Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-01-21
EASTERN NEW
MEXICO GROWING
De ent of
That Section
Remarkable
SETTLERS TAKING UP LAND
10000 Acres Will Be Plant
ed in Cotton This Year
iu Roosevelt County.

Travelling Auditor Charles V. SAT
ford, returned yesterday from three
weeks trip through eastern and
southern New Mexico during which
he visited the counties Of Quay, Qua
dalupe, Roosevelt, and Chaves. He
made a thorough investigation of the
banks under territorial charter In
these counties. During his previous
visit he made examination of such
banks and others Of the counties east
of the Rio Grande and he is there
fore fully In position to know and to
state what their financial condition
and standing are. He declares en-
phatically that every territorial char
tered bank which he has visited has
weathered the recent financial, so.
called, panic in excellent shape. That
the banks are solvent, were so at
the time of his examination and that
he has no fears of any financial
trouble concerning any of them.
Travelling Auditor Stafford has made
settlement for the year 1907 with the
county treasurers in twenty-four coun'
ties out of the twenty-five in the
territory. The twenty-fifth county
he expects will soon make its hnal
report. Should this not be done IN
a few days, he will 60 to the county
seat and make final settlement with
the county treasurer In person for
the year 1907. 1t is a remarkable
fact that the finalSreports have been
made so soon after the close OF the
year for the twenty-four counties and
all have been found correct. This
speaks very we'll indeed for the eff
cheney and honesty of the treasurers.
During the last five days over
100000 Of territorial funds have been
turned over to the territorial treas
urer on settlements made by Travel
ing Auditor Stafford with county
,reasurers during that period.
This is the sixth year of Auditor
Safford's incumbency Of this Office and
he has never seen county and terri
torial financial conditions as good and
as correct as now. The work has
been very tedious. He is now pre-
pairing to visit Eddy county to In
spect county financial affairs and the
territorial banks in the Pecos valley.
Prosperity Abounds On Every Hand
Along the line of the Eastern Rail
way OF New Mexico IN Roosevelt
county, Mr.. Stafford noticed many i'm
provements and great influx IN pop
ulation. Last year 5000 tax sched-
ules were ordered for the purpose OF
making reports of taxable property
by property owners in the county.
For this year the order made by the
assessor is 5000, which shows great
increase in the number Of property
owners. Mr.. Stafford does not think
this number excessive.
During his sojourn in Portales, a
mass meeting of farmers took place
which was attended by Auditor SAT-
ford. There were at least 200 farm.
ers from the vicinity present. They
requested the auditor to support their
demand that the dry lands which they
and their fellow settlers have entered
under the homestead laws be assessed
at not more than SO per acre, these
being dry lands and hard to culti-
vate. Mr.. Stafford examined condi,
tions and found their claims
to be just and endorsed their
petition to the Board Of Equalization,
and the latter granted the request at
its recent session here. The result
will be beneficial to the territory and
to the county as many more acres OF
land will be returned for taxation and
the farmers will more cheerfully pay
their taxes.
Roosevelt County Has 10000 People.
Auditor Stafford thinks that Roose.
welt county now contains popula.
ton of over 10000. The towns sit
uated along the Eastern Railway Of
New Mexico are growing rapid
" and substantially, and the
whole country for miles and miles
and for six or eight miles north and
south of the Eastern Railway Of New
Mexico is settled, fenced and substan-
tial farm houses are seen in many
places. The boards Of trade in Por-
tales and Elida have ordered each a
carload Of cotton seed which will be
distributed among the farmers for
planting this year. Cotton was raised
successfully during the past season
In several parts Of the county. Mr.
Stafford was at the cotton gin in Por.
tales and saw several bales ginned
The cotton was Of fine quality and
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