Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-02-02
The Tax Payers Of Eddy Look
With Disfavor Upon Ar.
tesia's Ambitions.
|. 0. FULLEN'S
ARGUMENTS
Ihes Are Lack Of Sufficient Assessment
and Adverse Sentiment in Pro.
posed County Itself

| L. 0. Fullen, well known attorne,
OF Carlsbad, has been in the city the
past week, in the interest of the ma
Jorlty OF the citizens and taxpayers O.
Eddy County, to make showing be
fore the proper committees of the leg
islature in opposition to the creation
OF the proposed new county of Artesia
which is now pending in the lower
House Of the Legislative Assembly or
a bill introduced by G. F. Ellis, the
Democratic member from that district
When seen relative to the section
of the Territory from which he halls
MIR. Fullen was very sanguine over the
prospects of the future development OF
that particular section. He states
that while the past two years have
been rather severe and trying on all
the interests down there, first, by the
excessive and long continued drouth,
and second, by reason of the damage
resulting from the severe floods, which
followed the drouth, he says that now
there are very tlattering indications
for good season of prosperity and
growth and that the people there are
taking up the work with considerable
enthusiasm. He states that the en-
glneers of the reclamation service, un-
der the direction of B. NJ Hall, chief
engineer, are making exhaustive sur
veys and an estimate on the works and
plant of the Pecos Irrigation Company
with the view of that large irrigation
enterprise being taken over by the
United States government under the
provisions of the reclamation act. The
farmers of that section have all sig
nitied their willingness and desire to
have the government take hold of this
plant and are aiding the engineers in
every possible way to expedite their
work there. Mr.. Hall has lately re-
moved his headquarters from Ell Paso
to Carlsbad and will superintend and
direct all the workings from that GEN.
tral point.
Speaking directly of the opinion of
the effort being made to secure the
creation of the proposed new county
of Artesia, Mr.. Fullen announces that
the majority of the citizens and tax
payers of Eddy County are emphatic
in their opposition to any such division
at this time, and it Is on their behalf
that he is in Santa Fe. He states that
the question of the proposed division
is not complicated one, or one diff
cult to present comprehensively; that
the opposition is founded, first, upon
the reason that there is not sufficient
population and taxable property prop.
erly to maintain two county govern.
ments, and second that the people, out
side of the town of Artesia alone, are
opposed to the creation of this new
county. Artesia is a town little over
a year old which has made very rap.
Id growth, and the indications are
that it will continue to make good
progress, and in time become one of
the substantial towns of that part of
the Territory, but that it's condition at
this time (allowing it full credit for all
1t has accomplished) is more or less a
speculative one. The development
which has been made has been made
by money brought into that section and
invested, and the town of Artesia
and the surrounding country is as yet
an unproductive The people of
that town claim no hardship by reas.
on of the county as at present organ
lied, but are basing their claims |
merely upon the desire of the men
who are promoting that particular Sec
ton of the proposed new county. Eddy |
County is not large one at all and
no difficulty is experienced d'upon the
part of the people in every section Of
It in reaching the county seat to trans.
act whatever business they may have
there. The town of Artesia is located
On the same line Of railroad as is the
county seat, Carlsbad, and is only two
hours distant therefrom.
Mr.. Fullen states that the assessed
valuation of Eddy County is less than
and that a separation of a
portion Of that property
and the placing Of it within new coun.
" lines would materially injure what
Is now a reasonably prosperous gov.
The people who are furthering the
new county movement are asking to
have Eddy County cut directly in half. |
They are not asking for foot. Of land |
from any other county. They propose
to secure and throw within the new
county lines some $650,000 worth of
OF this amount, the town of
Artesia, by reason of it's development,
has produced only something like $780,
300. The remaining 100000 worth Of
Is property which has always |
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