Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-07-23
OF GRAN I
BOARD STREWN
WITH ROCKS
LAS VEGAS MEN CLAIM
THAT IT Is ILLEGAL
Albuquerque Attorney Address
es Residents of Rich San
Miguel County Tract in Be-
half of Community Club.
Especial Correspondent Morning Journal

-
Especial Correspondence Morning Journal
Las Vegas. ". NJ. July 2t.-A few
more bouldcrs are being cast in the
pathway Of the board OF trustees OF the
Las vegas grant. which for the past
three years. acting under the authority
n by the appointment OF the district
court. has been diligently engaged IN
settling claims on the grant, convert
ing a huge Indebtedness into a sizeable
surplus and attending to an immense
mount of business connected with the
valuable tract.
Last night Attorney Neill u. Field Of
Albuquerque addressed a public meet-
ing composed of 12I residents Of the
grant pretty evenly divided between
supporters ana opponents OF the pol
icy Of the land grant board. Mr.. Field
WIS employed 10 come 10 Las Vegas to
express his views that the grant board
is illegally constituted by . number of
members Of the Community club. an
organization which Processes to believe
that the grant should be- administered
by n board Of trustees elected by the
grant community.
II may be well to recall the condt-
tions under which the present board Of
trustees ~ organized. shortly after the
patent confirming the Las Vegas grant
Ia the town Of Las Vegas wa issued
Mcsars. Charles A, Spices and Needer
and Needer, acting f0r a large number
Of residents Of the grant, presented To
the district court a petition asking fot
the appointment of a board of truss
tees 10 administer the grant under the
direction of the court. The court
granted the petition and appointed a
board Of seven Of the most responsible
citizens Of the community. Acting on
the assumption that the town OF Las
Vegas WAS o quasi municipality. co-ex-
tcnsiye with the boundaries OF the
grant and therefore amcnable TO the
political power and a legitimate sub
jcct of legislation by the sovereign
power as expressed through the rep
rcsontatives Of the people, the legisia
turc of the year 1903 passed an act
confirming the action Of the court ana
authorizing the board OF trustees app
pointed By the our to administer the
Las Vegas grant under the direction
at the court. Before these steps were
taken by the residents of the grant the
opinions of the members of the Las
Vegas bar and OF a Number Of leading
lawyers at the territory and of the
city Of Washington AZ to the proper
procedure were secured, The correct
ness OF the view has not, ak far as a
Dc ascertained, boon questioned by any
lawyer OF recognized ability up 10 the
prcacnt time.
There have been, It Is true. u num-
Der 81 men, sclf-secking politicians
hlAfi MAfNt VINO urge tNhllllH llitl nj
court could possibly respect. who have
alNaAa kept up Il loud talk about the
Injustice OF having the grant ruled
by the court n administrations
rather than by the Representatives Of
the people But the mouthings or
these lrresponsibles have not been
taken seriously. Now, however. there
appear 10 be three or four men OF
some standing Ia the community ]
behind the movement TO attempt 10 m
volve IN" grant once more In Injurious
and long drawn out litigation-this
much 90 the dislike Of "a large ma
iority of citizens who desire 90 see the
present satisfactory and progressive
conditions pcrpctuated.
what the present board of trustees
has accomplished IL wholly gratifying. I
when tho trustees were appointed tht /
grant was liable TO be sold at any
tmc for $4,000 of taxes that had
accumulated against Il during twenty
years OF tircsome litigation The board
succeeded la securing a large rcduc-
ton aud paying of every dollar Of
axes. Several thousand dollars or
other expenses relative Ca the issuance
ot The patent and the government sur
NcN ct thc land were paid Also the
tner 30 attorneys who secured the pat
tuf. the expense OF a survey Of IN"
Whole Hrant and about "A year and =
hair agu. the board began giving IT,
Tics Co Individual tracts Of land. or
two hundred "a applications FOR iudi-
NlduHt fHlps $50 have been granted. |
ihH rNst not having been considered or
hriug deferred. The extreme liberal
lfN uI Tine policy uf the board is shown
thr fact that only two claims have
hteu wholly rejected.
Two demonstration farms have boon
established on the mesa and the ea-t-
pru farmers who visit the section Co
investigate tho agricultural conditions
uhserN" inthenpprnachiug harvest
IHH Hf 900 -uufayorable year crops eft
wheat. ftCt oats. corn. beans. sorghum.
fuNIHt kHfNr com, ote.. raised without
lrfirHfiuu which look ns nourlshiuE aa
InN ..1u- ihat may Doe seen iu Kansas
ur Missouri During two Years cod
denomination put wear highly aNurn
hls fLn other below the average. tho I
board hus succeeded in Recommendations
fht high value of tho dry lands thar
NOW 90 Inc market
t~HnanuurutlN thousands uf acres ff
that couldn't b., sold three NeH
I.H fst 81 Hu acre uff being disposed