The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-07-31
THE RUSH OF HOME SEEK
Frs TO THIS TERRITORY.


From the Santa Fe New Mexican.
In the matter of homestead entries
in New Mexico both as to number
and acreage, the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1909, did not come quite up
to the record for the year previous. /
but was about the same as that Of
two years ago, when the great hegira
of h~omeseekers into New Mexico be-
gam. In these three years almost 49,
OOO entries have been made in the
New Mexico and Offices covering al
most seven million acres, or one
seventh of the entire area subject to
entry. H. B. Hening. secretary of the
Bureau of Immigration, las just com-|
pleted for Governor Curry's annual
report the statistics of the five land
Offices for the past fiscal year and
Mr.. Hening says:
The fiscal year just closed shows
approximately 1000 homestead and
other land entries as against approx
imately 10000 in the previous fiscal
year., a falling OF of about 5000 orig
inal entries. The acreage entered dur
ing the fiscal yea ended June 80.
1908, was 2.451,134 as against 1904
975 acres for 1909. a falling OFF of
close TO a quarter of a million acres.
Ii should be recalled, however, in
considering these figures, that during
the years. 1907 and 1908, when there
was a tremendous rush for home
stead lands, much Of the more desir-
able area was picked over n from
this time forward, according to men
who have made the most careful
e-f,Iy ~ tho Sitnafinn q SfRalv de-
crease in the area of homestead en-
tries may be expected. During 1907
and 1908 occurred the great rush for
the so-called dry-farmfng land. There
| has never been any effort OF the part
of the Territory to encourage imni-
grafton into this land and such as
has come has been voluntary. 1t has
been recognized hat the so-called
dry-far1ning was an experiment, or al
least in it's experimental stage and no
effort has been made to encourage 1t
| until its permanent success should
| be proven. The continuance of imni-
| grafton. however, is the most on
| vincing proof of the success OF the
system. Bad years may come and go
but the belief of the homeseekers in
| the value of these lands is evidenced
| by the continued immigration to the
T present year.
BY making all allowances for en-
tries made by New Mexico people, the
/ figures obtained from the five New
| Mexico and Offices this year indicate
an increase in population of not less
| than 8 5000. When 1t is recalled that
| these figures take practically no ac-
| count of the immigration to irrigated
land, or to the centers of population,
the increase in population for the past
twelve months may be estimated con-
servatively at $4,000.
OF the ten thousand original Ianu
entries made during the year. the
Roswell land office led in anil of
entries, while the Santa Fe Office led
in acreage The Roswell Office
showed 3,463 original homestead e.
tries, l26 desert land entries and SOC
entries under the enlarged, or 800
acre homestead law of February
1909. The homestead entries covered
472,6S5 acres. the desert and entries
3O,140 acres and the 800 acre entries
S. $40 acres
Santa Fe had a total of 2.747 orig
inal homestead entries with 474.5S9
acres, 14S desert entries with 22,15e
acres and other entries which with
drew 466.67S acres from the public
domain. No 32O-acre lands have ye-
been set aside in the Santa Fe dis
trict. OF the acreage Withdrawn in
cluded under the heading "other en
tries" 466.67S acres were included In
railroad and territorial sections.
The Las Cruces district in which
the ares of available agricultural land
is small, had SOS original homestead
entries with an acreage of $3.50
acres and los desert land entries with
an acreag of PISA.
The Tucumcari and Clayton land
districts maintained the rate of the
past two years, the new and office at
Tucumcari having 1853 original
homestead entries with an acreage of
| 21O.O77 and las entries under the
| 32O-act with 5000 acres.
Clayton shows 1,439 original n
| tries with an area of 230,240 acres
| and 55 900 acres of territorial selec-
| tions.
Summarized h five and Offices
show totals for the year as follows:
Original homestead entries, 9.7SS;
acreage 1,471,462.63.
Desert land entries, AGA; acreage.
| So. $50. 26.