Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-08-13
WORK STARTED
ON BIG PROJECT.
Arroyo Hondo Irri-
CATION System
Taking Shape
IN n1 llnneI nF I'm nIaln
TO Be MODEL OF ITS k|NO
Will Consist of Series Of
Reservoirs Built on Natural
Sites.

|
| Work has been started in earnest on
the preliminary construction Of the
Arroyo Hondo Irrigation System, six
miles south of Santa Fe. The first dam
will be built al the mouth OF the
rugged and picturesque Canon of the
Arroyo Hondo, which begins just west
lof the Santa Fe Trail or Glorieta
road. and extends almost to the Calls
te0 road. a mile east of the Lamy
branch Of the Santa Fe railway The
location of the first dam is in a natural
rock gateway, narrow and almost 1870
feet high, at the bottom of which flows
the Arroyo Hondo, which at present
has a considerable volume of water.
Two other dams are to be built. but
further up the canon, all three being
located at the entrance to natural reg
ervoir sites.
Erect Temporary Buildings.
On the north bluff of the canon gate.
way. large frame building has been
erected by Corbett and Smythe. the
contractors who will build the dam.
1t will serve as blacksmith shop and
lsmithy wagon shed and stable. On
the south bluff. several teams with
scrapers are at work grading for the
|abutment of the dam on that side. The
dam itself will he 1870 feet high and
convex with the apex up stream. For
seventy feet of this height, the natural
rock will serve as an abutment on both
sides, while above that. masonry will
be constructed. The dam itself will be
of concrete and from 1t will be irrigat-
ed several thousand acres of fertile
lands extending all the way down to
the Santa Fe river. Much Of this land
is in private ownership but there is
also considerable public land under the
reservoir and about ten homesteads
have been filed upon lately in anticipa-
tion of the construction of the irriga-
tion works.
The greatest problem that will have
to be contended with is the large
amount Of silt that comes down the
Arroyo HOndo While this silt will
serve as a fertilizer, It will also fiji up
reservoirs and bitches, unless it can
be washed away by means of blow
holes which will be left in the dam
and through which the silt is to be
forced out of the reservoir by the wa
ter. It is five to fifteen feet to bed rock
from the surface of the stream
Site Of Dam Beautiful Spot.
The dam Is just a few hundred
yards below the ruins of the prehis-
toric Pueblo village, the site OF which
is owned by Ex-Governor l.. Bradford
Prince and Receiver Of the Land office.
Fred Muller This has been in part ex-
cavated and interesting relics. such as
pottery and stone tools have been TAX
en- out. some of which are in the Cole
collection of the museum Of the Histor
ical Society in the Old Palace. Syste-
matte excavation would undoubtedly
bring to light many more relics and
remains Of the prehistoric age, when
large Indian pueblos fiourished on the
Santa Fe and Arroyo Hondo and Tesu-
que, within a few miles of Santa Fe.
The nearby hills are finely wooded
with pinon and cedar giving them
park-like appearance, and with lake
a mile long and half mile wide, upon
the shores Of which is located this
mysterious prehistoric pueblo, the Ar
royo Hondo reservoir will Be in the fu-
ture one Of the most attractive picnic
spots for Santa Fe people, being as 1t
is only six miles from the Plaza
Three good roads. including the his.
toric Santa Fe Trail lead to the
Hondo from town, besides number
of trails It is however. in the fact, that
the irrigation facilities will bring farm
,ers to this country directly tributary
ITO Santa Fe, and that 1t will be pro-
ducing an abundance Of grain and
fruit. that the Importance Of the un-
dertaking to the Capital City lies. This
year, splendid crops of corn are being
raised between Santa Fe and the Hon
do. proving that the land south Of San
ia Fe, almost 100000 acres Of which
are subject to homestead entry, is fully
as fertile as that of the Estancia val
ley and Quay county, which is attract
ing new settlers by the thousands. Be
ing nearer to the mountains, this land
also has more abundant rainfall, and
with crops more suitable than Indian
corn and with scientific dry farming,
the large area of land now lying just
south of Santa Fe, will in the near
future produce abundant crops ana sus-
tain many families In comfort. The
completion Of the Arroyo Hondo reser-
voir will hasten the coming Of this new
era when Santa Fe will be rich agri-
cultural community with double its