Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-04-26
So Says Chief photographer
Newell Concerning Recla.
nation in New Mexico
CAREFUL WORK DONE
Citizens Of the Territory and the
Delegate Have Been Persis
tcntly Active

Snbjoined Is IN interview With Chief
Engineer Newell Of the Geological sur
pey, furnished to The Optic by an
eastern correspondent. Mr, Newell
claims New Mexico has been espec-
tally favored. II is 10 be hoped she
has, but the majority OF citizens
would be fully as well satisfied If New
Mexico could have been granted a res
eryoir Or two as was the case In Colo
RADIO. Arizona, wyoming and Nevada.
However. as d surveying party Ii now
on the way To examine and survey
the best reservoir site In the Terri
tory, that on The Gallinas, the people
Of this part Of The Territory will live
in hopes. The interview is as fol
lows:
aThe Territory Of New Mexico has
been especially favored IN the amount
OF work and attention devoted to IT
by the geological survey and the rec-
lamation service said Chief Engin.
eer Newell. In most OF the state
only one river system has been thor
oughly examined, but In New Mexico
simultaneous work has been carried
on. both on the Rio Grande. and its
tributaries, and on the Pecos. A pre-
liminary examination has just been
ordered Of the San Juan river in the
northwest part of the Territory.
New Mexico. being the Oldest irri.
gated portion Of the United States,
is In many respects the most fully
developed. Its irrigation opportun.
tiles have been examined more fire.
quently, and during longer periods Of
time. than any part OF the arid west.
The great Mexican land grants, in
Guiding much Of the most valuable
land Of the Territory, have been studi-
ed by their owners. and In many In.
stances outside capital has been at
tracted to their development.
The geological survey began In 1888
= systematic study Of the Rio Grande.
its fluctuations. and the opportunities
Of utilizing II to the most complete
extent. The problems due to private
ownership and the vested rights Of
an old settled country are particular
" difficult. The physical conditions,
also. are among the most trying Of
any In the United States. as the Rio
Grande has cut for itself o deep, mar
ROY gorge In the northern part Of the
Territory; This gorge extends TO a
depth below the tough lava which
lines the gorge and the river now
flows over a bed Of sand and boulders
which In turn lies over soft sandstone
or clays. not aifording a safe founda.
ton for high structures; thus, al.
though there are a number Of basin.
Hike valleys. Il has been found i'm.
practicable to close these mp BY means
Of dams because Of the dubious nature
Of the material on which TO place the
foundation.
Private enterprise has studied the
situation again and again. and has nj.
ways found some insurmountable DIFF.
ficulty either In the engineering work
or In financing the project. The gov
eminent engineers i'd their work ulti-
mately discover these unfayorable
physical points. some Of which obvi.
ously prevented the construction Of
irrigation works In the past.
The citizens Of New Mexico, and
particularly the delegate and the Ter
ritorial commission ON irrigation
have been quite active in bringing the
attention of the geological survey 70
many sections Of the Territory. A
great number OF projects have thus
been studied: but the majority 81
these have been found TO possess in
superabie obstacles, either physical
or IN the nature of vested rights anC
land ownership.
"on the Rio Grande the great ques
ton is . Of water storage, and 0
finding a locality where this can b,
safely accomplished In spite OF the in
secure foundation. and the enormouI
quantity Of sediment carried BY tn
river. The flood flow at yariou
points is now well known ,hrougl
measurements extending over man.
years; and this Ii. In some respects
disappointingly small, showing iha
the water. II stored, must be CAREFUL.
guarded from evaporation.
Some OF the storage sites found ar
30 broad and shallow that the los
from evaporation would DO far greaI
or than the amount which could b