Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1903-02-09

by three-fourths which would be COW
cred to a depth of thirty feet, after al
lowing for evaporation, seepage and
siltage.
Surrounding this basin Is an extern
sive watershed, a rough estimate of
which gives a matter of 200 square
miles from which the water must drain
to this outlet, and from past expert
ence the projectors have a right to as
sumo that n heavy storm will fill the
reservoir to overlooking.
At the lowest estimate made by quail
flied engineers, this dam will conserve
water to irrigate 40 1000 acres of land,
and 1t is needless to dilate upon the
fertility of the soil of the Rio Grande
watershed. Suffice 1t 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 a 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 will come under the
dam is naturally level and free from
trees and brush, but several varieties
of grass grow luXuriantly and the coun-
try is ut present a model range for cat
tie. The soil contains sand enough to
make 1t easily tillable and 1t would be-
come richer and more pliable the more
it is irrigated. as the water from the
reservoir wouli contain a considerable
percentage of %fertilizing material
washed down from mountain and plain
by each succeeding storm. The posi-
bilities of a ranch under conditions
like these can be fully appreciated by
those familiar with farming by irriga-
ton. To the eastern farmer 1t would
be a Paradise.
AS there is range for many more cat
tie than are kept at the present time
owing to lack of water, 1t is likely the
cattle business would prove a source Of
large profit to those interested In this
enterprise. Mining would also receive
a great impetus, as there would be a
portion of the year when the ranch
would not need the presence of the
male members of the family, and with
intelligent development the mines adj
jacent to the reservoir could be made
to pay well, there being deposits of ore
for miles in every direction from the
damsite.
Considering its proximity to good
markets, the assurance of unlimited
water. a wonderfully fertile soil, a eli
mate u%nequalled in all the world for
healthfulness, the numerous industries
to be fostered by the project, the large
profits which will accrue to investors
for money advanced and to raichers
for labor expended, the certainty of
permanency of improvements, the very
small cost Of original improvements
compared with value of results, and
last. though not least, the influence of
successful contamination of the enter
prise would have upon other irrigation
projects in the territory, there seems
no good reason why the work of con-
struction should be hindered for the
want of encouragement by capital.
Engineers are now in the field max
ing all necessary surveys, and the
company has made application to the
irrigation commission for 5000 acres
of land at the north end of the noun
tains below the reservoir site. The
survey now being made is at the re-
quest VI IHt tOullnlSslOH anu as SOOH az
the land is set aside the company will
begin work. The storage of TINS water
will be the beginning of the actual
utilization of the arid lands of the Jor-
nado del Muerto. The promoters hope
to get arrangements completed so as
to store the rainfall of the coming sum-
mer, or at least a portion of it.
Another c~ommendable feature of the
enterprise is that no waste water will
pass owe the dam, but will pass away
owe a lime stone ridge a mile and a
half further east. so that there should
be a great overflow at any time the
cultivated lands would not be injured
by II.
The food waters from this great wa
ter shed have for centuries gone to
waste for want of a storage reservoir,
but now many thousands of acres of
rich, fertile lands, which only produce
gramma grass for pasturage are to be
brought under cultivation, and homes
for many people created, where but lit
tie toll and exertion is needed to bring
about the independence and comfort so
generally sought after by intelligent
cultiyators of the soil.