Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-03-23
A MAN WITH
MANY DUTIES
Will N. Upton, Formerly Of San.
ia Fe Has Charge ofthe Pub
lie Lands in Philippines.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
From Whom the Government Collects
Rents.-.Property Acquired From
the Friars.

Many people in New Mexico and
Arizona, especially in Santa Fe, re-
member VIII NJ Upton, who came to
New Mexico in 1876, as clerk in the U.
s.. surveyor generals office, and who
up to four years ago was special
agent of the Department Of Justice, at
tached to the court of private land
claims and who did invaluable service
in deciphering old Spanish and Mexi-
can records and was instrumental in
the discovery of the fraud and for
gerry of the documents in the famous
Peralta-Reavis case. After severing
his connection with the court of pri.
vate land claims, Mr. Upton went to
the Philippines to take charge of the
public lands and to bring order of
| chaos in that branch of the public SER
vice in the islands. Mr.. Upton worked
assiduously and not only compiled the
code of land laws adopted by Congress
for the islands but took active part In
the administration of the public lands
to the best advantage of the Philip
pine government and the people His
services are greatly appreciated by the
Philippine Commission and he has be-
come right hand man in administra
tive affairs there. Despite his success
ses he has not been able to conquer his
inconsistencies for New Mexico and
would have left the Philippine Islands
for the United States long ago, were It
al
indispensable to the welfare of the
people, and Will M. Upton has never
been man to shirk duty no matter
how irksome and onerous. The follow
ing extracts from a letter written by
him from Manila, on February 13, to
Francisco Delgado of this city, give
some inkling of the multitudinous and
responsible work of which Mr.. Upton
has charge and also of his modesty
and the lack of egotism and self appre-
citation. He writes:
Il am sorry that I ever came, and
have never ceased to regret that left
New Mexico, although I realize that
had I stayed there should have been
out of employment long ago.
"My work here has greatly increased
In the last year, and is steadily grow
ing greater, so it is almost impossible
for me to keep up with private cores
pondence. I have tried to keep down
the expenses of my bureau by employ
ing as few men as possible, but I can
not do 1t much longer. At present
have only eighteen men doing the in
door work, and four laborers on the
but by the end of the fiscal
year should not be surprised II I had
as many as fifty. l have charge of
all the surveying of public lands, In
Guiding mining claims; and the dispo-
sition of all parts of the public domain
under the laws relating to sales, leas-
es, homesteads ETC., not to mention
the administration of the San Lazaro
estate, property belonging to the
government, on which it has $500 ten.
ants, from whom 7 must colelct rent,
and among whom I am compelled to
settle innumerable disputes. Then |
am secretary of the Philippine com
mittee of geographical names, COM
mittee whose functions are similar to
those of the United States Board of
Geographic Names. And as these va
rious duties are not considered enough
have recently been given charge of
the lands purchased by the govern.
ment from the various religious cor
porations and commonly called "The
Friars' Lands" Upon these lands
there are many thousands of occupants
from whom must make arrangements
to collect rent on leases or to whom
must sell the lands on partial pay
ments. One of the attorneys who me-
gotiated the purchase Of these lands q
for the government told me the otter
day that he supposed that there we9 @ss
not less than half million people liy as
Ing on the lands that have thus beei~s
placed under my management
How have stood up under the
strain of the work have done in the
last three and half years, is a great
er surprise to me than 1t Is to any
one else, perhaps, because no one else
knows how incompetent l was to han.
die 1t when began. However, God
has been good to me, and given me
a good strong body, and willingness
to work. hope that shall not have
the misfortune to break down under 1t.
II saw in cablegram Of week
ago that New Mexico had been admit
ted to statehood, but as there was no
of Arizona, did not under
stand It; tbdid not suppose It posi-
bic that one Territory could be admit
ed without the other" Sss