Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-01-18
acres OF land.
Waste Of Artssian Water.

W0OAS " SVtVoseV W6tSVs
Complaint has been made to the Fl.
fec, that many wells In the artesian
districts OF this territory. are per
mitted to flow continuously. thus caus.
ing great waste and endangering the
future permanency Of the artesian
flow The artesian flowing wells
form one Of The valuable assets OF this
territory, and have contributed much
toward its prosperity. This masnifi,
cent asset given us by nature should
be fully protected by such legislation
as will provide that valves or locks
be required on all artesian wells. SO
as to control the flow and prevent
any waste
Commissioner OF Public Lands.
The legislature of 1899 created the
board of public lands for the leasing.
sale and general management and con.
troll Of all lands that were granted to
the territory by act of congress, June
81. 1895
The revenue derived therefrom for
The past two years. as shown by the
report of the commissioner OF public
lands which accompanies this mes
sage, Is O3,5s76S and has been dis.
tri1uted to the public school fund and
other territorial institutions.
! invite your careful consideration
Of the report which Is marked Ex.
hibil e" and would recommend that
your body appoint special commit
tee for the examination of the meth
ods of conducting the office of the
board OF public lands. feeling conf
dent that this important branch OF
our territorial government will make
most gratifying showing. The main
tenance OF this department should be
provided for In the same manner as
that OF other departments OF the ter
ritorial government In the regular ap-
preparation bill A tax levy Of not to
exceed one-siXth OF mill based on
the prescn, tax returns for territorial
purposes, would provide sufficient
revenue To pay the expense of this
department as al present constituted.
the purpose of this recommendation
being TO permit the entire revenue
from the public lands of the territory
to be devoted to the purpose for which
the lands were granted. rather than
that any portion be diverted TO the
expense Of administering the trust.
desire to call your attention 10
section 4, congressional act OF June
q, 1898, which provides as follows.
Sec. 4. That five per centum Of
the proceeds of The sales of publlc
lands lying within said territory
which shaft We SOLD BY the United
States subsequent to the passage Of
this act, after deducting all expenses
incident to ,he same, shall be paid
to the said territory. to be used as Il
permanent fund the interest of which
only shall he expended for the sup.
port of the common schools within
said territory"
The amount now on deposit with
the territorial treasurer in this fund
as shown by the report of the com.
missioner Of public lands, Is $14,5s1-
81 and Is at the present time drawing
no interest.
would recommend that law be
enacted direcns the territorial
treasurer 10 deposit said fund in
some territorial bank or banks under
the same restrictions as now apply
To depositing other territorial funds,
said deposit 70 be made subieat to
the approval Of the secretary )f the
Interior as required by act Of con.
gress. June 21. 1898,
(tODfinupd on mage TWO