Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-05-09
The Resources and Attractions
Of the Pecos Valley as
Viewed by an Out
slider.
CARLSBAD
AND ROSWELL.
Both Towns Are Among the Most Pros
porous in New Mexico and Have
Fine Prospects.

The following well written article on
the Pecos Valley is from the pen of J.
W. Canada. the editor Of the magazine,
Ell Porvenir, and will no doubt prove
of interest to students of the early his
tory Of New Mexico:
The Rio Pecos, a historical river of
importance since the days of the very
earliest of the Spanish explorers, rises
in range of the Rocky Mountains in
north-central New Mexico, near Las
Vegas, and not far from Santa Fe the
ancient city and modern capital Re-
ceiving in its upper course numerous
small mountain tributaries, it then
| flows almost directly south through
the eastern half of the Territory.
What is known agriculturally and
commercially as the Pecos Valley and
therefore described in this sketch, is
that favored part of the river course
through Chaves and Eddy. the south
eastern counties of New Mexico The
Pecos Valley lines, portion of the
great Santa Fe system, extend north
and south throughout the length of the
valley, uniting all the flourishing towns
and rural communities and affording
facile communication with all the out
lying markets in either direction.
In the prehistoric days what we
know as the Pecos Valley was undoubt-
edly one of the favored abiding places
of those primitive races which depend
ed upon their flocks and herds for sus-
tenance, and for the few people who
titled the soil. True it is that the more
mountainous, rocky regions to the
north and west have better preserved
| the curious architectural remains OF
the cliff dwellers and their kin, but
enough Is found in this valley to prove
that it was the happy home of peace
full tribes.
Coming down to the days of the
Spanish occupation, the valley rises in
to immediate Importance Coronado
himself, the great explorer, in his mar
velous march to Quivera which ended
in northern Kansas in 1541, crossed the
Pecos River on his northward journey
and again on his return toward Mexico
Forty years later Espejo entered the
valley with an expedition from the
northwest, and marched southwark
throughout the entire length Of it. He
found the plains covered with immense
herds of buffaloes, fattening ON the
rich grasses that have brought wealth
to SO many ranchmen in later years.
From that time the Pecos Valley was
familiar road for many an explorer
and missionary of the Spanish regime
AS soon as industrial life extended this
far from the southern provinces of
Mexico under Spanish rule, cattle be-
gan to be bred and grazed on these
plains. as they were throughout the
great southwest Then through all
the political changes, from Spanish to
Mexican rule and from Mexican to
that of the United States. there was
little alteration until the era OF rail-
ways and irrigation began. less than
20 years ago. The Pecos Valley was
favored by man as it was by nature.
for even warfare troubled it but little.
The Mexican war never disturbed it.
The Confederate invasion to Santa Fe
in 1862 barely crossed it. And even
the wars with the Indians-Pueblo.
Apache and Chiricahua-barely intrud-
ed upon the peaceful valley. when the
rest of the Territory was harrassed and
terrified by the restless red men.
Irrigation. planned and directed by
skillful and scientific men. has brought
into profitable cultivation this smiling
valley. long abandoned to pastoral
use. This science of irrigation, which
makes the agriculturist the absolute
master of his acres and his crops, car
ried to perfection as it is here, is still
the same influence which in cruder
form was enlisted by the very races
which lived in the valley and passed
away thousand years ago.
By the construction of storage reser-
voirs and canals. at cost of millions
of dollars, water is ready at hand for
every farmer when he wants it for the
best treatment of his crops. Instead of
depending upon erratic rainfall, that
inferior substitute for irrigation, he
commands his water supply. thus In
suring the highest degree of product
iyeness. The result is that settlement
and prosperity have advanced rapidly
hand in hand, until today the valley is
recognized as one of the most desirable
regions for agriculture in the United
States.
The climatic conditions with refer
ence to health are especially inviting,
as well as those favorable for agricul-
ture, fruit and stock growing. The
average winter is short and large
portion is open and mild. permitting
Continued on Page Three.