Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-03-29
THE MEETING
AT ESTANC|A
Development Association of the
Valley Working Hard to
Bring in Settlers.
GREAT POSSIBILITIES
The People Are Enthusiastic Over Pros.
poets for Fruit Growing and Cen
sraI Farming.

The Estancia Valley Developmen
Association is doing all in it's power t
get settlers to come to that section O
the country, and it's efforts are gradu
ally bringing results. At meeting o
the association held in Estanca OF
Monday a great deal of enthusiasm
was manifested. A number wen
down from Santa Fe and all expressed
agreeable surprise at the conditions
found. j. F. Wielandy, of Santa Fe
addressed the association on the care
and possibilities of fruit He dwell
mainly on the grape. He said that the
soil of the Estancia Valley was ex
ceedingly well adapted to grape cul
ture and advised those who cared to-
to put in a small vineyard and con
vince themselves and others of this
fact. The grape best suited to this
section of New Mexico, and which has
been shown to be immune from that
devastating insect, Phylloxera, is, SO
said Mr.. Wielandy, the Brighton. This
grape is of the hardy variety and
does not need covering during the
winter in New Mexico. David l.. Mil
ler suggested the planting of blue
grass, elm trees and cottonwood trees.
He said that with the soil and abund-
ance of water which the people of the
Estancia Valley had at their disposal
there was no reason why they should
not be successful in the raising of
these. He also advised against large
farms. The reason for this is that the
majority of people who come to the
west for home are in only comfort
able circumstances as regards this
worlds goods, and that to attempt to
care for large farm is beyond their
means. A small farm of ten to twenty
acres, we'll tended and plentifully irri
gated, will bring larger and quicker
returns on the investment than one of
double the number of acres poorly
tended and only half irrigated. George
W. Harbin, of Waterloo, Iowa, reiter-
ated Mr.. Miller's statements and add
ed further that it was not at all neces-
sary for the people Of the valley to
go to the great expense Of sinking ar
tesian wells or installing expensive
pumping plants. Mr.. Harbin said that
there was plenty of wind and that the
water was near enough to the surface
to allow the irrigating for ten or
twenty acre farm to be done entirely
by wind mills. This fact alone is, ac-
cording to Mr.. Hardin and several
others, the redeeming feature of the
Estancia Valley.
The association has just published
neat little booklet descriptive of the
valley and it's resources which it is
sending out to any one who is at all in.
terested in the filling up of the valley
with small farm homes. The officers
Of the association are, president, John
w. Corbett; vice president, Mrs. Harry
Averill; secretary, A. H. Garnett;
treasurer A. H. Cox.
Good Soil, Good Water, Good Climate.
The Estancia Valley is an IL"
shaped basin of about $500 square
miles and is situated. near the center
of New Mexico, on the east slope of
the Manzano Mountains and in the
County of Torrance. 1t is a gently
sloping prarie draining toward the
south. The soil varies in composition
but is of rich, loamy character and
easily cultivated. A number of agri-
culturalists have stated that this soil
will produce almost any kind of vege-
tables and is especially adapted to the
raising of fruit. There is an abund. |
ance of water and comparatively near
the surface. The water is fairly free
from alkali and although not of an ar.
tesian disposition, can be very easily |
utilized for irrigation purposes. The
wells that are now in use are of an av
erage depth of twenty-five feet and the
water is apparently inexhaustible. |
Coal and wood are in abundance. The
famous Hagan coal fields are situated
in this valley and the Santa Fe Cen.
tral Railway is now constructing a |
branch line to care for the shipment
Of this coal. The timber near the
valley consists Of spruce, pine, juni.
per, cedar, pinon, willow and maple.
The climate is happy medium be.
tween extreme hot and extreme cold, |
the average temperature for 1904 be.
ing about 60 degrees. The average
rainfall is about twelve inches, and as |
spring rains are very common every
thing is favorable to agriculture, and |
especially to the growing of small |
fruits. At present the possibilities OF
this very pretty valley are unknown,
but steps are now being taken to in.
duce people who are seeking homes In
the west to settle In the valley and
take up the occupation Of farming or
fruit raising. The fact that there Is
abundance Of water and q good clim.
ate will induce many to try their
hands ct these industries.