Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-10-24
MONDAY EVENING, OCT. "a. 1904
rne ALL.lmpoRTANT SUBJECT

The most important subject before
the people of this community and OF
every community throughout the
arid region. today. Is irrigation.
Consequently the great national
congress which meets In Ill Paso
next month TO consider this subject
In all OF It's bearings should be the
focus OF the interest of the people OF
New Mexico, Every citizen who Is
able should arrange to be there and
add his presence and influence to
the great movement which has gain
ed power 50 wonderfully within the
last few years. Especially at this
time, when the fate OF the Las Vegas
reservoir project is hanging in the
balance should the interest Of this
community In the question as a ma
tional question becomes important
and potent only by virtue Of the Re-
clamation Service Of the government
which 80 lately been established on
a most ~far-reaching basis.
The officers OF this department
who have Just departed from Las We
gas have made their final report OF
the feasibility Of an undertaking In
this locality and within the next
thirty days probably the matter will
be definately taken up or abandoned.
II ID understood that the crucial
point on which the project now turns
IL the price per acre" Of reclaimed
land which the undertaking would
involve. The site for the reservoir
10 furnished ny nature. the available
water 10 amply sufficient. the engi.
neering difficulties presented are not
formidable. and the land in question
will be promptly rendered by the Las
yegas Grant Commissioners.
But the acreage available is limited
and the cost per acre will undounted-
ly be high. This much the engineers
have stated. The qestion IL whether
the farmers who come In TO occupy
land after 1t Is reclaimed could az
ford TO pay one-tenth OF the per acre
cost back to the government every
year for ten years until the total Is
repaid. The highest per acre expendi-
ture which has yet been reported
favorabiy was $4,000, which would
involve the payment Of four dollars
per year per acre on the part OF the
man who occupied the land. The lin
tied amount OF land under Irrigation
in this vicinity n the market az.
fordcd by the community OF Las We
gas. close at hand. would undoubtedly
justify a heavy per acre cost for the
undertaking. The immense amount
OF money which this community sends
into Kansas. Colorado and other ad.
jacent states every year to purchase
food for man and beast would with.
out doubt support an agricultural
community Of more than ten thouEand
acres. The extent 10 which this com.
munity Is dependent for the simplest
necessities OF life, such AS butter
and egges. upon an outside market
was forcibly illustrated during the
recen. interruption to railroad com.
munications. Las Vegas Is almost
impoverished by the continued drain
on the local purse for the daily c
stiles of life which must come from
afar, when, II we had our own thrifty
settlement OF farmers. the money
would remain here In circulation and
add to the prosperity of our communi.
ty.
The successful carrying out of our
irrigation undertaking will bring
abosr remarkable changes for 1.-THE
betterment In this community. n
future developments leave anything
to be done by ourselves to further II.
1t is safe TO say that IL viii be done
promptly and cheerfully and that
every one viii be ready 10 do his
share, and no one will be found ready
10 interfere with its success by any
possible desire to advance private in.
terests. Every n will reap euf.
ficiently benefits from the indirect
Influence Of the project on the com
munity. In the meantime all that
can be done is TO wait the final word
from the department and do all We
a TO boost the big irrigation con-
greess IN FL paso