El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-01-27
SILVER CITY
UNE0UALLED
As 4 CAMP
Has Diversity Of Minerals
Seldom Found in One
Section.
NEW MEXICO GREAT
IN TIMBER WEALTH
By Frederic }. Haskin.

Albuquerque, n. M Jan. 27.-Centur-
les before the coal mines were looked
upon as being Of any value whatever,
New Mexico was famous for its mines
Of precious metals and gems. The re-
gion embracing the mining camps tri-
butary to silver City. IN the south
western part OF the state, not Tar from
il Paso, presents a diversity of min
erals rarely equalled in any area Of
similar extent The exhibit from this
EecuOn was awarded q gold meal al
the ST. Louis Worlds Fair for the
greatest variety Of minerals exhibited
by any state ID the country. In Grant
county, nearly all the minerals of com
merce are mined with profit, including
gold silver. copper, zinc. lead, iron
and many other metals, and, curiously
enough the only meersChaum mine In
the United States.
The romantic story Of this district,
filled with tales of fabulously rich
strikes. OF old Indian workings. Of mys-
terious Aztec tunnels lined with pure
metal, Of lost mines, in short with all
the fables Of FL Dorado, is probably
no more than a child's fairy tale when
compared with its future Development
Tunnels 1DOO Years Old.
a thousand years ago, and more, the
Aztecs burrOWed tunnels in the noun
tains OF Santa Fe county in search Of
mat precious SLOne-tO them the most
valuable of all-the turquOis. Here
today in these same hills, and indeed,
sometimes stumbling on the old Aztec
workings modern miners are digging
for turQuOises. The annual product Of
one mine. owned by Tiffany. is esti-
mated at more than $4,000, 600 Garnets
also are found and there are always op-
rimistic prOspectOrs who are looking
for future development OF precious
stone mines in the state
Wealthy in minerals and metals, in
resources for intensive agriculture, In
accomm odatiOns for live stock and
sheep raising, and in its timber SUP
ply. New Mexico is indeed an empire
within itself, and in spite OF its large
desert area and its lack of rainfall, it
IS rich In everything that makes life
enjoyable or worth while. lacking IN
none OF the things necessary for
comforta bic and useful existence.
Most Perfect Climate.
New Mexicans boast that theirs is
the most perfect climate in the world
for health's sake, having the low hu-
Nudity OF an arid country without the
1-feyl. femDera ture that everywhere else
accompanies drTness- The climate mas
considerable rarietF- In the northern
part Of the state there are areas IN
which agriculture is carried on without
irrigation by reason Of 2. comparatively
large rainfall. going as high as 81
inches a year. In the northern ana
eastern part Of the state, IN recent
wears. many thousands Of acres have
ing the moisture that IS known by the
somewhat misleading name Of dry
farming" Where the rains have been
sufficient. the dry farmers have sue
ceeded. but II must be admitted that
many OF them have met with the same
disasters that overlook their agricul-
furaI forbears in western Nebraska and
Kansas e genera ton ago Dry farm
ing. when carried on with a strict OBJ
Ferrance Of the scientific rules as de-
fermlned BIZ the experiment stations,
IS successful even when the rainfall
81 very. very scant, but the trouble has
been that a great number Of settlers
have gone into the arid country and
have done nothing 10 adapt themselves
to the requirements OF the situation
other than 10 dub themselves. dry
farmers" They have not lived up TO
the scientific requirements and beuce.
they have met with that failure to
which they were foredOOmed-
Rainfall Slight.
In q great part Of the state the rain
fan IS less than 10 inches annually,
being less than five inches at AIbu-
querQue. At Fort Stanton, the govern
ment tuberculosis sanitarium, the mean