Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-02-14

There were series OF upheayels
and submersions, the evidence OF
which is seen In the rocks Of the coun.
try; the last disturbance formed the
present mountain chasms and was no
doubt accompanied and followed by
volcanic eruptlons.
Following the last great upheavel
was a period when large rivers coursed
along the foot of the mountain ranges.
while large inland lakes OF both fresh
aud salt water occupied depressions In
the mountain plateaus These were fed
by copious rains as well as by noun
tain springs.
There is much evidence that during
this time and for ages following. the
country was thickly populated by n
people who had attained a remarkable
degree OF civilization. They built large
pueblos, the ruins Of which are now
found many miles from water. The re-.
mains o. extensive irrigating bitches
Pnd reservoirs prove this lost race con
t,nued living here after the birth OF the
desert. which was ultimately the doom
of great people. the interruption OF a
civilization which had Il been allowed
TO continue might have equalled any OF
olden times As the rainfall grew less
and less the people fed TO the great
waterways whore they lived for thous-
ands Of years
Their ultimate fate. which IL a sub.
ject of much speculation. is not subject
matter for this article.
one OF the most interesting OF the
large number OF ancient lake-beds in
New Mexico. is one at the foot OF the
san Andraes mountains just west Of
the pass which separates the range
from the Oscura mountains Here n
lake four or five miles long by mile
In width existed for ages and until
comparatively ,ecent period, geolog.
ically speaking. II ultimately found an
outlet TO the west, which detained Il, |
and now foods OF water annually fol. |
low the ancient channel to go to waste |,
upon the desert below.
Several years ago Hon. W. s. hope |
well built dam across the channel. |
but as II was OF earth and brush IL |
soon washed away. other parties have |
made spasmodic attempts TO impound /
the water all to no purpose. as there Is .
large watershed to the basin and the .
iabors Of MANY weary years were
swept away often In few hours The
dam site Is now occupied by +. w
Brown as homestead.
From previous experience and obser-
walton Mr. Brown saw the possibilities
OF the location for great reservoir
and irrigation system. A few months
since the San Andraes Irrigation com
pany was organized by Messrs T. w
Brown, c. G. Cruickshank. s. O. Han.
ma, Frank johnson and few other
progressive citizens of San Marcial.
and II is believed that before many
months have gllded by active work
will be under way IN the construction
OF the dam
While this Is work of considerable
magnitude, II Is n small undertaking
compared with others in existence
which do not irrigate much more land
than this will when competed as ma
ture has constructed the two ends of
this dam OF everlasting mountains of
rock from which can be quarried an
abundance of material for the work in
hand. All this material can be taken
from a point above the top Of the pro- I
posed dam as it Is being built. This I
rock Is hard. fine grained stratifed /
blue limestone. the different stratas !
varying In thickness from one 10 three {
feet. and at no time need the quarried /
rock be more than few feet from the !
end OF the dam while il Is In course of 7
!
construction. I
The site chosen for the dam Is below !
where the work has been done. or I
rather attempted in years past. Here /
the distance between hills at the top 6
of the foundation Is but SIXTY five !
yards. ,
To the west Is a hill which Is approx. /
imately the top OF the dam To the $
east D. a lower bill upon the top u !
which the dam viii extend. and q care :
ful survey and estimate shows $4,000 :
cubic wards VIII construct a dam eigh Il
IS feet in height. ten feet wide on top. a
" "a base width OF ninety feet F,
car iul survey OF the water level from
these figures shows an area Of one mile 4
by three-fourths which would be COY. l.
cred 10 depth % thirty feet, after al. n
lowing for evaporation, seepage and !
s,itsge :
Surrounding this basin Is an extern 4
sive watershed, a rough estimate of \
which gives matter OF 200 square =
miles from which the water must drain =
70 this outlet, and from past expert
eDCe the projectors have a right TO as
sumo that one heavy storm Will al the .
reservoir TO overlooking
AT the lowest estimate ma4e by quail !
fled engineers. this dam will conserve /,
water 20 irrigate 10000 acres OF land,
and il is needless TO dilatc upon the /,
fertility Of the soil OF the Rio Grande
watershed Suffice II TO say. it is a rich =
adobe which under water will produce
abundantly. Experiments go TO show
that thirty bushels Of wheat to the ,
acre is conservative estimate. while !
corn. oats barley and alfalfa. as well ,
as fruits and vegetables Of all kinds !
will yield largely. AS a wheat crop
would be- raised upon winter rains,
With one irrigation in the spring, the
bulk Of the water stored would be
available for other crops.
The land which VIII come under the
dam II naturally level and free from
trees aud brush, but several varieties
o. grass grow luxuriantly and the coun.
try Is a present model range for cat.
ne. The soil contains sand enough 90
make {; easily tillable and II would be
come Ficher and more pliable the more
Il Is irrigated as the water from the