Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-01-24
NOL|M|T TOTHE
AMBITION Of
CLOVIS
EIGHTEEN MONTHS OLD
CITY AFTER>C0UNTY SEAT
Bunch of Boosters Arrive in
Santa Fe Armed With Figures
to Prove That the Roosevelt
County Wonder Is Prepared,


Especial Correspondence TO Morning JournslI
Santa Fe, n. NJ, Jan, sS.--When II
comes to ambition, soaring, unlimited
overwhelming and all-embracing am
bition, Clovis, New Mexico Is the orig.
inal package done up in tlnfoll and
properly labeled
Clovis. be Ii remembe bered, was
founded about two years ago. Eigh.
teen months ago It was marked by q
whistling post on an uncompleted
railroad grade. Now II has twenty
tants claims three thousand and viii
doubtless have them before the first
of the month, at the present rate OF
growth. II has two banks, two news
papers, all the necessary mercantile
establishments of first class town
and most OF the conveniences. IL has
spent moro money on its public
schools than most towns OF four times
its age and 1t has. In addition to n
first class territory. railroad shops and
headquarters likely to make It pros
porous even were there no other re-
sources This is Clovis. n NJ. eigh-
teen months old, If you care to know
more about II. ask one of the five or
six enthusiastic boosters now In Santa
Fe. They are willing tc talk at all
times and they are armed with line
OF facts that viii make the average
man dizzy Clovis Is not content with
being one OF the most promising
young towns In New Mexico. II wants
to become city right away; has set
about doing 1t, and among other
things aspires to become a county
scat-eightecn months from It's crea-
iion, which is going some, j. S. I'D
wards. Judge RoWcls V. u. Plat G..
4, ScAcurlch nlu rpvrfni others arc
here just now on tnc county diy.si1n
matter, In which Clovis Is particularly
interested They have introduced
their bin in the house and are pre-
pared to push 1t along for all IL is
worth. Curry county viii be the name
of the new county which it is proposed
to create out of northern Roosevelt
county, a portion OF northern chaves
south line Of Quay county.
The claim for the creation Of Curry
county Is far from being founded
solely on the claims of Clovis There
is pressing need not only for the crca-
ton OF one. but of several new coun-
ties In New Mexico, and il Is agreed
by all narties that these new counties
VIII change the lines of Roosevelt,
Chaves and Eddy counties to some ex-
tent and probably of Quay and Quad
alupe. Portales. the county seat of
Roosevelt county is in the eastern
portion thereof and not easily reach
ed. The Clovis people say that west
crn Roosevelt county can get its rep
resentatives to Clovis with ease and
and that Clovis. because OF
its population. is the logical seat OF
government for the new county.
There are differences of opinion as to
this. but the Clovis people are pre-
pared to give the reasons to support
their claim. A very large portion of
the taxable property Cf the new coun-
ty would probably be In Clovis. and
his would increase rapidly when rail-
road property becomes subject TO tax.
The Clovis people show from the
Roosevelt county records that after
exemptions, there was in
the district from which II II proposed
20 create Curry county in 1908. val
uatlon assessed at $S75.000, This IS
arger than the assessed valuation Of
several Of the older counties. and
here is, of course. no question that
Il will go to a million or more In this
district during the present year.
The total assessed valuation in
Roosevelt county last year was about
Two and a quarter millions Of dollars
md Roosevelt county is not a very old
county at that. 1t dates from 1908.
when there were about 500 people In
he county. Now there are close 70
10. 900. and Clovis alone has more than
ioublc the population of the whole
county when it was created
In the territory proposed to incor-
1oratc in Curry county the sworn
statement Of the Roosevelt county as
lessor gives II as his estimate that "
xiii have over s2.OOO,000 Of assess
lblc valuation at the end OF 1909.
There Is also furnished by this official
IN estimate Of population In this pro-
posed county. He declares that the
population of Roosevelt county today
5 lhirty-fi,r thousand. aud that IN
he proposed ncw county thcrc are not
css than fifteen thousand people.
This being true. IL remains mat
cr OF course that II there is a de-
nand for county division the people
lave right 10 have ii. and il only
'rmains for tho Clovis people To dem
,nstrate to the Legislature that their
own is the right place to put the seat
" government There are other
claimants for this county seat. Mel
-ose would like to have It. and Coun-
'iman McBcc. Of tho southeast dis
riot founded Mclrosc aud has no
reed to be ashamed OF his home town
II rs claimed that a point further
vest would be the logical place for
he county seat. and the Clovis people
sili undoubtedly find opposition to