Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1901-07-27
AN INTERVIEW WITH
GOVERNOR OTERO
He Has at Heart the Welfare of the Terri
tory and is Doing All Within His
Power for It's Upbuilding.
SOME Big IRRIGATION PROJECTS

following article concerning New Mex
leo irrigation and the Jealous efforts of
Governor Otero to develop the natural
resources of the territory ."
The irrigation commission of New
Mexico has let another big contract for
irrigation plants, and the company is
now arranging to begin work on the
preliminary survey of the ground.
The last contract is in the TularOsa
valley, on the El Paso &, Northeastern
railroad, and in the immediate territory
of FL Paso. The company has head
quarters in Colorado Springs. and has
contracted for a lease of 100000 acres
bound itself to put in a complete sys-
tenn of dams and canals and put the
land in a state of cultivation within a
limited time
Governor Otero of New Mexico, who
was in El Paso with a party of friends
this morning, talked with every conf
dence of the purpose and ability of the
company and said that the scheme was
the most plausible ever undertaken in
the territory.
"All the west is becoming interested
in irrigation now," said the governor to
a Herald reporter, "and great things
will be accomplished within the next
few years. The commission recently
let a contract to a company of eastern
people to reclaim 100000 acres lying be-
nd J,a
work of surveying the ground and lay
ing out the canals is already in pro-
gress. The company has plenty of
money ,and what is better than ALL
every faith in the scheme. 1t has had
the best men in the country to inspect
the ground, and it has been found that
nearly all the land it has can be irri-
gated with little expense, comparative
ly.
"The Colorado company which has
just secured a contract in the Tularosa
valley, is also sufficiently strong, and
has even better opportunities than the
Deming company. The land around
Tularosa is as fine as any in the west.
and is much prettier. The company
will put in several large reservoirs on
the little streams there, to catch the
flood waters from the mountains, and
there can be no doubt that the COM
pany will get all the water it wants.
Long canals will cross the country in
every direction, and nearly every foot
of the land can be cultivated
when that section is in cultivation
it will be a veritable garden, as there
is no prettier strip of land in the coun-
try. Anything in the way of fruit and
vegetables can be raised there, and the
whole southwest will profit by the
companys efforts"
The governor became intensely ki-
terested in discussing the matter, and
one could tell that he was looking into
the future-into the day when New
Mexico would not be listed with the
states and territories of the great des-
ert, but be included with the garden
territories of the country. 1t is evil
dent that he has the best interests of
his territory at heart, and is doing all
he can to promote agriculture and
| mining in every section.
Since his reappointment to the gov
ernor's chair few weeks ago, Cover
nor Otero has put in most of his time
bringing northern and eastern capital
| lists into the country and has done
much good in this line. He has brought
| several mining companies there, who
| have invested their money and started
| in to develop largse sections of the
country. He Is now with President
Lowder of Leadville, showing him
why Ell Paso is better place for a
sme1ter than any point in Colorado
and where he can get plenty of rich
ore in New Mexico, only few miles
| from the seat of operation.
Politics is not worrying the governor
since his last appointment, and he Is
devoting his time to business He
makes frequent trips to various parts
of the country, and is studying every
section, with the view Of starting some
great enterprise there that will devel-
op the unknown natural resources OF
his commonwealth.