The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-01-19
SAN JUAN SECTION.
Title Of Interview With aztec
Citizen In a santa re Paper.
Or. @OsdiTs Stors OF How San Juan
County Towns and Valleys Are
FOralna a. the Front.

Our townsman, Dt E. q. Condit, while
Waiting in Santa Ne last week, unbur.
dened himself on tb topic Or the present
greatness and pend ing glory Of San Juan
county. The artie1 none too opum's-
tic, and We print iein full.
DIR p 9. Condit, ti Aztec, is spending
few days 10 tho capita on a pleasure
trip, Dr. Nondit an ahable young
man who is enthus8tiic about the pres
ent and future POI snlities OF the SSH
Juan valley. He states that the valley
has thus far enjoyed au open winter and
all cattle except beffes for market are
feeding on the openlFange. The cattle.
men bought all tlie alfalfa from the
farmers at good prizes, but will probably
sell again 10 the ap sg, ae they have no
need for it except 80 feeding beef cattle.
Farmers as well as1altlemen are happy
and are looking fovward to prosperous
year
Immigrants moetiy from Missouri. are
Aocking to the coofi,ry and taking up
government land n buying from Old
settlers, who lind t1 they have more
than they can cd vaie. Good land
under fence and dIfh sells for SIS to
$40 an acre.
a new eommunitR ditch on the Bloom
field mesa has beea Ahrveyed The main
ditch will be nine rallies long and will
run across government land. Its con
struction will coetNsA0,O0O, to be paid
by settlers who intend to pre-empt land.
phre is plenty ol water in the San
Juan and the Animas rivers The Ami
mas is at present ITO feet wide and two
to four feet deep, .@hie in summer it
reaches a width Of $50 feet and increases
in debth. The SauJuan is now so high
that it is dangerous TO ford
Aztec is by no means enjoying boom
but is growing st9aily. The number
of houses in this county seat hae doub.
led during the year and still there is
need for about twel ty more residences.
A building to cost $1,000 will probably
be constructed during the year, and be
rented for court house purposes to the
county. The town has now about 400
inhabitants, while Bennington, 20 miles
away has about thf pnany.
Delinquent taxes 4 being paid of
rapidly ard there W G 9 enough money
In tie court fund "a h0 d spring and
= nfher term Of court
Or CondIt spoke f the Immense coal
measures near Aztec, some of which
nave not yet been fled upon. The local
supply is taken fre a the surface and
furnishes good c0a3 that burns with
out clinkers. So,qf b the coal measures
are 30 feet thick al Ee surface, and in
crease in size and az aity With depth.
The COLORADO Fuzzy Iron company is
quietly investigs coal measures
- ...s-.ts-sst. .tlss =.
around Aztec Tnigi may result in
railroad to Aztec and Harrington.
Dr. Condit staies that q railroad from
Santa Fe to the SIAN Juan coal fields
would not cost as much as the road from
Ri Paso to the Capital coal fields has.
and would traverse much richer region.
II the Santa Feshould build such line
it could extend it to DURANGO and then
across Winnemucca pass, the easiest
pass in Colorado, to Wyoming and
Montana Dr. Condit is sure that the
railroad to Aztec will come in the near
future and those who pin their faith to
the San Juan valleys now will then reap
the benefit.