Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-04-14

San Juan is one of the banner coun-
ties Of New Mexico, and is just now en-
tering upon an era Of prosperity that
Is unprecedented in it's history To a
greater extent than ever before are set
tiers going into San,Juan county and It's
fertile and productive land is in greater
demand than ever. Its splendid soil,
everlasting supply of water its pro-
ductions of fruit and agriculture with
it's poultry and dairy products have
brought this county to the front as one
of the best. most productive and pros
porous localities in the southwest. The
great orchards, farms, alfalfa fields,
poultry and dairy enterprises of the
county will support vast number OF
people and the mining and lumber
camps of southern Colorado draw near
ly all their supplies from this section.
For the past five years San Juan
county has been attracting an enter
prising lot of farmers, fruit growers
and business men who have so adver-
tised the natural resources of the coun-
ty that it has become famous as one Of.
the great fruit belts of the southwest,
and one of the finest and richest agri-
cultural regions to be found in the
Rocky mountain region. The class Of
settlers is particularly desirable and it
Is one of the most industrious sections
of the territory.
AZTEC AND FARMINGTON.
The two principal towns, Aztec and
Pennington, have grown, developed
and improved beyond all expectations.
While they have no direct railroad con-
nection with the outside world, yet a
good stage line to Durango and tele-
phone connection with the surrounding |
country help them both materially
During the past year two important
standard gauge lines of railroad have
been surveyed through the county and
the nature Of the surveys and the COM
plete and thorough manner in which
the work was done, indicate that there
is strong probability that both roads
will be built in the near future. One of
the roads is known as the Durango
Southern, Clifton, Arizona and Gulf
Railroad with Durango, Colorado, as
the north terminal and Clifton, Arizona,
as the south terminal. The other is the
Albuquerque and Durango railroad
which has been surveyed by the Penn
sylvania Construction Company and
is supposed to be a part of the Santa
Fe Central system.
That one or the other of these roads
will be built in the near future, there
is little doubt, and it is probable that
both will be constructed. There are
large bodies Of bituminous cokng coal
found under the entire west half of this
large county and these offer induce
ments to railroads to penetrate this
section in addition to the other resour-
ces, Capital is seeking investment
here and the coal field will be found
profitable place for 1t.
IRRIGATION POSSIBILITIES.
Another improvement under contem-
plation is in the line of irrigation. The
irrigation commission Of New Mexico
has unanimously recommended to the
secretary Of the interior that pre-
liminary survey be made in San Juan
county with the view of expending
some Of the money now in the federal
irrigation fund to build some irrigating
canals and storage reservoirs in this
section in order that some very large
and fertile bodies Of land which are
now lying idle may be brought under !
irrigation and made productive. This
was approved by the
s5th legislative assembly which adopt
ed a memorial to the President OF the
United States and the secretary OF the
Interior asking that the surveys be
made. It Is probable there is not an
other county in the territory where SO,
great an amount Of good can be ac-
by the expenditure of an
equal amount of money. San Juan
county is by nature one Of the richest !
agricultural, fruit growing and stock
raising sections in the southwest.