Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-01-16
QUAY COUNTY
UP AND DOING
Over 1000 New
Settlers Secure
Homesteads
PROSPECTS ENCOURAGING
Rapid Increase in Population
Necessitates Additional
School Facilities.

over two thousand new settlers
pre-empted homesteads last year in
Quay County. Within its borders
are still hundreds of thousands of
acres of public domain open to settle
ment. The influx of immigrants from
| the middle western states during the
past twelve months has had the effect
| OF creating a number of new school
districts, Tucumcari is reaping bene-
| fits from the countryside that is rap
idly becoming populous and is des-
| tined to be in the midst of a greI
agricultural region.
Came on Personal Business.
The foregoing is synopsis of an
interview last evening with District
Attorney NJ G. Mechem of Tucumcari.
who has been a visitor for several
days in Santa Fe. Mr.. Mechem de-
cllned to state the nature Of his mis-
sion here but it is understood that
the trip was made to confer with the
local officers Of the New Mexico Bar
Association relative to charges to be
preferred against Attorney w. j. Hit
son of rucumcari who is alleged to
have been guilty of soliciting practice
contrary to the ethics of the legal
profession He said that he did not
care to discuss the object of his visit
at this time. However, all retlcence
vanished and he talked readily
enough when the reporter broached
the subject of the speedy growth of
his home town and the surrounding
country.
County Leads in immigration.
Mr. Mechem has seen the plains in
all directions as far as the eye can
reach around Tucumcari converted
from an almost desert waste into fer
tile farms. He has seen this trans
formation take place within the space
of few years. Small wonder then
that he is optimistic and enthusiastic
as to the future of Quay County. He
said he believed that 1t led all other
counties in the Territory in immigra-
tion last year and that the influx of
new settlers will be as large or larger
this year. He said
u don't know exactly how many
new settlers located in Quay County
last year but am told that the num-
Der is in excess of 1000. They are
still coming too. The immigration
lately has been mostly from Kansas,
Missouri and Iowa, while previously
it was mostly from Texas and Okla
homa. These new settlers are
splendid class of people and are prac.
tical farmers for the most part. They
have money saved up for
the proverbial rainy day as is shown
by the fact that the bank deposits in
Tucumcari have increased fully two
hundred per cent within the past
year and a new bank was established
there recently.
Land Cultivated Without Irrigation.
"The rainfall in Quay County dur.
ing the year 1906, according to the
government gauge, amounted to 1874
inches. The bulk of this precipta-
tion came during the months Of June,
Iuly and August. This insures crop
Of such cereals and vegetables as we
raise. Some fine crops were produced
last season on fresh broken ground
and all without irrigation. Indian
corn measured out forty bushels to
he acre in some fields. There has
not been a crop failure in the locality
% my knowledge for five years. Most
If the land is sub-irrigated and in
some places water IS struck in dig
,ing post-holes.
Plenty of Land Left.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars
ave been spent by the promoters in
the Texas Panhandle. In
@uay County there are something Like
alf million acres of the same kind
t land which the people are going so
Wild over in Texas, and 1t Is open to
ettlement under the homestead and
esert land laws of the United States.
70 railroad company or other corpor.
tions have assisted In the settle
nent Of Quay County. Immigrants
ave been drawn there principally by
thers who settled on the land and
ultivated it with success. The Bill
eau of immigration or the Territory
as also done very good work in this
aspect and its publications on New
Iexico and on Quay County which
ave been distributed literally have
erved a very excellent purpose and
ave done much to attract attention
nd bring immigrants into Quay
ounty.
"a new town has sprung up on the
lains about thirty-five miles east Of
1t has been named Grady
Though away from any railroad it
! growing fast and the indications
re that 1t will be a thriving village
efore long.
Iany New School Districts Created
"At least twelve new school dis
lets were created during last year
/ Quay County. There may have
cen more. This was made necessary
Y the large number of new set
ers An eight thousand dollar
-hool house was erected two years
70 in Tucumcari and the board of
lucation is figuring on putting up
lother building to provide addition
facilities. The school population