Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-06-05
PARADISE FOR
SHEEPRA|SERS
Is New Mexico in This Year
Of Our Lord. Highest
Prices.
PROSPERITY ABOUNDS
intellectual, Moral and Material Con.
ditions Steadily Improving-..0p.
posed to Water franchise Ex.
tension in albuquerque.

Hon. Solomon Luna, of Los Lunas.
president of the Territorial Sheep San
itary Board, who was in the city on
Saturday and yesterday on official and
personal business, and who is one of
the most experienced sheep raisers In
the Southwest having been engaged In
that industry since boyhood and hav.
ing attained remarkable success there
in for twenty-five years past, In answer
to an inquiry by a representative of
the New Mexican, stated that the pres
ent year was the best and most profit
able for the sheep raisers and wool
men of the Territory in all his long
connection with the business. While
| the losses last year were considerable
and while there were some losses on
account of the cold weather this
| spring, still the present conditions of
the sheep and the high prices received
for wethers, lambs and wool not only
counterbalance the losses incurred but
| make handsome profits for every man
| in the Territory who owns sheep,
whether in small or large numbers.
| Wool Is bringing the highest price
since the advent of the railroads In
New Mexico in 1879. Prices paid by
| local buyers range from % to 25 cents
per pound, according to fineness OF
| fleece, grade of sheep, etc. Sheep
owners who have large clips have
made 1t a custom of late to have the
wool secured and sell 1t in clean and
secured condition, which practice, In
Mr.. Luna's opinion, brings better
prices to the sellers and Is preferable
to selling the wool In the grease.
Lambs are selling at great figures.
averaging from cents per pound up
for october delivery. There have been
several contracts made recently In GEN.
trail New Mexico, in which sales of
four and one-fifth and four and one
fourth cents per pound were agreed
upon. Lambs weigh more today than
they generally do in average years in
September and by the time of delivery
in October, Mr.. Luna believes that
lambs in central and northern New
Mexico will run from sixty-five to sew
enty-fve pounds and probably higher
per head, which, at four cents per
pounds, would make an average of
three dollars per lamb. This Is more
than ewes were worth at this time last
year, when, on account of the then pre-
vailing drouth, many ewes were sold
at from 1925 to $3.50 per head. The
lamb crop has been remarkably large
and the saving of the lambs very salts
factory. In fact, judging from his In.
formation and personal experience,
there are very few sheep owners who
have not averaged an increase Of from
ninety to ninety-five per cent in lambs
this season. Kansas, Colorado and Ne
braska feeders are buying everything
In sight that can be used for mutton
and the sheep owners find an easy
market at very satisfactory prices.
Despite the damage and injury done
by floods this spring In various Sec
tions Of the Rio Grande Valley and In
the valleys of other streams in the Ter
ritory, Mr. Luna finds that times are
very prosperous and better than they
have been for many years. Crops of
all kinds, cereals, alfalfa and fruit will
be of the best and large; prices for
agricultural products and fruits are
ruling very satisfactorily. The acre
age of land under irrigation is greater
than ever before In the history of the
Territory. There is plenty of work for
men, especially on the rail.
roads, and money is not scarce. Bus
mess of all kinds is lively and promis-
es to be good for the entire year. The
conditions of the people are better
ing constantly, especially in the coun.
ties where the people are of Mexican
and Spanish descent. In these he
finds that the public school system Is
improving constantly and that intelec-
tual, moral and material conditions are
being placed upon higher plane right
along. Mr. Luna says that the pro-
gress that is being made In the Terri.
tory is remarkable and very pleasing
to all good citizens who have the wei.
and the Territory as commonwealth
at heart.
Mr.. Luna, who is large property
owner and heavy tax payer in Albu.
querque and Bernalillo County, is not
In favor of the extension Of the val
liable franchise of the Water Supply
Company of that city for another twen-
ty-one years. He believes such would
be fatal mistake and would be detri.
mental to the growth In population. In
business and importance of the Duke
City. He is perfectly willing to be
placed on record In this matter a.