Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-11-28
GREAT IRRIGATION
PROJECT PLANNED
Waters of Rio MINI
bres River to Be
Utilized.
LAND WILL Be, PRODUCTIVE
Z. II. Bickford Tells of Com.
pany's Scheme to Make the
Valley a Garden Spot.

%. II. Bickford. OF Lake Valley, man.
ager OF the Rio Mimbres Irrigation
Company. came to Santa Fe last night.
and is a guest at the Claire Hotel. Mr..
Bickford is here to transact certain
business for his company, which, II
he succeeds, will enable him to start
work on the big irrigation project to
store the flood waters of the Mimbres
River in Luna and portion of Grant
Counties for irrigation purposes.
work may be started within the next
sixty or ninety days.
Expends Big Sum.
According to reliable information
and documents of public nature, this
company has already spent large
sum OF money on this undertaking.
rms company has secured 10000
acres of the best land in the Mimbres
River Valley. This land is free from
adobe soil and alkali and is suitable
Tor the production of almost any grain
or fruit which can be grown In the
temperate zone. This land lies mainly
IN Luna County but extends along the
Mimbres River into Grant County.
According to the engineers plans
and specifications, which are at pres
ent in Santa Fe, the irrigation CON-
pany proposes to erect a retaining dam
900 feet in length, 115 feet in height
having depth of 100 feet of water.
This would form reservoir about
three miles in length and about three
miles wide with drainage basin,
catching water from an area of ap-
proximately $50 square miles.
The cost of this construction work
is estimated at about $1,O00,OOo. The
site chosen for the dam is about
twenty-four miles north and west Of
Deming at point known as Rock
Canon or to old settlers, as Geronimo's
postoffice. The land extends from the
dam site south.
For Small Farms.
1t is the purpose of the company to
divide Its lands into small farms rang.
ling from five to one hundred ana str
| ty acres. These farms VIII then be
sold to settlers on easy terms.
Water privileges, 1t Is understood.
will go with the land although It will
probably be necessary to charge
small annual fee for necessary re-
pairs. BY thus selling small tracts.
the company is assured that the land
will be thoroughly cultivated.
When seen by New Mexican re-
porter last night, Mr.. Bickford would
not discuss his business here today.
but spoke enthusiastically of the irri-
cation scheme and the country. He
said:
"The precipitation in this area, as
shown by official records extending 0x-
er a number of years, and the run-od
OF the drainage area, are such that It
would probably take two such dams as
the one under contemplation to retain
the flood waters, even though the
waters were being constantly drawn
upon for the lands. The company will
probably build a second dam after the
completion Of the one now contemplate
led.
Has Fine Land.
II cannot speak too enthusiastically
of the land to be irrigated. AS q fruit
producing country, 1t will rival Cali
fornia. This is proven fact. Along
the Mimbres River at present are a
| few farms that have been under cult
walton and irrigation for fifteen years.
The fruit produced on this land, con-
slider, the best In the Southwest. The
apples are we'll known all over New
Mexico. Many kinds Of grain, alfalfa
and garden truck, will also thrive in
this valley. During the irrigation con-
gress in Ell Paso last year, the Rio
Mimbres Company had an exhibit Of
fruit from this district which was
highly complimented by all who saw It.
Benefit to Country.
"This irrigation proposition will
greatly enrich Deming, Silver City and
other towns In the vicinity. It is also
OF great benefit to cattlemen and
sheep raisers. 1t will mean that when
these lands are under cultivation, cat
tie and sheep can be fattened here for
market and will not have to be ship.
ped several thousand miles for this
purpose at a great expense. The peo-
ple in the Mimbres country are en-
|thusiastic and will give the Mimbres
Irrigation Company all possible aid.
The operations. Of this company are
bound to bring many settlers into this
section and to make the land under
Its irrigation system a great producer
OF grains. cereals, vegetables and
fruits. The people Of this section
know that this irrigation system will
provide comfortable homes and In
creased prosperity for many hundreds
lof settlers within the next few years"