Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-04-30
SETTLERS ENTER
STRONG PROTEST
Oppose Methods of
Alloting Lands to
Navajos
OFFICIALS RETURN HOME
Acting Governor Jaffa and
Land c Commissioner Ervien
Investigated Complaints.

Acting Governor Nathan Jaffa re-
turned last evening from San Juan
county which he visited on Official
business. Land Commissioner Robert
Up. Ervien and Territorial Auditor W.
G. Sargent accompanied him from
here and at Chama the party was
joined by Hon. r. B. Burns, of TERRA
Amarillo, who was interested In Act.
ing Governor Jaffa's mission to San
Juan county.
The journey was very pleasant and
Especially so from Chama to Durango
as the Denver and Rio Grande rail.
Iroad runs through a beautiful noun
tain section. Chama was found to be
a pretty little railroad town of very
bright and clean appearance, many
railroad people living there and hay-
ling nice and comfortable homes.
Durango is busy Inning town and
Dis very prosperous. They visited Trim
Ible Springs where are located a
livery handsome hotel and splendid
bathing establishment, the property OF
Mr.. Burns. The springs there have q
great medicinal value and the place
I is quite health and tourist resort
during the summer.
The party went to Pennington,
where Acting Governor Jaffa COM
menced the investigation Of matters
which took him there.
Dissatisfied With AlIotments.
1t seems that the people of San
Juan county are greatly dissatisfied
with the methods now being carried
on there by the special agent of the,
Indian Office in alloting lands to the
Navajo Indians outside Of the reserva.
tion. 1t is claimed by the people that
the Indians are receiving from six to
eight hundred acre tracts to which
they are not entitled, many of which
have been claimed and settled by citi.
zens for many years. It is represented
that the Navajo Indian reservation
now is very large and that on an aver
age, every man, woman and child Of
the Navajo tribe would have an allot
ment of eight hundred acres, where,
as the United States allows but one
Homestead of 100 acres and one desert
land entry of 100 acres to American
citizens who must make their own liv-
ing and work hard for such, while the
Indians are being helped by the gov.
ernment The Navajo Indian reserva.
tion, the people set up, is too large
now and the Indians should not be
lgiven any allotments outside of its
Hands
On the side of the Indians it IS
Iclalmed that many of them have oc-
|cupied tracts which they now seek to
jhave allotted to them as sheep herders,
lgoat herders and the like.
Citizens Hold Mass Meeting.
On Monday evening las, a mass
Injecting Of citizens of San Juan coun.
Ity was held at Pennington which was
largely attended and at which strong
resolutions were passed requesting
Acting Governor Jaffa to telegraph to
Delegate Andrews and Governor Cur
Try that the people Of San Juan county
lpetitioned for full and fair investi-
Igation of all claims and that no allot.
ments should be made until this was
idone. Acting Governor Jaffa accord.
ingly sent this dispatch with favor.
liable recommendation to Governor
Curry at Washington.
| Acting Governor Jaffa was very
Iagreeably surprised and greatly i'm.
pressed with the prosperous condi.
ltions of the section of San Juan coun.
|ty he visited. The Animas, La Plata
land San Juan rivers are carrying
| Igreat bodies of water and all the
bitches aro full to overflowing. There
, will be fine fruit crop especially OF
apples, pears and peaches, although
some damage was done by the frosts
last week. There Is more land under
cultivation than ever before and great
crops of alfalfa, wheat, grain and oats
are expected. Land values In some
places are flying high, being from one
hundred fifty to two hundred dollars
|per acre for irrigated and cultivated
or orchard lands.
Many New Settlers Arriving.
y Many new settlers are coming into
the county and they are of a very
, good class, bringing some money,
: household furniture, farming utensils
and are building comfortable homes
The Eden Ditch company has a
large irrigation project ready and will
begin work at an early date. The
water supply will be taken from the
Animas River and about $4,000 acres
between the Animas and La Plata