Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-11-03
THE COUNTY
OF SAN JUAN
Railroad and irrigation improve
ments on a Large Scale Are
in Contemplation.
'ITS GROWTH ASSURED
Joseph Prewitt, One Of the Pioneers Of
Aztec, Gives Definite Information
About important Projects.

Joseph Prewitt, of Aztec, who was in
this city on Tuesday for the first time
in eleven years, gave a New Mexican
representative some important infor-
nation in regard to what is being done
in San Juan County, that will be OF
much interest to every one throughout
the Territory. There are many unde-
| fined rumors and reports concerning
that county, in regard to proposed rail-
| road operations and irrigation projects
and the New Mexican is pleased to
secure definite information from d man
who has been resident of San Juan
County for the past % years, and who
has always had the interests of his
home county at heart.
while there is no perceptible ex-
citement or any advanced prices of
lands in San Juan County" said Mr..
Prewitt, there is no doubt that pre-
liminary work is in progress to make
the county and that section of the Ter
ritory one of the most prosperous por-
tions of the southwest In the neigh
borhood of 100000 is being expended
by the government and corporations,
monthly, in surveys of proposed irri-
CATION bitches and railroads. Engineer
Hinterleitner, of the Reclamation Serv-
ice, with corps of 25 assistants, has
been at work for some time in locat-
ing the sites for two reservoirs, one at
point between La Plata and Jewett
and the other at a point about a mile
below the Colorado state line The for
mer is for the irrigation of about 49,
600 acres of land between the points
named, and about $4,000 acres of reser-
to store waters for the irrigation of
land along the La Plata River, divert
ing the waters OF the Animas into the
La Plata River, which in itself is insult
ficient for the irrigation of the lands
along it's banks. This will make about
$4,000 acres more available for farm
ing. Over 100000 acres in that section
have been withdrawn from settlement,
pending the completion of these pro-
jects and to prevent speculation in
these lands.
There are four corps of engineers
at work in San Juan and Mckinley
Counties making an exhaustive survey
for what we have good reasons to be-
lieve will be a railroad which will BIZ
sect the county, but everything is be-
ing done with the utmost secrecy and
we haven't the slightest idea as to who
is doing it; but we know that about
$4,000 is being expended monthly in
the work. The rpad from Durango to
Aztec has been surveyed and when
built, which we hope will be soon, will
be one of the finest roads in the coun-
try, as the worst grade will be only
or per cent and the sharpest curve
on the line will be but six degrees.
"The Phelps, Dodge people, who own
mines at Clifton, Arizona. and control
a railroad from that point to Ell Paso,
are also engaged in making surveys
through the county for road that will,
it is supposed, run from Clifton to
some point in Colorado, tapping the
rich coal fields of San Juan County.
They are sparing neither time nor
money and make no secret of their in
tentions. This company and another
not known, are locating coal lands be-
tween La Plata and Fruitland.
"The government has established q
new Indian agency ten miles down the
San Juan River, below Jewett, which
will be known as the Northern Navajo
agency. The superintendent's resi-
dence and large warehouse, both Of
stone, have been completed and
school will also be erected there, the
entire agency being instituted at cost
of s150,000 w. T. Shelton, formerly of
the Indian School of Santa Fe, is the
superintendent who will have charge.
The Indians, of whom there arc about
$4,000 on the reservation, are rapidly
becoming more self-sustaining and
have many excellent farms and or
chards.
Crops are the best this year we
have ever known and with the advent
of railroads, the big red apple will re-
main king of San Juan County.