Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-12-13


hope that the reclamation service will
soon begin work on the Lake Triton.
the Ia Plata, the Las Vegas, and other
projects which have been approved by
engineers OF the reclamation service.
Private enterprise Is ready 10 build IT.
| rigatinn SYSTEMS on a similar scale,
now that the government has shown
the way In larger projects. Much IT,
tention has been paid to dry farming,
or the Campbell s%oilculture method.
| rnd better results than ever before
| have been obtained without irrigation
Ia various parts OF the territory.
The making Of pumping expert
ments by the government IN the arid
region IL p~raiseworthy. as there Is no
doubt that eventually thousands III
acres OF fertile lands will be reclaim.
ed by pumping the under';uw or hy
the development OF artesiar water.
That this Is well understood . shown
by the fact that thousands Of acres OF
public land were homesteaded last
year, not along flowing stream or IN
der irrigation systems. but upon land
where water must first be developed
or dry farming practiced TO bring 70.
suits.
The people OF the TERRITORY are b.
ginning TO approve the foress reserve
policy Of the national government. and
realize that the 5000. 900 aces OF for.
est reserve land In the terr'tory will
ultimately be q great blessing. a..
though for the present a CAUSE OF IN.
convenience and even ~financia, loss
to certain interests and classes Of In.
dividuals. The reforestat,cn Of areas
formerly timbered but nov denuGed |
Is urged and therefore the beginning
that has been made by the department
of agriculture at Fort Rayard and near
POrtales In being watched with great
interest. The governor expresses the
opinion that 1t Is an injustice, which !
no doubt the government will remedy |
az speedily as possible. to include with.
In forest reserve areas that are not
and can be, timbered, and are
good for grazing or agricultural pur.
poses only, or to charge an excessive
per capita tax for the cattle and sheep
permitted to graEe on the forest re.
serves; also that the recent creation
Of the Jemez forest reserve should be
followed by an act Of congress Great.
ing the National Pajarito Cliff Dwell.
lers' Park. SO that the great number Of
prehistoric ruins within that area may
be preserved for future generations.
Mining, It Is stated, antedates all
other industries Of the territory, and
In importance as q wealth producer
and an employer Of labor stands sec.
ond only to agriculture and stock rails
ing. During the past hundred years
the territory has produced $27, 600, 900
worth Of gold and 100000, 900 worth
OF silver. and the annual value Of the
mineral production at present aver.
ages $4,000, 900.
Coal Lands. L
The area of coal lands aggregates
]. b0O.0 900 acres. and the amount Of coal
In sight Is stated to be 5000, OO0, 900
tons valued at approximately. $11, 900. II
The quantity Of coal produc-
ed during the past year was 1872 0s
tons. and Of coke. 1921 tons; the lat
Is an increase Of 200 per cent over
previous years. A coal mine upon a
large scale Is to be opened In Tinpan
Canyon. In Colfax county, which It Is
believed viii add next year at least
half q million tons to the territory's
There were no strikes or labor dis.
furbances Of any kind during the year,
md the relations of capital and labor
we're generally cordial. Law and or
Is being enforced very diligently
and wrongdoings meet with prompt
punishment.
Railroad Building.
On September l. 1905, there were
s.5b6.l4 miles OF railroad in the ter
-itory; on June 80, 1904, 2,483.53 miles.
all Of the present mileage
has been built In the last quarter Of
J century. and S78 miles OF It durina
ne past five years. There are under
construction $40 miles Of railroad.
were run during the year for
100 miles more, with promise Of con.
truction In the near future. The lines
'nder construction at present are the
New Mexico Eastern. from Belen to
ESQ miles; the Albuquerque
from Moriarty to Albuquer.
lue. AZ miles; the Hagan coal branch,
rom Frost to Hagan. Is miles; the st.
4ouis, Rocky Mountain and Pacific,
rom Ration TO Elizabethtown, 60
niles. The Denver 4 Rio Grande +,
las Just completed a line from Duran.
o. Colo. to Pennington. Of which 30
niles Is In New Mexico. Lines sur.
eyed for immediate construction are
he Arizona and Colorado from Du.
,ngo, Colo. to Cochise, Arix., OF
which AIS miles Of main line and 1853
niles OF branch lines will be In New
the st. Louis, Rocky Noun.
and Pacific, from Folsom to Ra.
on. ahCut IN milas and tho u, poro