Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-10-03
MESILLA
COLLEGE
Pumping for Irrigation One OF
the Most important Lines OF
Work Undertaken.
RECORD OF A STUDENT
Alfred N. Sanchez, a Graduate, Direc
tor Of Government Soil Work in
Philippines.
Special to New Mexican.


Mesilla Park, Oct 2-The college IS
now in it's fourth week of the present
collegiate year. The total enrolment
and attendance of students is l95,
much greater enrolment for this time
of the year than ever before in the
history OF the institution. The WORK
of the past few weeks has shown tnat
not only have students entered III
greater numbers than heretofore Dut
that thev entered more promptly anu
that the regular work of the year was
taken ND much more quickly than has
been usual.
It is interesting to note the make
I'D ct the enrolment One hundred
and thirty-two of the students are
Young men and So young women; l64
are residents of the Territory; ~
come from other states and IL from
other countries; SO come from places
within the extensive area OF DOna Ana
county. The enrolment in the stem
ggraphy department is particularly
heavy and numbers 49, and OF these,
large proportion have come from DIS
tant points for the purpose OF taxing
M the work in English-Spanish stem
Dgraphy
One of the most important lines OF
work that las been undertaken in re-
cent years by the college is the work
rf pumping for irrigation, and recent
deyelpEments in this investigation,
which have just been compiled, snow
even more satisfactory results tnan
the work of the investigation as here-
tofore published in bulletin 40 OF tne
sexrerin,ent station. In that bulletin 1t
was shown that the college had demon
Strated the practicability OF irr1gatlng
trsm a six inch we'll, at an expense OF
from so to 70 cents per acre for a
three inch irrigation, the cost varying
with the kind of pump tested. Inc
station has recently been testing ~
horse power crude oil engine and the
results so far accomplished show that
purchasing Beaumont crude Oil at
cost of about $3.50 barrel. which In
cludea heavy local freight charges
from Ell paso, Texas, the expense OF q
three inch irrigation is about 81 cents
an acre, or less than half the average
cost as heretofore found in the inyes-
tiraticn. One CT the chief purposes OF
the work being done by the station is
10 reduce the cost of irrigatlng from
wells and the work of the crude on
engine is a big step in this direction
and has practically shown definitely
the feasibility of pumping for lrrlga
tion in the Rio Grande valley at
profit with all crops.
From college student to the direct
Urship OF the U. S. government sol
work in the Philippines within two
years is a rapid and unusual promo
tion for a young man. Yet this IS the
record of one of the Agricultural col
lege students and thereby one more
illustration has been added to the
MANY in recent years of the opportuni
ties TO the young men of New Mexico
who will seize the advantages whicf
the college offers them. From time te
time examples have occurred showing
that the young men OF our Territory
familiar with the Spanish language
who are properly equipped in othel
lines of work, are eagerly seized bJ
our federal government for the new
rositions in this country and the new
possessions open to competent meI
familiar with Spanish. The latest ex
annie of this kind is that OF a young
man graduated from the college II
19O1-Alfred M. Sanchez. Mr.. San
chez was born in the quaint little
town of Mesilla, in this county in 1881
He came Of humble Mexican paren
tape. and was denied the usual advan
tages open to the average young man
With difficulty he procured an ele
rnentary education in the poor schools
ppen to him, and, at the age OF four
teen, entered the preparatory depart
rnent Of the college. His family wa
poor, and for years he had much diffi
Guilty in meeting even the small ex
Denses incident to his attending col
lepp. Perseverance and determine
rion to secure a thorough and practl
cal education, however, won the day
ne was graduated in June, 1901, ant
5mmediately offered minor position
in the college in which he could pros
xcute his special line of work whicl
he had chosen to be in the division Q
soils. Here he labored for the create
rart OF a year when the governmen
offered him a position with the div
sion OF soils at Washington. He pul
sued his work in his new field Wit
the same intelligence and ploddin
that had characterized his colieg
work, with the result that he has JUS
been appointed to take charge OF tn
entire government soil work In tn
icontinued on Page Five.)