El Nuevo mexicano., 1912-01-27
VALLEY
VS.. CALIFORNIA
People Can DO Much Better
in New Mexico Than on
Pacific Coast
COST Of IRRIGATION LOWER
Santa Fe May Some Day Be a.
Large as Los Angeles
Is To-day.
Willard, \. M. January 20.

Willard, N. M. January 20.
s. Spore, a gentleman who owns
about 800 acres of land two miles
east of Estancia, was in Willard last
Friday morning, just returning from
ICalifornia, where he had been for
some time visiting a cousin and in
vestigating irrigation, especially ir-
rigation by pumping water from
.wells. He is very much interested
lin this matter of water supply for ir-
Irigation and has contributed literally
towards demonstrating that there is
an ample supply Of underground
water in this valley TO rthe process OF
Irrigation. From his personal OBJ
servation OF the well sunk east OF Es-
tancia near his land In an attempt TO
develop ~artesian water, he firmly be-
lieves that a few feet deeper would
have developed an artesian flow; In
fact, at a depth OF about $40 feet,
there was a flow OF water but not suf-
ficient in quantity for irrigation.
On this trip, he visited Los Angeles,
San Diego, Fresno, San Bernardino,
Santa Ana, Long Beach, Anaheim
land other places. MIR. Spore Is q
close observer, a good thinker, and
ar interesting conversationalist, n
being directly Interested, his obser-
We lions are valuable to the people In
Iterested in the development OF this
valley as well as interesting. In q
conversation with the writer he said
he had no objection to the use OF his
name or the publication Of his OBJ
~servations, or ideas of irrigation. or
other information that he had gained,
lff 1t would be beneficial to the peo-
BE. or contribute, in any way, to q
development of this valley.
The larger portion Of the water
supply for irrigation In the district
visited by him is furnished by com
panies. or capitalists who have IN
stalled power plants and sell tne
water to the farmers.
The soil in this district is generally
very sandy with a large proportion Of
gravel and absorbs so much water
that their canals, or main bitches,
are either concrete or made OF tile.
1t would be very difficult and expen-
sive to secure a water supply TOT u
rigation otherwise.
While here in our valley the sandy
soil contains an element that cement
or glazes the bottom and side o. 2
bitches as soon as the water is turned
into them, as was demonstrated last
year on the Peter McKissor farm
lust west of Willard. This portion
II the McKissor farm Is one OF the
most sandy tracts of land In his val
ley, yet in a few minutes after the
pumping was started there was no
apparent loss of water by sinking, OF
seepage. The lands there are mucn
more rolling and Uneven than tney
are here. SO that the primary cost q
preparing the land for irrigation VIII
be much less here than In California
Tn the shallowest wells, Investigate
ed BY Mr.. Spore the lift was 80 FEET;
in the deepest the lift was from 4lO
to AIS feet, while the lift nere ~
this valley is from 40 to go feet, AZ
cording to the tests SO far made
Mr.. Spores cousin has installed on
his farm, his own power plant ana nls
own well. His power IS a 10 morse
nower gasoline engine with pump reg
ulated to the power Of the nglne fie
has four acres for residence, DARN
ward. lots. etc. Twenty-six acres u
Alfalfa and ten acres in field crops,
ali of which he eultivates y lrri-
gates himself. The cost TO him lot
irrigating his alfalfa is two dollars
ner acre. II is more expensive TO the
farmer who buys his water OF 2 com
pany. The cost OF irrigation - az
cording to the kind OF crop or purpose
for which the water is used. Orange
orchards require the most water OF any
If the crops under irrigation and cost
about $3.50 per acre per year. Otner
crops cost less.
The irrigation companies also fur-
nish electricity for lighting towns,
villages. farm residences and Tor al
domestic purposes.
Paw land there is worth $50 per
acre and when under irrigation with
some trees on it is worth from n
N two thousand dollars per acre.
Mr.. Spore expressed himself as pc
ing confident from the investigation
made that the central power plant
is the best method for securing the
\ mower for the people OF our valley;
but they should guard we'll their IN
~terests in any franchise granted, Or
contracts entered into. He has no
doubt but much land will be undo IT.
rigation in our valley in a few years.
The people here have MANY advan-
tages over the people of California.
california land is owned very largely
by the wealthy, man OF whom are
non-residents, and are not directly IN
Il rested in the personnel OF the pro-
Queer. They have no manufacturing
industries of any Importance n Los
Angeles with a population OF Owe
three hundred thousand has not an es-
!. ltablished manufacturing industry OF
great size. According to his observa-
! ton. it is supported almost entirely
, by the local trade and the travelling
public. j. w uNDEh WooD
1 KENT COPPER APPOINTED