Albuquerque citizen., 1908-02-03
ONE HUNDRED PER CENT
GAIN IN POPULATION
Financial Condition Excellent. He
SdyS--FigUreS Show UnpreCe-
dented Gain in Every Way
Pension Roll Smallest
in Years.

Washington, ID. c., Feb. 3.--The an
nual report of James r. Garfield. Sec
retary of the interior. to President
Roosevelt, made public today, has the
following to say of the development
of New Mexico during the year:
There has been an almost unprece-
dented Increase in population during
the past year. More than 10000
homestead filings on over two and a
half million acres were made 1t is
significant that this increase in the
agricultural population is not to any
great extent in the river valleys, but
is along the mesas, which until re-
Gently had been given up entirely to
grazing. This fact is due to the sue
cess of the dry farming method. If
this proves an ultimate success. 1t is
estimated that nearly $4,000, 600 acres
of land in New Mexico will be avail
aole for it.
Gains 100 Per Cent.
THE population of the territory is
now estimated at almost 100000, a
gain of nearly 100 per cent since 1900.
The principal new mineral devel-
opment has been coal. The explored
areas cover a million and half acres.
The stock industry next to agriculture
is stih the main support Of the people
of the territory. The reclamation SER
vice has completed two projects in the
lower Pecos valley. In this coming
season the settlers will receive the full
benefit of this improvement
The financial condition of the ter
ritory is excellent.
In education, progress is steady.
More than 1000 teachers are en-
ployed and the total enrolment of
scholars is $4,000 out OF a school pop
ulation of $4,000 children of school
age. The territorial institutions of
higher learning are better attended
than ever before.
There has been some serious diff
ficulty in the disposition by the ter
ritory of certain lands granted to it
by The federal government for educa-
tional purposes. 1t has been neces-
sary TO institute proceedings to test
the validity of transfers involving
about 1000 acres These suits are
now pending in the lower courts.
1T is most gratifying to know that
both Arizona and New Mexico are
now almost entirely free from the
lawlessness that obtained a few years
ago"
Homcstcaders Increase.
The report states that during the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1907,
there were disposed of through The
general land office 29,997, ,566.5S acres,
an increase Of 1,566,579,1l acres over
the preceding year. There were en-
braced in entries completed during the
year 7,114,25O.3S acres which had
been reported in original entries
made the preceding year, and are not
included i'm the above statement. En-
tries of all classes made last year
numbered 2Os,642, an increase of
1925 per cent over the preceding
year.
Total cash receipts from the dis
posal OF lands during the fiscal year
were $9,547,273.51. Receipts from 9TH
er sources were $2,OO5,90449, making
a total Of $11553,l7S, or an increase
of 52.3 per cent over the receipts OF
the preceding year Flfty-seven ad-
Iitioual national forests, embracing
43,S3S,Gl7 acres. were created during
The year and one has been abolished.
There are 159 national forests, en-
braciug l50,S32,665 acres.
OF the lands temporarily withdrawn
under the forestry act, 12,334,9Ot
acres have been restored to entry dur
ing the last year.
There We're surveyed during The
year 71J6,91O acres, Of which 1891
acres are I'm New Mexico
Immense Coal Lands.
The report states tnat during The
year 4l3,O7S.62 acres Of Indian lands
We're disposed OF and arrangements
are being made 10 open reservations
100000 acres during the
present year.
In the reclamation service the ball
ance on hand July / is given as SS,-
295,101.23. Projects have been un-
dertaken during the year to be com
pleted i'm 1911, totaling 100000
acres. al an estimated expense of S7O,-
100000, or an average Of $36.65 an
acre.
1t IS estimated that there are 7S,-
100000 acres OF swamp land In the
central and southeastern states, much
of which can be drained and viii thus
provide homes for many families.
The report places an estimate Of
coal lands in the western states at
70, 900, 900 acres which varies in quail
ity from the best 10 the worst.