Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-02-20
VAST ENTERPRISES
ARE UNDER WAY
More Than q Million Acres VIII
Be Irrigated in This Terri
tory by PrOje cts now
Being Worked
Out.

Santa Fe, y. NJ, Feb. 20.-In addi-
500, 600 acres of land in the Gila val
ley and other projects in Southwest
ern New Mexico, 1t came to light here
today that other projects on which
work will begin this spring will re-
claim at least 1000, 900 acres of land
in Central and Northern New Mexico.
Territorial Engineer Vernon l.. Sui
Ivan returned yesterday from a trip
tC southeastern New Mexico. where
he inspected several proposed irriga-
ton projects The largest is that of
the Gila Farm company which pro-
poses to erect a gigantic dam and
reservoir on the Gila river which will
be three times as large as the fam
Gus Assouan dam in Egypt and form
the basis for the largest storage res
ervoir in the world. 1t will furnish
water sufficient to irrigate 100000
acres of land and the dam itself will
be 500 feet in height
This project, If carried out, will
make the famous Elephant Butte res
ervoir at Engle look like a miniature.
II is said the company has sufficient
funds to carry it out and that work
will begin as soon as the applica-
ton for water rights has been APP
proved.
C. r Higgins of Washington, is on
his way to Santa Fe to initiate steps
that will result in the expenditure of
a least 81 ,0OO. 900 in the Taos valley
under the provisions of the Carey act,
fn
New Mexico and for which the terri
torial legislature will enact provisions
next week to make it applicable i'm
mediately.
The Colonial Bond and Security
company of Taos, which has filed in
corporation papers with the territorial
secretary, also has far-reaching plans
10 irrigate the Taos valley. When
these plans are consummated they
will make the region the garden spot
of the Southwest and eventually pro-
vide homes for half a million peo-
pie in the valleys tributary to the
Rio Grande, north Of this city. A. r.
Mandy, large land owner of Taos,
is the moving spirit in these enter
prises.
1t is also stated that a colony Of
German Lutherans have secured an
option on a 5000 acre tract of land
west of this city. upon which they
viii settle this spring and cultivate
il on the small farm plan, the land
TO be irrigated by means of large
re tServoir for which there is a natural
site and ditch system.
Word received from Kansas city
today reports the closing OF a con-
tract there by b. f. Pankey. of To-
peka owner Of the famous San Girls
tobaI ranch just north of Santa Fe
with the National Land and Sub-Irri-
cation company, Missouri corpora
tion, by which the company will be-
gin at once the installation of ten
acre demonstration farms on the
ranch 1t is understood that Pankey
expects to have the greater part of
the SO OOO tract Of land put under
irrigation by this system of under
ground tiling. the water TO be supplied
from ordinary drilled wells
President Virgins, inventor Of the
continuous tile making machine,
states that a large number of tracts
near Albuquerque, Las Vegas and
Santa Fe will be equipped with his
system this spring and that his COM
rany will spend upwards of $500, 900
IN the territory. 1t is believed the
department Of agriculture will join
with his $4,000, 600 corporation. con
trolling the Virgins patent. and es-
tabIish numerous experimental sta
tions i'm the Southwest