Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-07-12
Progress Of Rock Island Means
Opening Of Territory To
Settlement
ROMANTIC HIST
DRY RECALLED
Companions ofKit Carson on the
Grant. Wealth Of Gold. Sil-
yer and Iron

yer and Iron
The completion iii the Rock "a
lands ueE line III i59 miles sonneet
Ing Dawson, = n. with Teeumeari
where II joins The niain line VI I'll
road between Chicago and FL Pasc
last rear marked another Step III ri
opening IA the pid Maxwell land gran
To public improvement and utility.
Tie h!story IF this grant Of Il
7ii.Iss acres. one n tie largest and
most valuable Ter which i patent was
ever issued by me United States. 4
most romantic.
The grant. which was slsaata pasf
~ Ia colfax county, Ii aortaera Ses
Mexico. and partly in Las Aniasas
county. In the southern part m Colo.
rado. comprised land he'd 10 turn III
four governments.
Before the spaniaras conquered
Mexico, the land was bold by tbs
Aztec tribes. and many relics of these
ancient people and their civilization
are still found within lis boundaries
The land was finally taken III spain
and it, ancient owners were exser
minated. Then the Spanish rulers.
gave place 10 those Of The Mexican
republic. and they III turn surrender
ed Il 10 the United States sfter re.
Mexican war.
Some years prior tn the last change
IN ownership, however. he republic
Of Mexico granted the land after
wards comprised III the Maxwell grant
to two Menicans, Carlos Eesrofen sns
Guadalupe Miranda. for settlement
BeaubIen was q natrraisxei Mexican,
having been 4 FTenrhrnan Iii birth
and one ~ the hardy voysgers who
acted as sFents of The American Fur
Company IN The early DAYS o. The
west.
companlon d Kit Carson.
Another employe of the fnr corn
pany and an associate Of these men
vas Lucien p. Maxwell. 4 native al
Illinois, Maxwell soon gained the
reputation Of being a ahrexd ana
daring guide. even amcrr sneh men
as Kit Carson. and be accompaniea
that famous frontiersman on his et.
petition with John G Fremont. 10 cal
~ifornia. which made ne whole party
known throughout he country. Upon
HIS return from this expedition MAJ
well married a daughter q Beaahbaa
and settled down 10 ranch lie an
Boon became as widely known a. !
ranehero a. be had beea as i guide
After the death Of Beaahian he pnr.
chased the Interests II Miranda ans
the other heirs Il he Cd msn. ana
thus became what Is saId to have
been the largest land owner III me
United States. Maxwell was the PRO
prietor On land enough to have g.
cured him any title he Nigh, xssl
for had be been living ii i monarchy.
but as Il was be wss content ID iivs
the lie n a simple American CHI
ren-
In 1860 the congress ot the unaed
States confirmed the title 10 The
grant. and N 1873 The government
issued . patent 70 Il. which was con
firned ~ 4 decision q the supreme
court q The United States 10 April.
1851.
The land vas finally transferred by
Msrseii % The MARVEL Land Grant
Company, whose general offices we're
at Ration. y NJ and whose general
manager was formerly II. r. Pels. II
Denver.
Under this managener, the lad
was developed. large reservoirs and
systems Of bitches were constructed.
which vatered an area ~ about q,
900 acres. The water being secured
from The cimarron. yerneho and RED
Farms we're fenced az. ranch
buildings constructed ana an sra 81
prosperity began for the district.
Gold. Silver ard Iron.
Besides The lard under cultivation
On the plains The gran, originally
comprised some hundreds II ,hous.
nnds Of acres Of land il The noun.
aims, much o. which has since prov.
20 be o. incaicuiabie salae. There
3 said 70 have been s90D0p acres a.
'oai land on The ranges within the
rant alone. Gold and silver quartz
Mines and gold placer mines were
ound In abundance. and iron ore In
peat quantities vas discovered III
many places. \