El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-05-17
ROADS VS.. BRrDGEs-wHrCH,
(NasAma~~

| Earlham, n. NJ, May Is, 1910.
| Editor FL Paso Herald:
L have been waiting for some month!
since my arrival from California TO give
some facts and experiences, which ha.
been CLEANED for the last 90 years fl
this valley. My position as travelling
sales agent for the land department OF
the A T. & S. F. r. R. with head
| quarters at Las Vegas and associated
| with j. K. Livingston at Las Cruces
gave me an Introduction to the posi-
biltties of this Nile of America
After starting Mesilla Park and sug-
costing the Agricultural college, I con-
ceived that the west half of the valley
| beyond the river only needed a bridge
to make it blossom. That was more than
| 20 years ago.
The First Bridge.
So, armed with a petition which had
| been numerously signed by my indi-
vidual effort, L appeared before the
| commissioners court consisting of
Thomas ]. Bull. G. W. Mossman and Mr..
/ Lynch. When 1t came to a vote on a
bridge across the Rio Bravo the new
settlers-Mossman and Lynch-voted in
the affirmative and Bull, the forty
miner voted in the negative. AS soon
as the proposition carried Mr.. Bull
( thoughtfully remark ed: Gentlemen.
you have an elephant on your hands"
AAiC was Dullt d StdllOIl, va
ter tank, stores, broom factory, were
started at Earlham-now Vado station.
and fortunes Were made as all roads led
10 the bridge But in an evil hour the
Rio Bravo took one of its freaks re-
ferred to by commissioner Bull and after
lodging trees and, driftwoods against
the piers found another channel to the
west. leaving the bridge high and dry
and the railroad grade washed away
for several hundred yards and our town
built mostly of adobes washed away.
Bridges Not Needed.
l write not to find fault with the law
that where 300 signers can be obtained
bridge must be built, but to correct
the craze for building across the Rio
Grande when. at best, the Elephant
Butte dam and the reservoir is COM
pleted, which engineer French says can
be done within three years. none of
the bridges across the Rio Grande in
this valley which are now or may here
after be built, will be OF any possible
value. AdviceE from the reclamation
service are TO the effect that a ditch so
feet wide at the bottom VIII ascend
TO the bench and possibly mesa lands
east Of the valley which will water the
entire Mesilla valley as far south as
FL PaSo, and the water for the lower or
Ell Paso valley and Mexico will be car
ried in a straight channel most likely
following the old river bed to where
1t leaves the western foot hills and
then continuing west of the town Of La
Mesa. Telles P o., Chamberino, P o.,
Nomberdeos and skirting the west foot
hills, leave all the valley on the east
side of the river channel.
Again the efforts of the people of
Canutillo and at the old Earlham
bridge now removed to a point west
OF Mesquite station in their frantic and
forlorn efforts TO prevent the river from
leaving these bridges as it did leave
the Mesquite bridge in its original To-
cation years ago. have happily caused
them to stop and give a listening ear
TO former experiences in building
white elephants" referred to- above by
Bull. write to call atten-
ton to the people who are running the !
county to large expense In building two
or more bridges, one opposite Anthony,
and another five miles north at Berino !
and perhaps others being projected as
the law compells the commissioners to !
build bridges whenever a petition by |
500 or over, which is easy" is pre- |
sented.
Use Money for Roads.
Now, permit a suggestion: Why not |
take the thousands that are being vast |
I'd on bridges of doubtful value from |
the start, and certainly of no value |
when the dam is complete, and put it !
On road from Anthony to Las Cruces I
along the right of way to be known as /
he connecting, link of the great Ca
nino Real, which the whole territory
s taxed to build. and which the gov-1
.rnor in his Las Cruces speech pledged
he prison labor in aid Of construction?
Then build roads from one side of the
Talley to the other on section lines to
ornect with this great national high
way.
Let us then invite settlers to come
nd produce something to ship and we
ICED not worry about electric railroads
nd other means of getting our produce
o market as railroads and transpor-
alton companies are watching with
agile eyes to run their lines into ter
TORY where there is something to
aul.
Water for Irrigation
Another suggestion: When settlers
ne brought into the valley and see our
inc road system suggested above, as
ure them that they will be given wa
er for irrigation on equal terms with
Id settlers. cattle men and spectators.
nd I will guarantee the valley will
lesson as the rose. And the new set
lerS viii build school houses churches |
nd other conveniences. and the trans
ortation will take care of itself
L have not attempted to argue the |
easons why 1t Is precarious in the ex-
-eme to build bridges in the Mesilla !
alley, but will simply suggest that the
lies in the original Earlham bridge
ow at Mesquite-were driven many
eet deeper than any other bridges or
roposed bridges in the valley; even
distance of y feet was gone as an
Experiment. for bed rock. and nothing I
ut quicksand found. The above is not
leory but experience supported by
lets. ]
ELI Newsom
permanent settler and land owner of 6
the Mesilla valley.