Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1907-03-04
ENTHUSIASTIC DRY FARMING
DISCUSSION Held At COM.
MERclAI CLUB.
SUCCESS, NO DOUBT
Speakers Enthusiastic on Subject as
Agriculture and Are Unanimously
OF Opinion That No Time Should
Be Lost.

An enthusiastic meeting was held
at the Commercial club Saturday
night to consider and discuss the
quickest and best means OF inducing
settlers to locate on the mesa lands
east Of the city. President w. A.
baddecke called the meeting to order
At $3.50 p. m, fully seventy.five club
members being present.
The first speaker Of the evening
was d. r. Hoskins. cashier Of the
San Miguel National bank. one Of the
most enthusiastic men on the subject
OF dry farming In the city. He spoke
In general way on the topic Of dry
farming and has no doubt Of its sue.
cess In this county.
Attorneyn A. A. Jones spoke on the
subject Of dry farming with reference
TO raising forage for cattle and other
live stock and his address was an able
one and weli received.
Attorney c. W. q. Ward gave an ex.
cellent talk on the settlement OF the
mesa lands by the Zionites. He fav.
ors granting all reasonable demands
and wants the colony brought here ut
an hazards. He believes that Il win
be a great thing for Las Vegas.
Fred w. Brown. president Of tho
South and West Land company. who
at present has charge Of the iands
open for settlement. ,gave . short INK
on tho best way of securing settlers
for the mesa lands. He has the right
idea. and n unhampered, win do fis
part toward populating the county
with a desirable class Of citizens.
". B. Bunker made an energetic
speech advocating putting someone on
the mesa land. no matter at what cost
In the course Of his remarks. he said
that he would rather have ninety
cents today than q million dollars a
hundred years from now.
John l.. Zimmerman, who has done
most Of the surveying on the mesa
and Is a dry farmer himself. urged the
'dvisability OF influencing legislation
for the purpose Of establishing an
agricultural experimental station near
this city.
N. 8. Belden, the real estate man.
told what could be done on the mesa
lands by starting at once. He Is IN
favor Of throwing the land open as
rapidly as possible.
NJ. NJ. Padgett was another adyo.
cate Of the policy Of opening the land
for settleent Immediately. He stat
cd that the eyes Of the entire country
was on the southwest at present and
that Las Vegas should take advantage
OF the opportunity to bring substan.
tial farmers here now before adverse
conditions should render settlement
slow or virtually impossible.
q. A. Fleming. secretary of the
Commercial club, spoke for W. Fl.
Comstock, who was unable to be pre-
sent, and told In brief way of the
work that had already been accom-.
plished In the way Of dry farming and
the preparations made for the coming
season.
Hon. o. A. Hadley of Watrous,
made short address stating that he
believed that dry farming will be an
unqualified success on the mesa.
Jefferson Reynolds, president of tha
First National bank, stated that as n
members Of the grant board. It was
not seemly that he should make
public statement as to what ne
thought Ahe best manner Of opening
the mesa lands for settlement, but
that he was anxious to see such state
Of afIairs brought about j..
After the close Of the meeting men,
hers gathered In knots on the floor
and discussed the matter among
themselves. many remaining until az
ter midnight. The meeting accom-
piished a great deal Of good In arous-
lng the enthusiasm Of those present
and broadening their views In regard
To the present conditions