Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-01-31
DELEGATE
RODEY'S PLAN
Suggests Turning Ft. Marcy
Over to the City by Pro-
clamation.
FOR Benefit OF SCHOOLS
Attention Of the Secretary Of the
Tntarior Was Called to it and
tops
FOR Benefit OF SCHOOLS

| SUlISLsO. DdIlIetl ike
received from Delegate B. S. Rodey a
copy of a letter sent by that official to
the secretary of the interior regarding
the disposition of the Fort Marcy reser-
walton. After enumerating the numer-
Gus petitions and letters received on
the subject, Mr.. Rodey says:
'.The purport of all these papers is,
that the people of the city of Santa Fe
want to get possession of this Fort
Marcy military reservation for the pur-
pose of using it for school purposes,
which is a crying need indeed of that
city. The intent is, if title can be OBJ
tained to the land, to at once make an
effort to raise money and put up one or
more fine school buildings and to rent
or dispose of the balance Of the land
for the benefit of the schools. 1t is ex-
pected that the territory will, through
it's legislature now in session, give ma
terial and labor from the penitentiary,
which is located In that city, to help
erect the schools that are contemplated,
and they are to be magnificent ones.
1.-THE governor of the territory now
resides on the southeast corner of the
tract in question. The tract contains
something like II acres. There is a pro-
vision of law, with which officials in
your department are quite familiar, au-
thorizing the president in his discretion,
to reserve from sale any abandoned
military reservation, not exceeding 20
acres in extent, that may have been
turned over to the department of the
interior, as this has been, and to grant
it for public use to the municipality in
which the same is situate.
'It is a very easy method Of getting
title to this ground, if the city of Santa
Fe can get it by mere proclamation Of
the president Of the United States,
gives the best idea as to the disposition
of the ground, but do not think 1t
would be we'll to give it to the territory
because that would require an act of
congress such as this Is and take a long
time. I respectfully recommend that
the proper law officers Of your depart
ment draw resolution granting this
land for public use to the city Of Santa
Fe and specifying that, as to that por-
ton upon which the governor lives, the
same shall be for that particular public
use so long as the capital of the terri
tory, or state, remains in the city Of
Santa Fe and then go to the schools,
and granting the balance to the city for
the use of the schools. If proclama-
ton can be drawn so as to vest the city
Of Santa Fe with title to this ground for
use Of schools and governors residence,
as contemplated by the enclosed draft
of bill, it will settle all disputes in the
city of Santa Fe and will, 1 am sure,
carry out every purpose or idea any Of
the people or factions there have.
IT will be very thankful to receive
word as to what can be done in this
matter promptly as have neglected 1t
in an endeavor to find time
to come and see you personally about
1t. However, am sure that an exam
ination Of the papers will convey fully
to your mind every idea that could
by personal interview on the subject"