Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-02-22

lust plain Hamilton. But Artesia ap-
pealed to him as being a more suitable
name and it was SO christened. Ar
tesian water was responsible for the
existence Of the town and the big
spcuting well suggested the name.
II am here first OF all in the inter
est OF the creation Of Artesa County"
Mr.. Hamilton said, when quizzed by
reporter of the New Mexican. "I am
! also doing what can to assist the
Military Institute in securing the ap-
preparation of $4,000 needed for an
academic building and additional bar
racks, and the setting aside of part OF
a school section fof cemetery pur-
poses at both Roswell and Artesia.
Another matter which brought me
here at this time was relative to the
artesian belt which have suggested
| to be divided into two districts III
stead Of one.
Area and Taxable Valuation.
IF Artesia County Is created as he
bill now. being considered hs tar IsnS
1islature provides ii will comprise
4,2S4 square miles, leaving Eddy
/ County with an equal amount and
lChaves County as it remains will con
tain nearly 5000 square miles. The
| taxable valuation Of the domain EN-
! bracing the proposed new county ac
cordng to the assessment of March
/ /, 1906, was s1,2396S5. That remain
ing in Eddy County at the same date
was s1,319,232 and in Chaves County
s3,003,952. The assessed valuation OF
the land taken from Eddy County tc
compose Artesia County on March !
1905, was $C16,S6O, while the assessed
/ valuation of this same property or
March /, 1906, was $S35,372, a gain o.
over 81 per cent.
Allowing that the valuation viii
have increased an equal percent from
! March /, 1906, to March !. 1907, this
property would increase in valuation
i $305,950 Then our assessed valua
! ton for March 1, 1907, would amoun
to $1,545,635. This does not make
any allowance for increased valuation
in the Territory derived from ChaveF
County.
Objections Have No Weight.
"The objections to the county divi
sion can be summed up in brief. Ros
4 well and Carlsbad object from purely
| selfish motives-loss of taxes. Ye
, many prominent citizens in boil
towns are willing that we should have
county rights. Some citizens of Lake
Arthur are opposed to county division
hoping at some future time a nev
, county may be formed with thei
! town as the county seat. Representa-
| Tive j. w. Mullens, have been in
formed stated that their claims wer
: visionary before the Committee o.
Counties and County Lines. 1t i
stated that the people of the Mont
ment precinct oppose county div
sicn. AS this precinct cast but eigh
votes in the recent general electio
there are not many people living d
that locality. Admitting that all {
the people of Lake Arthur, Monumen
and Penasco are opposed TO count
division these three districts cast onl
% votes in the election last Noven
ber. the rest of the Territory entirel
willing to be included in the ne'
county polled over 600 votes. 1t wi
be seen that probably not half OF tn
residents of the three districts name
are opposing county division, so ths
the per cent of opposers within tn
Territory comprising the propose
county is very small. The creates
opposition comes from people great
Interested in other sections. The PEE
ple who have developed 1t, who hay
their homes there and live ther
whose rights alone are worthy OF CO.
sideration, almost universally fave
county division.
4 In Midst Of Fine Agricultural SectioI
"A ''Artesia is in the midst OF one
the finest farming and fruit raislr
countries anywhere in the Unite
States. For miles in all direction
there are hundreds of acres OF bea
ing orchards and thousands more cor
ing on, as well as large fields OF 3
falfa from which five crops are G
every year. The yield Of alfalfa p
acre runs from four to six tons eat
season. Alfalfa is now selling at s
a ton and the demand is good right
Artesia, During the past year i'll
car loads Of alfalfa and 43O car loa,
Of apples we're shipped out Of q
'sl p0nnr Ua11av and d largo nprCnfltai