The evening times., 1900-05-26
THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.
A Report ON Irrigation and AgrieuI-
tuFe From Consul Kindrick


Charles w. Kindriek. Consul at CIudad
Juarez, writes the State Department as fol-
lows:
For the past two years, the farmers in
| the Rio Grande Valley below Ell Paso, Tex,
and ciudad Juarez, Mexico. have had no
water with which to irrigate their lands.
| and there is no promise of a current in the
Rio .Grande River during the present year
that is, with the exception Of the extra
seasonal water that comes down for brief
period. principally during the month of
May This food water serves no practical
purpose. unless II could be held in reserve
( Agriculture depending upon irrigation de-
rives but slight benefit from water obtain
able for about one month in twelve II
may be stated therefore, that this valley
is now in the third year OF a drought and
the consequences are patent to the most
casual observer. Agriculture has Ian
guished. and dwindling population and di-
minished business testify 20 the apparently
! hopeless condition due to the lack OF sufii-
/ eient water to irrigate the soil. Fruit trees
have withered and died. alfalfa farms have
burned and perished and vineyards once
producing an abundance Of grapes have
ceased 10 yield People have been COM
| PEELED. In many instances. to seek a liyeli-
| hood elsewhere and In other pursuits than
/ the cultivation OF the soil. Formerly,
/ there were in Juarez and the valley below
this city about 10000 people; nav, there
are less than S.G90.
Spreading southeast of Ciudad Juarez
are more than COO acres OF land as frr-
tile-when irrigated-as the bottoms OF the
r "a tue hf4Ef
ness man of this place. who has thorough
knowledge Of existing conditions and latent
! resources. says the valley below and about
! El Paso and JuareZ is capable, with sum
cient water. OF producing more than 81
100000 annually in grain. grass, and fruits
! Without irrigation. II is a dry waste Of
ssiluyial deposit upon which nothing will
grow but cotton trees and useless bosk
From the fact that the soil is naturally
so fertile, IL may be reasonably concFuded
that more water than formerly has been
| drawn from the river in Colorado and
New Mexico. TAere, population has rapid
ly increased. and agriculture has been ex-
tended TO the limit OF the rivers capacity.
| to supply irrrigstiGa- The consequence is
the river ceases to be a river az all before
il reaches El PeSo. Texas, and Ciudad
5uarez. According to the census of 1880,
/ 1000 persons were engaged in the eulti-
walton Cf 100 .Oc0 acres Of land in the Rio
| Grande Valley OF New Mexico. The num-
Der of persons engaged in agriculture and
/ the number of acres added to these already
| cultivated, IL is estimated. have more than
/ doubled. As The amount OF water drawn
! from the Rio Gr2nde IN northern New
Mexico cannot be diminished, the outlook
I for the farming and dependent interests in
/ the valley about and below El Paso and
! Ciudad Juarez Is unprOmising
Each year. with the melting OF the
] snow in Colorado. there is a flood in the
Rio Grande. Sometimes the river be-
/ comes a wide. raging torrent OF large vol
ume The water dashes by for brief
period and then the river becomes dry
again. In 1897 the flood came in such
course. In 1895 il was almost as high
/ In 1893 there was brief flow. which was
! quickly spent. The outlook for a large
volume OF water this spring appears 10 be
unpromising-
This valley will never again prosper M
less something is done TO provide water
| for the purposes OF irrigation And what
| ever may be the law supporting or oppOs-
| ing tue claims of the people OF Mexico
against the United states for the loss Oc-
! casioned by the diversion Of the water. the
| construction Of dam by Government 10
| impOund the food waters OF the Rio
| Grands would constitute an act OF comfy
which would restore prosperity 10 4 Ian
gushing valley and benefit the inhabitants
] OF western Texas and southern New Mex
| ico. as well 49, the citizens Of Mexico Ie-
| siding on the south side Of the Rio
| Grapde."