Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-11-30
LANDS WORTH
NOT OVER So
PER ACRE
OFT REPEATED CHARGE
OF FERGUSON FLIMSY
0tero County Officials Make
Affidavit That Tracts Wero
Not 'GNen Away to Rail-
road People.

The charge has been often and
freely made by Mr. r. B. Ferguson,
sn the constitutional convention, at
the meeting here Monday night, and
ut divers other times and places that
certain lands were given away 10
the FL Paso and Southwestern rail-
road for price of three dollars an
acre, the idea being that the gang -
which engineered this deal perpe-
trated a considerable outrage upon
the people OF the territory in dispos-
ing of public lands ut fraction Of
their actual value.
The average New Mexican has a
tolerably good average idea or the
value of average public lands in this
territory. It Is well known fact
that there are large areas Of the pub
lie domain on which the pubic
might well pay anyone bonus TO
get rid of them others, Of course
may be OF considerable value; IL all
depends on the lands Giving away
pubic lands" is favorite charge
against public officials and one which
has been much overworked. In the
present case however. Mr.. Fergus
son IL open TO the charge OF lack or
candor. inaRmuch AS he Is thoroughly
dconVcrsant with the history OF this
particular land deal and knows well
what kind of lands are involved.
The fact WAS brought out in the
convention that Mr.. FERGUSON, by
reason Of his influence with the
national administration and his DO
sition as delegate in congress. was In
strumental in having these lands
- r and rp-
stored to entry for the benefit OF the
El PaEo and southwestern people.
There can be no criticism of MT,
FERGUSON on this score, as the mat
ter of the price at which the lands
were sold was something with which
he had no connection, his seTvicee be
inr rendered only in the task of hay
ing these lands placed on the market
The Isl Paso and southwestern m
terests bing anxious to acquire them.
The point is that Mr, FERGUSON must
know something about the actual
value of these lands and whether or
not they were given away when
they were sold to the railroad peo-
pie for three dollars per acre.
That these lands title to which
is now held by the Alamogordo
Lumber company were not ana are
not worth over three dollars per
acre. is the statement made by
mum ber OF the present county oin+
cials Of Otero county as Follows
Alamogordo, ~ NJ Sept IL, l9lV'
To Whom 1t May Concern: :
We, the undersigned officials or the
county of Otero, territory of New
Mexico. state and represent as fol-
lows ,..
1st. That we are acquainted with
that part of the timbered area OF the
Sacramento mountains In Otero coun-
ty which are selected by the territory
Of New Mexico under an act OF con-
press the legal title to which Is now
claimed by the Alamogordo Lumber
company. TO cancel " hich title suit Is
now pending on behalf OF the United
states In the district court of this
county, and know the value Thereon
and prices at which that character OF
land sell for in that section OF couh-
try.
End We are informed that the ter
ritory of New Mexico sold ana dispos-
ed of this land in the year 1871, ana
received therefor at the rate OF VIZ
an acre in purchase thereof.
3rd. From our knowledge Of The
uses TO which said land could be put
and the character Of timber thereon,
the distance of the same from ran
road. the difficulty and cost OF log
ging the same and the character of
lumber which can be produced from
such timber. we unhesitatinBly say
and state the facts to be, that such
lands were not in the year 1901. and
are not now. OF any more value than
So per acre. and any amount Of that
character of land can be bought In
such mountains now from homestead
ers and others who have become the
legal owners thereof at not 70 exceed
that price. equally good both as 20
the amount and character of such TIM