Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-08-21
PETITION GRANTED.
Five Thousand Sheep and Goats Can
Craze on Pscos Reserve,
PRIVILEGED FOR SIXTY DAYS.

A few days ago a delegation of citi-
zens of southeastern Rio Arriba county
and residing in the vicinity of Los
Trampas, called on Governor Otero
and presented a petition, signed by
several hundred persons, setting forth
that the residents of that section were
farmers and stock raisers in a small
way. that each head of a family owned
a few sheep and goats; that they de-
pended for a livelihood upon their
crops and on the few animals owned
by them; that the drought of the pres
ent year was very severe and was
proving of great hardship to them;
that in addition to the drought, grass
hoppers had, in a large measure, de-
stroyed their agricultural crops that
the ranges that they had heretofore
used for their sheep and goats. were
this year valueless on account of the
drought and the scarcity of water and
grass; therefore these petitioners, liv-
ing but a few miles from the north
western portion of the Pecos forest re-
serve, asked Governor Otero to pre-
sent their cases to the department of
the interior and to obtain for them. If
possible, permission to Craze their
sheep and goats, the number not to ex.
coed 5000. upon the Pecos forest re-
serve, they hoping that the drought
would soon be broken and that the
range and water supply usually used
by them for the herding of their sheep
and goats would Don be in a condi.
ton to allow them to do so again.
Governor Otero accordingly thor
oughly investigated the statements of
the petitioners, believing these petit
TONERS to be worthy people and also
having come to the conclusion that the
aid requested by them, namely being
allowed to Craze their 5000 sheep and
goats upon the Pecos forest reserve if
v~ouchsafed them by the government,
would save them from probable ruin,
he addressed a communication, giving
a full recital OF the facts and condi-
tons in the matter, to the secretary of
the interior and recommended that the
petition be favorably considered. He
also requested that the action of the
department be te~legraphed to him.
Tuesday afternoon he received the fol-
lowing dispatch:
Washington, ID. c., Aug. 10, 1902
The Governor of New Mexico, Santa
Fe, N. M: Have directed commission
er general land Office to permit grazing
of 5000 sheep and goats in Pecos for
est reserve from August 20 to October
20, as requested in yours of 18th.
THOS, RYAN, Acting Secretary.
AS in all cases affecting the welfare
of the people of the territory, Gov,
ernor Otero acted with promptitude
and alertness in the interests of these
petitioners, made his recommends
ton as strong as possible and the re-
suit naturally will prove very bene-
fetal to these poor people, who, per
head of a family or per single man
over Fl years of age, own from thirty
to forty head of sheep and goats, this
live stock being the principal portion
of this worlds goods possessed by
them. In addition the action of the
department is gratifying to the gov
ernor, as he was thus enabled to be of
service to these deserving and good
people. The course of the interior de-
partment is acceptable to the people
of that section and fully approved by
those who are acquainted with the
case and the circumstances connected
with it.