The La Jara chronicle. (La Jara, Conejos County, Colo.) 1896-19??, 1911-04-28
HIGH LAND VALUES CALL
FOR INCREASED PRODUCTION
Agricultural Output Not Keeping Pace with Rapidly
Enhancing Prices Drainage and Abundant Water
Mean Equalization in this Respect


the extra water unless drainage
i was combined with it in the same
proportion. This we believe, as
a matter OF law, can be done. The
drainage of this eightyfive thous-
and acres lying as it does, below
about seventy-five thousand acres
of irrigated and seepage land,
higher up to the west edge of
the valley, will without question
develop several hundred cubic
feet o. water per second of time,
available to be used within the
proposed district. Seepage bitches
are recognized by our law makers
and courts. They are a legitimate,
a regular and recognized method
of obtaining water for the re-
clamation of arid land. That
which is a drainage ditch on one
mans land is a seepage or sup
ply ditch for the man whose farm
lies ten or fifteen feet lower,
There is no question in our mind
as to the legality of combining
the two propositions in one Let
the district exchange its bonds,
or cash from the sale of its bonds,
for the completed proposition
Reservoirs, Supply bitches, and
Drainage bitches, all complete.
We will add further that it would
be well too, to have all the water
used in the district under one
control under the control of
the district. To do this would re-
quire the purchase by the district
of all water and water rights now
applied to these .ands. This
would give the present holders
of water stock the value of their
stock in cash, as an offset to the
bonded Indebtedness placed
against their lands.
A similar proposition was
worked out on these lines between
the stockholders of the Farmers
Union and the San Luis Valley
Irrigation District, in the north
end of the valley. So without
hesitation we recommend the
| formation of an irrigation district
comprising all the land lying east
of the Terrace District and the
Trio Grande county line on the
west, reaching east and north to
the meadow lands along the Rio
Grande overwhelming these
too if the holders of said lands
care to come in-and bounded on
the south by the township line di-
viding townships 80 and 80 north
to point where the Alamosa river
crosses said township line, thence
in a northerly course, following
the edge of the meadow land, to
a point southeast of Alamosa.
We believe, however, it would be
greatly to the interests of the
holders of the meadow lands to
cone into the district, as their
lands are conceded by many to be
the richest o. any in the valley.
Drainage would remove the sur
plus water at any and all sea-
sons of the year, while the seep-
age water available for their
lands from the higher drainage
bitches would furnish them with
water every day in the year. Ear
ly water, late water, and abund
ant water would always be as
sured. 1t would increase the in
come from these lands several
fold. There is no better sugar
beet, potato or grain land in the
valley than these meadow lands
is they are put in proper condi-
ton.
We trust the old settlers and
all interested parties will seriously
consider the plan herein proposed.
We appreciate its Importance; we
recognize the necessity for action.
Now, get busy and get some of
the good things for yourselves,
don t leave them all Cor the next
generation.
With this improvement added,
Conejos county would be the rich
est farming county in the state,
and Alamosa easily distance all
competitors in the race as THE
| NTETPOpOT nf tho Uraaf south