The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1905-01-17
(By William r. Draper.)
(Republished by ReQuest.)

A party of men from the East were
seated in the e of a modern equip
ped train racing southwark across
the wide stretch Of ranch lands of
the Panhandle of Texas. For ten
hours we gazed out over this vast
expanse of country; on every side
it was evident hat the cattle business
was the chief industry. Toward sun
down we crossed the Pecos river
and passed into a modern Garden of
Eden. Trees o the place of sage
brush. Alfalfa grew instead of buffa-
10 grass; beautiful farm houses sup
planted the shacks on the ranches.
INC then
We had arrived at Roswell, a mod
ern city on the plains-the gateway
to the PecO Valley. For six a
I have visited various sections of the
Southwest to investigate the natural
resources and this is certainly one
of the finest pieces of handiwork in
the worlds creation. Especially is
this true as it pertains to climate
and general agricultural conditions.
The Pecos Valley is worthy of Sc
rious consideration from any man
who wishes to better his conditions
and find real pleasure in life. In the
Valley people live and enjoy every
day of the year.
The Valley. generally speaking, is
all of that region drained by the Pc
cos river from it's source, near Santa
Fe, to it's mouth in Val Verde county.
Texas. In recent years the name has
bee restricted to a more limited
area-to that portion now irrigated
and capable of irrigation. The new
Pecos Valley begins ten miles north
of Roswell and extends to Carlsbad
on the south. and even to the south
ern border of New Mexico.
The irrigated section of New Mexi-
co. which is the finest portion of the
Pecos Valley. lies tributary to Ros-
well, the natural and commercial
gateway to the newest section being
developed in the great Southwest.
According to the best information
obtainable, bou 81, 900, 900 has zen
invested in the Valley during the
last year, and thousands of acres OF
lands turned into splendid fruit,
truck and alfalfa farms. During the
last nine months parties of fifty
to seventy-ive investors from eastern
northern states have arrived
semi-monJhly in the Valley. Most OF
them have bought lands and many re
NAMED to take up their homes in this
modern paradise. This would be suf-
fcient reason to prove to some that
the Valley is a prosperous and com
ing country. But during my stay in
the Valley. l have ridden through the
richly irrigated farming area; talked
with its Oldest residents; investiga-
ted every condition necessary to it's
present prosperity and future limita-
lions, and have found these condi-,
tons offer still stronger proof that
the tide of immigration is justified.
The present area under irrigation
covers a strip fifteen miles wide and
sixty miles long. These lands are ira
versed by the Santa Fe railroad and
tributary to good business towns.
Around the town OF Roswell, which
is known as the Pearl of the Pecos.
for instance, there are 10000 acres
of irrigated lands. while at Artesia
the area is quite as large.
There are three systems of irriga-
ton in the Pecos Valley. Two of
these are used in the Roswell dis
trict. The first and most extensive
is by the water which gushes from
the great North and South Springs
| and the Berrendo rivers, yielding an
linexhaustible supply sufficient alone
to irrigate 30,OO0 acres In CONVEX
sation with Parker Earle, the veteran
horticultural expert of the Valley,
he says that by means of gasoline en-
| gines and windmill power not less
than zoo, 900 additional acres in ey-
, cry direction around Roswell a be
irrigated from the lakes OF water