Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-09-18
M|MBRES VALLEY.
An Investigation Proves That the
People are in Actual Want.
RATlONS WERE DISTRIBUTED.

The s%ubjoined letter to Governor
Otero shows the actual condluons
found existing in the Mimbres valley
from the flood. 1t shows a ~pitiable
state of affairs and is conclusive evil
dence that the reports that were re-
ceived by the governor and on which
the proclamation calling for assistance
was issued, were based on the actual
condition of affairs. The letter shows
that the most pressing wants only
were relieved and there will be great
suffering within a short time. The
proclamation was fully justified by the
actual conditions
Office of Mayor,
Silver City, N. M. Sept. III
Hon. NJ. A. Otero. Governor of New
Mexico. Santa Fe, N. NJ.
Dear Sir and Governor: | returned
yesterday from the Mimbres river val.
ley. Messrs. Frank Jones, Manuel Tay-
Tor and myself arrived at what is call
ed the Mimbres mill Sunday evening,
the 9TH, and found there 80 families
waiting to have rations distributed to
them, which consisted of 116 persons.
Messrs. Edward Moulton and j. ~.
Dennis, had looked the situation over
and called in the people who were real
1y in need. After supplying their
wants we drove to San Lorenzo, which
is below on the river. n had Faus-
tine Olguin, Hugh Teel and Valentine
Dominguez prepare a list of the needy
along that section of the river, which
amounted to 60 families; we then had
them called in and issued rations to
them. After which we drove to the
town of San Juan, about seven miles
farther down the river and stopped at
Anastacio Duran's house, where the
provisions were stored and here issued
rations to 70 families or $50 people.
We then drove down the river to Mace
donia Torres house where the provis-
ions were stored awaiting our arrival,
and at this point we issued rations to
thirty families or 1877 persons. The
total number that received rations
were S6S.
We found nearly all of the crops laid
to waste by the flood, only here and
there you would see a very small crop
Of corn standing, which happened to
be on the high land. The orchards are
damaged to a great extent; hundreds
of trees are washed away, and those
that are not washed away have debris
piled against them, such as rocks, boul-
ders and drift wood, from five to seven
feet high, and the owners say that they
fear that all the trees will have the
bark all torn off where the drift WOO
and boulders have struck them, and
that most of lnem will die.
AS far as we could learn the people
whom we supplied with provisions
were living on corr and beans which
they were digging out of the bed of the
river, the same having been washed
down and covered up with sand and
drift, and the corn and beans it is said
had commenced to turn sour.
| can say to you, governor, that 1t
was a pitiable sight to see such a beau
tiful valley cleared of all of its fine
crops, and the people left without
scarcely anything to live on. l never
saw people feel so grateful for the lit
tie assistance they got from the people
of Silver City. Some of the poor old
women even cried when expressing
their feelings to us. Their little homes
are mostly all left and that alone is a
God-send to them. After many of them
received their rations the heads of the
families (the mem shouldered their
blankets and started out in search of
employment in different directions
What we issued will probably carry
each family for three weeks, but no
longer. and it will be several months
before another crop can be raised. do
not ask you to take our word for the
destruction done, but write to the best
men on the river and with the eXcep-
ton of two storekeepers and one or
two parties who own cattle, you will
find we are right.
Very respectfully,
]. w. FLEMING,
49,. - cflvr.r Citr-