
Before Columbus discovered this
country a portion of the Taos valley was
under cultivation, and before the May
flower anchored off Plymouth Rock
houses of adobe We're clustered about
sheltered the forefathers of some Of the
present residents of the Taos valley.
The louise of that period were replaced
by the present Pyramids of Taos"
for homes for the living and not for the
dead. The Pueblo Indians, without
doubt, were the first home builders and
farmers in America that still exist to
emphasize THE claim of their fathers to
that distinction. Notwithstanding the
fact that this Is the oldest farming COM
munity in the United States, There are
thousands Of acres in this valley Of as
fine land as the sun ever shone on, THAT
no doubt has THE same growth Of sage
brush that covered it when the Pilgrim
Fathers landed on this continent. In
many places the primitive methods pre-
vail In the planting and harvesting that
We're common a thousand years ago,
notably the wooden pillow, the sickle and
the %threshing floor; yet, with all that,
the most bountiful crops are the rule.
The mineral furnish a par
allel to Those of agriculture. The first
authentic record of the production of
gold In what is now the territory of the
Unified States was the production of
gold from the placers in the Taos valley
nearly 200 years ago., when this country
was dominated by the Spanish. The rec
ords of large shipments of gold to the
City of Mexico are in existence to-day,
and the ore placer washings, extending
fer miles along THE Rio Lucero, may be
seem to-day. Ruins Of old arastras that
were used perhaps centuries ago for the
extraction of the precious metals a be
found to-day in the mountains; yet,
without doubt, Taos county has more
square miles of mineral territory that
remains untouched by the p~rospector's
pick than any country in the great min
eral belt of THE west.
Notwithstan hiding the excessive drouth
this season, many fields of wheat will
average forty bushels to the acre, and
there is the greatest abundance of agri-
cultural products.
No finer fruit Is grown anywhere than
here in the Taos valley. The orchards
have come to stay, failures of a fruit
crop are rare, indeed, and in some 10
calities entirely unknown.
The greatest difficulty THAT the farm
en- in the Taos valley has to encounter
Is the market for his surplus. Before the
advent of railroads I'M the western corn-
try this valley was the granary of the
southwest, and a portion Of Old Mexico
drew Its supplies from here, but in. re-
cent, years the valley has had to de-
pend upon a local market that wax linn
tied, and this c~urtailed production.
However, the local market is being
stimulated by tine development Of the
mines in the adjacent mountain ranges,
and another ray of hope from the pros
poets of a railroad in the YEAR future Is
stirring the energies Of the farmer. A
railroad THAT will furnish a southern
| outlet, THUS reaching the legitimate
market for the flour and grain, will
make this valley second TO nome in point
| of productiveness. The money for this
enterprise is already assured, IL the de-
tails of connection and right of way can
be Satisfactorily arranged. With the
coming of a railroad new Industries will
be developed; this valley Will become
the feeding ground OF northern New
| Mexico. The thousands of sheep and
cattle now shipped to Colorado feeding
points will be fattened here. The mod
em Touring mills will take the place Of
the old water mills, and reduction works
will utilize the great veins OF low-grade
ores THAT are now practically valueless
on account OF the lack OF transporta-
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