Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-01-07

III. first biennial report of the New
n.vico department Of irrigation and
aneineering has just been completed
81. vernon l.. sullivan. the territorial
,.ication engineer. and is now ready
for distribution.
rhn report covers the work Of MT.
enllivan's department during the past
,ear and Il half and no public doeu-
mt issued in New Mexico during
,hat neriod shows more s~tfikingly the
,rap,endous forward strides which the
,orritory has made in irrigation or in
dfeates more clearly the splendid pos
sihilities for Development Of the great
industry of irrigated farming,
That the engineering department
hae oiyen most efficient aid in en-
,ouraping private irrigation enter
nrises and that it is sure to o more
,an,ablo as it's sphere Of activity is
enlarged is shown by that portion Of
,he report which sets forth the acer-
.oo of projects now in operation, or
,nnroyed for construction and the far
larger acreage which will be contain
ed i'm ana lFStdiHiNH Hh'Ni ~ ~"
private enterprises not as yet APP
nroyed for construction.
From applications recorded in the
,noinpcr's office it is shown that there
,re apuroved private irrigation pro-
ieets in New Mexico today covering
,nnroximatcly 500, 900 acres--an area
ar greater thar it was considered
nossiblc to irrieate in the entire ter
,itorv some FIVE years age In add
lion to these approved applications an
,ter many of which construction has
been completed or is now under way,
there are additional projects PROPOSED
hut not as yet approved covering more
than 100000 acrcs-and the cnsi-
neer finds that there is sufficient wat
~ Il supply these projects.
What this report forecasts for New
Mexico in the way of development, OF
increased wealth and population. is
nothing loss taan tremendous.
It is difficult to make q successful
resume Of the report. Practically cv-
cry page is vital and contains mat
ter Of general interest to the man who
is Interested in the territory's devcl-
opment.
Tho Introduction reviews the whole
field Of irrigation in New Mexico as
follows.
"The value Of the larger irrigation
projects to the territory IS great in
deed. Colonization schemes In the
larger projects are now being carried
out whereby thousands Of industrious.
cnterprising farmers are being settled
upon small tracts ranging frcnt ten
10 fifty acres. with the two million
or more Of acres Of land which arc
now being considered for irrigation,
and to be completed within the next
ten years there will be provided an
ayerage, which apportioning a family
Of four TO every forty acres. would IN
crease the population Of the territory
or state by 200 600; and this does not
include the thousands Of inhabitants
who would come to the towns and
business centers supported by these
farmers.
Irrigation works are happily dis
tributed over the entire territory. In
San Juan county one project alone
%contemplates the reclamation Of over
one million acres ana there is water
supply available for nearly the entire
acreage. In Eddy county the Carls-
bad project Of the United States re-
clanation service is selling It's land
rapidly 20 new corners In Union
county this office has approved al APP
p~lcation Of 5000 acres. The Rio
Mimbres Irrigation company is o
ready to push its large project in
'ffant and Luna counties improving a
great many acres OF territorial lands r
work has been commenced in "a pre- i
urinary way upon the Engle project
ana as soon as a railroad is built from {
'he main line to the dam site work +
NlV he pushed with energy ana ac- I
romplishment.
Applications for permits to appro- !
HflatH public water Of the territory q
la'e been recorded in this office dur e
.'s the last year and a half under the j
""s N 1909, for about 100000 acres !
which oyer 100000 acres have been q
proved by the engineer. OF course q