The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1909-02-27
NEW MEXICO is TO HAVE THE
'' LARGEST DAM IN THE WORLD
The Water Supply Stored Back Of II Will Irrgate Over
Half>Million Acres Of Most Fertile Land
VAST ENTERPRISES ARE UNDER WAY
Homes and Choice Farming Lands Will Be Furnished for
Thousands Of Enerprising Settlers

Santa Fe, ". NJ, Feb. as.--In
addition to the gigantic scheme to
reclaim 500, 600 acres OF land in
the Gila valley and other projects
IN Southwestern New Mexico, IL
came to light here TODAY that other
projects on which work will begin
this spring will reclaim at least
I,ooo,o 200 acres OF land IN Central
aHd Northern New Mexico.
Territorial Engineer Vernon l..
Sullivan returned yesterday from
trip 10 southeastern New MEXICO,
where he inspected several propos.
ed irrigation projects. The largest
Is that oi the Gila Farm company,
which proposes to erect a gigantic
dam and reservoir on the Gila riv.
er which will be three times AS
large as the Famous Assouan dam
in Egypt and torn the basis Tor
the largest storage reservoir in the
world. II will furnish water sufti-
cient to irrigate 500, 600 acres OF
land and the dam itself will be
500 feet in height.
This project, il carried out, will
make the famous Elephant Butte
reservoir at Engle look like
miniature. II is said the company
has sufficient funds TO carry it out
and tha, work will begin as soon
as the application tor water rights
has been approved.
{. I. Higgins OF Washington,
is on his way 10 Santa Fe to initiate
steps that will result in the expen-
dlture oi at least 81, 600, 900 in the
Taos valley lnder the provisions OF
the Carey act, which has been ex-
tended to cover New Mexico and
tor which the territorial legislature
will enact provisions next week to
make 1t applicable Immediately.
The Colonial Bond aud Security
company OF Taos, which has iled
Incorporation papers with the ter
ritorIa! secretary, also has far
reaching plans to irriga,e the Taos
valley. When these plans are con.
summated they will make the re.
g,on the garden spot OF the south
west and eventually proyide homes
tor halt million people IN the val
leys tributary TO the Rio Grande,
north OF this CITY. A. X Mandy,
a large land owner OF Taos, IS the
moving spirit IN these Enterprises.
IL is also stated that a colony of
German Lutherans have secured
an option on 1000 acre tract OF
land west OF this city, upon which
they will settle this spring and cul.
tivate II on the small tarm plan,
the land to he irrigated by means
OF large reservoir Tor which there
is a natural site and ditch system.
Word received from kansas City
today reports the closing oil con.
tract there by B. +. Pankey OF To-
peka, owner OF the famous San
Cristobal ranch Just north oi San
Ia Fe, with the National Land aud
Sub-lrriga,ion company, Mis-
sour' corporation. by which the
company will begin at once the in.
stallation OF ten acre demonstl alton
farms on the ranch. Il is under
stood that Pankey expects to have
the greater part OF the So, 900 tract
OF land put under irrig ,tion by this
system oi underground tilling, the
water to be supplied from ordinary
drilled wells.
President Virgins, inventor OF
the continuous tile making mach
inc, states that a large number OF
tracts near Albuquerque, Las
Vegas and Santa Fe will he equip
ped with his system this spring
and that his company will spend
upwards OF $500, 600 in the terri.
tory. II is believed the depart.
ment oi agriculture will ioin with
his s., 200, 600 corporation, con.
trolling the Virgins patent, and
establish numerous experimental
stations in the eOufhwest