Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-04-23
THE WOOL INDUSTRY
The Establishment Of Securing Mills
Is a Great Benefit to Sheep
Growers.
THREE MILLS AT LAS VEGAS
New Mexico Wool Growers Generally Re.
ceive Better Prices for Their Product
Than Do Those of Arizona and
Colorado.

Considering that over 4,O00, 900 sheep
are flourishing and fattening on the nu-
tritious gramma grass grown on the
magnificent ranges of New Mexico, and
that the wool clip of the territory ag-
gregates fully 1S,OOO,OO pounds per year
naturally every enterprise calculated to
promote the twin industries Of sheep
raising and wool growing is Of vital in
terest and Importance to all the people
of this grand territorial empire. So the
New Mexican has concluded to take up
the subject in purely practical way in
a series of specially prepared articles,
which will be printed in it's columns as
rapidly as trustworthy data can be ac-
cumulated. 1t takes pleasure in initi-
ating this work with a chapter on the
WOOL plants Of the Meadow
City.
THREE MILLS.
There are three large and well-equip-
ped wool-scouring mills located at Las
Vegas. These three mills have yearly
capacity of about 100000 pounds of
grease wool. Last year they handled
about 100000 pounds of New Mexico
woods. They give employment to be-
tween forty and fifty men, and usually
run the year round. One of the largest
past four years.
A BENEFIT TO WOOL GROWERS.
The establishment and operation Of
these extensive securing mills has been
the means of securing for the wool
growers of New Mexico full prices for
their clips, as they develop lively and
healthy competition for the woods
grown in this territory. This is attest
ed by the well-known fact that New
Mexico growers are able to obtain bet
ter prices for their product than their
neighbors do in Colorado or Arizona. In
addition to this, these plants confer
other substantial benefits upon the wool
growers, as the returns therefrom fur
nish the sheep men full information in
regard to the shrinkage of their clip, as
well as the percentage of the various
sorts into which the wool from the
feeces has to be separated, namely:
Fine, fine medium, three-eighths blood,
quarter blood, blanket and carpet AS
all wool is bought and sold on secured
basis, this knowledge is very essential
to the wool grower. The mills also fur
nish a market for the growers all the
year round, as they are open for busi-
ness from January to December.
A GOOD WOOL MARKET.
The benefits which securing mills Sc
cure to the towns in which they are To-
Gated is amply illustrated by the ex-
perience of Las Vegas. That city is to-
day, as 1t has been for years, the larg-
est and best wool market in the west.
This is so we'll known that woods which
are not naturally tributary to Las We
gas are freighted overland from dis
tant parts of the territory to that city,
attracted by the excellent market.
Many of the wools, too, are brought
from points nearer to other railroads
than the Santa Fe, but the higher prices
prevailing at Las Vegas induce the
growers to make the long journey by
wagon, and thus much traffic is annu-
ally brought to the town and to the
railroad, which would go to other
points were it not for the superior mar
ket maintained there chiefly through
the instrumentality of the wool-scour-
ing mills.
MILLS ELSEWHERE.
There is also large wool-scouring
mill at Albuquerque; another with ca
pacity of handling several million
pounds of grease wool will be started up
at Carlsbad, in Eddy county, on the 1st
of May; and large quantities Of wool
New Mexico are annually handled at
the large securing plant located at Trim
idad, just across the New Mexico line in
Colorado. Manifestly there is room for
the establishment of several more such
plants at points conveniently accessible
to the other wool-growing centers Of the
territory notably in Union, Rio Arriba
Socorro, Valencia, Lincoln, Santa Fe
Mora, Colfax, Taos and Otero counties
with fiocks ranging from $4,000 in Oter6
county to 100000 in Union county.
SANTA FEE SHOULD HAVE ONE.
In the light Of the fact that there are
15O, 900 head Of sheep in Santa Fe coun.
ty, besides 100000 in Rio Arriba county
and 100000 in Taos county, with nc
securing mills nearer than Las Vegas
Albuquerque or Trinidad, the need Of
securing facilities at Santa Fe becomes
very evident. In this connection It may
properly be added that several wisely
located and we'll conducted woolen mill.
would unquestionably pay in New Mex
leo. and would keep thousands Of dol
lars, at present annually sent east fol
woolen fabrics, at home. This subjec
will be taken up later on
IN AVERAGE DAY.
Information About Now Mexico Sent to Tel