Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-02-28
FORAKER COUNTY
ON THE 1AP|S
To Be Carved From
Parts of Union and
Colfax
FACTS AND FIGURES IN CASE
Presented By Delegation of
Leading Citizens Of Fol
som.

som.
Probably more general interest
throughout New Mexico is centered
In the several county division PROPOSE
tions now being considered by The
Legislative Assembly than any half
dozen bills providing for new laws In
the Territory. The question of the
creation of new counties is an all alb
sorbing one and has served to rele-
gate other legislation temporarily to
the background
Whether or not any OF the new coun-
ties as now projected will be formed
by legislative acts Is Of course a mat,
ter of conjecture The legislators
themselves have not crystallized an
opinion as body on these momentous
questions so vital to the taxpayers of
the various sections involved whether
they are In sympathy or not with the
movements.
Would Establish Foraker County.
Three Folsom citizens urging the
establishment Of Foraker County out
of portions of the present Colfax and
Union Counties are now in the Capital
for the purpose Of laying their claims
before the Legislature. The trio Is
composed of J. p. Odell, D. B. Wenger
and J. M. Martinez, all of whom are
engaged in the general mercantile
business in the thriving town Of Fol
som. The two first named also have
ranches in the northern part of Union
County. They believe that the part Of
the Territory they hail from is fully
and Justly entitled to have a county
government and they are desirous oi
having the county seat located at Fol
som. They have armed themselves
with documentary evidence in the
shape of facts and figures taken from
the tax rolls in support of their con
| tention for county rights and have two
| petitions praying for the creation O.
Foraker County. The petitions con
tain the names of about two hundred
and fifty taxpayers of the domain EN-
braced in the proposed new county
According to their statement these pc
| titions were in circulation only one
| day, and more signatures could have
been secured had there been more
time as the proposition is greatly ia
vored by the residents within thu
boundaries outlined.
i County Seats Hard to Reach.
| A New Mexican reporter called upol
the delegation from Folsom for an in
terview last evening at the Palace
Hotel. AS it would have been trif,
confusing If all expressed their view
disconnectedly. Mr.. Martinez was sc
| lected as spokesman by mutual con
sent because Of his being the statisti
clan of the party. He stated in brie
| that the real object Of the presen
movement looking to the formation o
| a new county out Of the territory con
tiguous to Folsom was on account
the inaccessibllity Of the county seat
Of both Colfax and Unisn Counties an
particularly as regards Clayton. H
spent several hours yesterday at tn
| travelling auditors Office examining tn
| tax rolls of the two parent countie
and had compiled figures pertaining t
taxable property as evidence Of tn
stability Of the new county and ais
to show that no injustice would b
done to the two other cotnties.
Valuation Of Proposed New County.
"Colfax and Union Counties woul
both still be self-supporting and tn
new county would be we'll able to TAX
care of ITSELF" he said when h
touched upon the financial condition
in the course of the interview. 9TH
total assessed valuation on real estat
Of that part Of Union County whic
woud be taken away from 1t by tn
creation of this new county was $187
492, according to the tax rolls Of 190'
The total personal assessment ther
at the same time amounted to $245
S03 This does not include the taxs
ti0n of the Colorado and Souther
Railroad which yields tax assesl
mont Of $275,500 This would brin
the total valuation Of all taxable proI
erty up to $7OS,7s5 IN that part {
Union County which would be cut Of
The eight-mile strip that would b
taken from the eastern part Of Cola
County Is assessed at at least $500
900, 80 that the valuation of the ne
county under existing condition
would be over a million dollars.
"The Santa Fe, Liberal and Engl,
wood Railway is building throug
Union County and fifty miles Of thi
line would be in Foraker County. Ad
|, to this seventeen miles Of the s
Louis, Rocky Mountain & Pacific Raj
way constructed and 1t gives US sixt!
seven miles Of railroad to be assesse
, at the rate Of $4,000 per mile. Figu
ing on a basis Of thirty mills on th
dollar the annual income from tax,
ton for Foraker County would ther'
fore be close to $4,000. The popul,
!. tion that we intend to take into thi
new county will b. about 5000 inhab
tants.
J THE total assessed valuation {
Union County in 1895 when 1t ws
I created was $1,327,oO0. In 1906 1t wa
(. e1,7S2, 900, showing an actual increas
i OF $465,0Oo. II we add the asses
] ments ~ the railroads just construc
d Z ID =. -.1 4. w b. =.