Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-08-06
GRANT PATENT ISSUED.
THE GOVERNMENT SENDS PAT
ENT OF LAS VEGAS GRANT
TO THE TRUSTEES.
GREAT GOOD TO ENTIRE PEOPLE

Vi i0hN OihSO Va thC ChANNN otalNs
for over four hundred thousand acres
of land in favor Of Las Vegas, and
which covers ninety-two pages OF
closely written matter, was received
from Washington yesterday
1t commences by reciting the act
of congress passed in 1858 establish
ing the Office Of surveyor general in
New Mexico for the purpose Of seq.
regating the Mexican land grants from
the public domain.
Then follows history of the appli-
cation Of the heirs Of Luis Ma. Baca
in 1921 for the same tract of land,
who failed to take possession on ac-
count of Indian troubles.
1t then recites the application of
Juan de Dios Maese and associates in
1885 for the same tract.
Finally it reviews the action taken
by congress in 1860 to quiet the title
by giving the Baca heirs an equal
amount Of land from other portions of
the public domain, which act also con-
firmed the grant to the town of Las
Vegas according to the report of the
surveyor general, who recognized this
tract as community grant
The title to this splendid tract Of
land in which every citizen on the
grant shares is a birthright Of no
small proportions. The land is i'm
mediately surrounding Las Vegas;
much of 1t can be controlled by a
proper system Of reservoirs for stor-
ing the flood waters Of the Gallinas
ami Sapell0 rivers. II viii be d great
resource in the future growth and
development Of this section. Why
the title was not settled and water
stored fifty years ago would make
an interesting history and a sad com.
mentary on the ills which follow when
territorial interests are allowed to
take precedence over the general pub.
lie welfare.
The minimum number of acres
which can be cultivated near Las We
gas is estimated to be twenty-five
thousand Many think that seventy.
five thousand acres can be success.
fully cultivated. To illustrate what
has been lost in the past fifty years
to this community by not storing the
flood waters, II Is sufficient at this
time to allow that II $4,000 acres OF
land had been under successful cult.
walton in alfalfa there would have
been a net profit of $500, ,000-allow.
ing only a minimum profit Of two dol.
lars per ton, estimating yield Of
three tons per acre and profit Of
five dollars per ton over $4,000 A0Q
would have been received for the
products in the past fifty years. Al
the present price for alfalfa the an
nual revenue from this source would
be In gross figures over seven hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars, equal
to one and one-half times more than
Is at present received for the wool
marketed in this city. There would
be saved incidentally besides the
above amount all the money now sent
east for flour, feed, meats, eggs, chick
ems, butter, etc.
The board Of trustees who are man
aging the grant believe the general
government will undertake to build
large reservoir system on the Lar
Vegas grant and are diligently work
ing for 1t. They expect the hearty
cooperation Of all citizens TO this end
The expect every good citizen TO al
low the dead past to bury It's dead,
to wipe on the slate and begin again
for a greater Las Vegas.