Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-09-16
MIMbRES VALLEY
WAS DEVASTATED
People We're Found Living on Corn and
Beans Which They Had Dug
Out Of the Bed Of the
River.
RATI0HS WERE DISTRIBUTED
TO 1858 HUNGRY. PEOPLE

The subjoined letter to Governo
Otero shows the actual conditions
found existing in the Mimbres vale!
from the flood. 1t shows pitiabl'
state of affairs and is conclusive evi
dence that the reports that were re-
,eived by the governor and on Which
he proclamation calling for assistance
was issued, were based on the actua
condition of affairs. The letter shows
that the most pressing wants only
We're relieved and there will be great
sufft ring within a short timer The
proc lamation was fully justified by the
, actual conditions:
Office of Mayor,
Silver City, N. M, Sept. IL.
Hon. M. A. Otero,
Governor of New Mexico,
Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Dear Sir and Governor: | returned
yesterday from the Mimbres river val
ley. Messrs Frank Jones, Manuel Tay-
lor and myself arrived at what is call
ed the Mimbres Mill Sunday evening,
the 7th, and found there 80 families
waiting to have rations distributed to
them, which consisted of 116 persons.
Messrs Edward Moulton and j. N.
Dennis had looked the situation over
and called in the people who were real
ly in need. After supplying their
wants we drove to San Lorenzo which
is below on the river, and had Faus-
tine Olguin, Hugh Teel and Valentine
Dominguez prepare list Of the needy
along that section of the river, which
amounted to So 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
further down the river and stopped at
Anastacio Duran's house where the
provisions were stored and there issued
rations to rs families or $50 people. We
then drove down the river to Macedo-
MIA Torres house where the provisions
were stored awaiting our arrival,and at
this point we issued rations to 80 fam
lilies or 1877 persons. The total number
that received rations We're S6S.
We found nearly all of the crops laid
to waste by the flood. only here and
there you would see very small crop
of corn standing, which happened to be
on the high land. The orchards are
damaged to 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 wood
and boulders have struck them and
that most of them will die.
AS far as we could learn the people
whom we supplied with provisions were
living on corn 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.
I can say to you, governor, that 1t |
was pitiable sight to see such beau |
tiful valley cleared of all of it's fine |
crops. and the people left without
scarcely anything to live on. I never
saw people feel SO grateful for the lit
tie assistance they got from the people |
IF Silver City. Some of the poor old |
even cried when expressing
their feeling to us. Their little homes |
are mostly all left and that alone is a |
5od-send to them. After many of them
received their rations the heads Of the |
families (the men) shouldered their |
blankets and started out in search Of |
in different directions. |
What we issued will probably carry |
each family for three weeks, but no
onger, and it will be several months |
before another crop can be raised. I do |
lot ask you to take our word for the |
destruction done, but write to the best
men on the river and with the excep-
ion of two storekeepers and one or two |
parties who own cattle, you will find
nut we are right.
Respectfully yours,
J. w. FLEMING,