Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1905-12-09
Saqs Conditions Were Never
Better in New Mexico.
FINDS PEOPLE IN ACCORD
WITH RECLAMATION POLICY
Pages on Land Of Sunshine Bristle
With Facts and Figures--Much
Railroad Building.


The annual report of Secretary Of
the Interior Hitchcock just submit
ted. contains a big boost for New
Mexico. The territory makes splen-
did showing and the secretary gives
resume of conditions in the Land of
Sunshine which will do much to re-
fute the ISLANDERS and dispel the ignor-
ance prevailing as to people and things
in New Mexico. 1t Is of course inn
possible to reproduce all the good
things that Mr.. Hitchcock says. but
the following extracts Will be OF inter-
est:
The annual report of the governor.
Miguel A. Otero, presents in a COM
prehensive manner the industries and
resources of the territory. and shows
that the past year has been one of ex-
ceeding prosperity. Disastrous floods
occurred last fall which were repeat
ed In the spring of 1905. The rains,
however, which at the latter period,
wrought so much flood damage, have
resulted in the greatest harvest that
the tillers of the soil In tho territory
have ever grown. II brought out the
grass on the ranges, so that the sheep
raisers have not only recouped their
losses but have made large nercent-
ages of profit on investments. etc.
Railroad building has been resumed In
san aiudIl AUullNs anu bNtt 1uV
of railroad across the central portion
Of the territory is nearing compile
ton; preliminary work has been COM
menred on an east and west line from
Folsom, in Union county, to Eliza
BEETHOVEN. In Colfax county, and tho
Arizona a Colorado railroad company
has completed the survey for north
and south line through the western
portion of the territory. which has
g.. 4sftt
municatiou. Activity In farming and
other Industries Is general.
Agriculture Is progressing under Ia
Vorable conditions. and with profitable
results The number of farms in 1905
was s. 600 with an acreage OF $780,
600 and valued at S30.0O0,0O0; inn
provements valued at sS,25O00OO;
farm Implements, S1b0O00; yegeta,
bles. $3.50. 900; fruit $500 600 ana
other products $500, GOO, Five hum
dred thousand pounds Of butter were
made during the year and the number
of eggs laid aggregated 100000 doz-
en-. Stock raising is flourishing IN
dustry. There are in the territory
1850, 900 head of cattle, 5,S75.0OO
head of sheep. 10000 head OF goats.
and 100. 900 head of horses. The wool
crop approximated 2O,o0O.OOO pounds
and there were shipped out OF the ter
ritory 100000 cattle, $4,000 horses
40. 900 hides. and 100000 sheep.
At its last session the legislative as
sembly. to provide for the better Sc
curity OF public funds, enacted a law
requiring county treasurers to deposit
the funds in their keeping IN approv-
ed repositories. and on December So
1904 there were balances In the varl-
Gus county treasures aggregatlng
Sb42S3435. The total tax receipts Tor
all purposes--terrltofial county city,
town. school and special--during the
past year were S1,67S,267.3S or a lit
tie over SIS per capita, while the Hs-
sessed valuation Is about sl4O per cap
tia. The assessed valuation OF cattie
is a little less than S6,00O,0OO0, ana
the railroads are assessed at $v,VVu,
600. although the commercial value OF
the latter, according to the untted
States census bureau, exceeds $sO'-
600 .0O0 Thus on all classes of prop
erty the assessed valuation is but
small fraction of the true value. ana
even at a tax rate ranging from TO
cents on the dollar the actual taxation
is remarkably low. and much lower
Than that of surrounding common
Wealths.
That capital Is seking investments
In New Mexico upon a large scale Is
indicated by the report OF the terri
tnrlal secretary, which shows that dur
ing the past fiscal year there were 100
cOrporation filings, with a capitaliza-
ton OF over Stl1,256,2O0.
Approves Decrease In Gambling.
The legislature which convened in
January placed upon the statute
books many new laws, most of which
have already manifested their salutary
effect. Among these was the creation
of territorial force Of mounted po-
lice. which has already succeeded In
cleaning the ranges Of cattle rustlers
and In enforcing order in the more re-
mote aud outlying districts. A law
was passed prohibiting the granting of
licenses TO saloons in precincts and
settlements of less than 100 inhabi-
tants ana In or near railroad or res
ervoir construction camps. This man
Hesitation Of a desire for the restrlc- y
ton OF the liquor traffic has also re-
suited In the more strict observance
of the Sunday laws and a decrease In
gambling. movement has been taxi
on up by the press to abolish gambling
as a legalized institution. and that II
win be ultimately successful Is dem
onstrated by its abolition IN other
commemorative. An entirely new In
corporation law and militia law were
placed upon the statute books, as was
nlso law for the strlcter supervision
Of the business OF Insurance compan-
les the necessity for which has be-
come the more apparent by the result
Of recent and pending legislative In
vestigations In New York. Action was
taken by the Legislature for the con-
unuance Of the successful public road
building experiments Of the territory.
which have solved the problem OF the
employment OF convict labor. and at
the same time made the start upon an
excellent system Of public roads. An
act was passed for tho protection Of
artesian wells and the preservation Of
the water supply Of the arteslnn belt.
and while Il has met With some local
opposition. yet Il will ultimately prove
of great benefit. An act for the re-
cordlnR Of marriages and the issuing
Of marriage licenses. which has been