Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1903-12-09

VI AetrltOry 70 be SOlo 10 Specus
latOrs for Low Price.
Santa Fe, N. M, Dec. s. The Com
mission Of Irrigation for the Territory
of New Mexico has been holding ses-
sions here.
Three propositions were submitted to
the commission for the purchase Of land
under the act of congress OF June 81,
1898. This act set aside 800, 900 acres
Of land to be sold for the establishment
of permanent reservoirs, and 100, 900 for
the Improvement of the Rio Grande and
its surface water.
The principal proposition considered
was submitted by T. A. Schomberg of
Denver, who represented lumber com
pany. He wished to buy between l5,-
600 and SlS, 900 acres of timber land in
Rio Arriba county, q miles from 0jo
Caliente at SO an acre. Half of the
land has not yet been surveyed by the
government and the purchase would
necessitate the building of a railroad.
The proposition was accepted con-
ditionally. Mr. SchOmberg and as
sociates must make deposit of 25 cts.
an acre. The land would then be Of
fered for sale to the highest bidder for
cash and if no better offer was made
the land would be turned over to Mr..
Schomberg.
The above article looks alright on it's
face but we would like to suggest to
the people of the terri
tory that it would be a good thing to
inquire into this thing a little. The
proposition that the la ,d will be sold to
raise money for irrigation works is all
right. The establishment of irriga-
tion systems in this territory, will do
more than any other one thing toward
the development of our resources. The
sale of this land, which no doubt, is
mostly of IA class that could not be
used for the purpose of building homes
to some one whu will use the timber
for manufacturing purposes is the pro-
per thing to do, and we would not lay
straw in the way Of such a sale. 1t is
well however, for the citizens of New
Mexico to profit the experience of other
states in regard to the disposition of
our, all too scant, supply of timberland.
We need not mention the many cases
where individuals or companies have
made fortunes out Of the product of
timber land purchased at such ridicu-
lously low prices as are here mentioned,
and the land after being stripped was
turned back to be sold for taxes. The
profit from these lands belong to the
people of the territory, and to them
they should go. This need not work
any hardship on anyone however, as
the person or company who spend their
money to build a railroad into those
mountains and bring these timber into
market are entitled to fair compensa-
tion for oheir effort and nothing more,
If they get more than that, the people
are losing by their gair.
Again, as to the manner of selling
the land, the above article says: ut
will be put up at public auction and if
no higher bid is received it will be sold
to Mr.. Schomberg."
That sounds easy, let US look at it
a minute or two.
Does II say when II is to be sOld2
Does anyone know that this tract
Of valuable territorial timber
land Is to auctiOned OF to the
highest bidder2 Will this fact
be advertised, with description
OF the land, for period Of time
long enough to enable persons
interested TO 80 and examine the
property before the day Of sals3
Not one acre of our land should be
sold to anyone without first being
thoroughly advertised throughout the
territory, with full description of the
land, and we think 1t should be aprris-
cd and a value placed on it below which
it could not be sold. This is not a
question Of party politics but a ques-
ton of right in which every citizen of
the territory is interested, and now
is a good time to agitate the matter.
Locates Here
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