El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-10-01
Unique Cooperative Pumping
Plant At Portales, N. M.
Built By Westinghouse Serves 10000 Rich Acres
From 20 Wells at $50 Per Acre Per Year.

pies. peaches. plums and cherries are
also grown here.
one of the farms in this region that
is being operated with an 1nd1VlQua4
pumping plant is that Of Seth Nor
rison cashier of the POrtales Bank q
Trust company. He has 100 acres Wnlcn
he has planted in corn, milo maize
kaffir corn, potatoes and garden
products. including a large orchard,
and he irrigates it all-What 1t needs
in addition to the ralntall-WlLn
% horsepower Fairbanks-MOrse dis
tillate engine and pump that cost MIN
only $500 to install Land that can
be put under irrigation in this manner
may be bought at $40 and $50 an
acre throughout the valley, although
the price Is gradually increasing
The City OF POrtales,
POrtales is the county seat Of RoOse-
welt county, and while founded in
1899. when the PecOs Valley railroad
came through here, the population In
1900 was only two business houses
and five saloons. Today there are no
saloons-there have been four hard
fights over the liquor question and
the drys have always won The last
fight was only few months ago
when the vets made an effort to
disincOrporate the town and lost by
bigger majority than ever The popu-
latiOn Is 1892 but the town has the ap-
Dearance of being larger The town
supports two banks. the First National
with a capital of $50 200. and the POr-
tales BANK q trust company Win d
capital $4,000. The JOyce-Pruttt COM
pany maintains a general store here
that would be credit to any town
five times As large and there are many
exclusive stores. such as Women's and
cnlldren's furnishings millinery, drugs,
groceries and mems clothing and hab-
erdashery.
The courthouse. a two story yellow
pressed brick building. with basement,
is in the heart Of town in the center
of a beautiful square. in the midst OF
trees and surrounded by a bluegrass
clover planted lawn There is a band
stand in the courthouse square where
the POrtales band composed Of home
talent gives frequent concerts. The
town has a splendid water, electric
light and sewer system, owned by the
municipality. This triple system cost
the taxpayers $4,000 and is a. model
in every respect. Fire hydrants dot
the town a { convenient localities. and
give ample protection, with the fire
apparatus in the hands Of the voluns
teer company Of business men cOmpris-
ing the department.
Economic Management.
The three systems are operated
Jointly The sewage is disposed of in
patent septic tank. q mile and a
half from town. the purified water be-
ing used for irrigation. A handsome
reinforced concrete pOWerhOuse furn-
lsnes the electric power and the water.
IL is operated at night till midnight
and then again from four o'clock until
daylight During this time. the water
IS pumped into the steel tank Of So
goo gallons capacity, which supplies
enough water for the city through
out the day except in summer when
lawns are being sprinkled. Then the
pumps are operated in the afternoon
as wen as at night The plant is Oper-
ated by gas, which is generated IN
the plant from automatically fed
coal gas COnverters The CHARGES are
reasonable, a fixed charge being made
Tor each closet, each bath. each sink
ana each yard The city attempts
only to make enough money from the
Lhree systems to pay the expenses Of
operation and keep up the sinking
Luna ana interest on the plant Con-
necuon with the sewers is made corn
pulsOry by city ordinance
Inc town has two weekly papers, /
DoTn OF good appearance. one Demo-
crauc and one Republican. It has a
splendid hotel for a new town and al
so number Of other smaller fTs+f
tutions that take care Of travellers
The commercial club Of the nIare he
active In advertising the resources Of
Portales TO the world and the b77sf
ness men all take an interest IN this
work OF advertising their CITY.
Inc town was Incorporated in 1909
Just 10 years after II was founded and
as a city IS only two years old. Its
been most rapid. The sewer '' II5+ mas nag
water system have been installed iu
that time and miles Of graded streets
and cement sidewalks have been con
The town gets two train services
each way daily. on the Pecos VALLEY [
rallroad, a7d has good station faciH-
tles' QUICK communication by mail.
~, LeIegraph and telephone accOmmO- I
oaIlons- The city exchange is largely 1
Datronized and long distance co0Dao- !
ton is had with all Of New Mexico ana /
with FL Paso.