El Nuevo mexicano., 1912-02-03
$4,000 ACRES
IN PEC0S FOREST
1t Is Larger Than the Sow
ereign State Of Rhode
Island
SANTA FEES NATURAL PARK
The Timber On 1t Alone ID
Valued at Almost Two
Millions.

tL
The Pecos river gives its name to
the Pecos National Forest. The
origin of the name Pecos is not
positively known.
1t was first used by Onate, the Span
ish explorer, who arrived at the site
of the present ruin of the village OF
Pecos, on July "a, 1898. This village
was then called Cicuye, and the river
upon which it was located, which is
now called the Pecos river, was then
called the Salado. In his report OF
his visit to this village OF Cicuye,
Onate referred to it for the first time,
so far as written history is concerned,
as Pecos. The river then known as
the Salado eventually became known
as the Pecos. The forest is called
the Pecos forest because the head
water of the Pecos river are almost
in the center of it.
Larger Than Rhode island.
Area of the forest is 715,500 acres.
There is an estimate of 450,000,0 600
board feet of timber, 5000 cords Of
wood and a large amount Of posts,
poles, etc. on the forest. Probable
stumpage value is $1,750.O0O. All ma
ture and dead timber Is for sale. We
have one sale in operation on this
forest of 100000 feet and several
proposed sales for smaller amounts.
The cutting is along conservative
lines and a perpetual yield of timber
is assured.
The receipts for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1911, from timber
sales, grazing, special uses, were ap-
proximately $4,000. However, the
receipts for the current fiscal year
will greatly exceed this amount and
it is expected in a few years to put
the forest on a self supporting basis.
Grazing in 1912.
The estimated grazing capacity OF
the forest is 7275 head of cattle and
horses and 38,50O head of sheep and
goats. The Secretary Of Agricul-
ture has authorized the grazing OF
this number during the season OF
1912. This number does not include
Approximately 600 head of cattle and
horses and 1000 head of goats owned
b. settlers in or adjacent to the for
EFT, which are grazed without permit
and free Of charge. The forest was
not grazed to over one-half its capa-
city during the past season. However
owing to the many inducements Of
fered stockmen, there is no doubt
that in the near future applications
for grazing privilege will exceed the
capacity of the range. The forest
being grazed to its full capacity would
mean an annual income to the gov
eminent of about $4,000. The fees
charged for grazing on the forest are
forty to fifty per cent less than the
fees charged on private lands and on
reservations.
Method Of Handling stock.
The method of handling stock some
a ago might be explained as fol
lows. The open range is public prop
erty and being a gift to no one in par
ticular and every citizen having the
right to use 1t, he that took all ne
could and took the most out OF 1t got
the most out of it. Prior to the crea-
ton Of the forest many thousand
head of sheep and a large humble OF
cattle and horses ranged at large. No
division was made between the two
classes of stock. Consequently on
troversies and disputes over the range
sprang up and in many instances end
ed in bloodshed. The range was bad
ly overgrazed and had such conditions
continued for a few years longer, the
range would now be a barren waste
past reclamation. Since the creation
Of the forest grazing has been regula-
ted, division of range has been made
between sheep and goats and no fur
Their enmity or hard feeling exists be-
tween the classes. They are assured
OF permanent grazing.
Trails. Roads, Telephones.
Permanent work in the way OF
trails. roads, telephone lines, houses,
posture fences, etc. will be continued
as funds permit. There now exists
on the forest the following improve
ments constructed by the forest ser
vice: 2S miles Of telephone line
about 23O miles of trails; z houses
and 4 small cabins for the use Q
forest officers; 5 barns; s pasture
fences, Q miles Of drift fence
built for the benefit Of stockmen; ;
counting corrals; 2 miles of irrigst
ing bitches; 6 tool boxes; a stool
watering tank and other minor i'm