Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-05-10
FERGUSON BILL TO.
ENCOURAGE THE
DESERT Wells
New Mexico Congressman In
Produces Measure to Promote
Development Of Water Sup
ply on the Arid Lands.

Especial Tcleefasn a. the Hcrald.l
washington. d. c., MAJ lQ.--Con-
gressmAn n. II. Ferguson from New
Mexico has introduced q bin, which
was referred 10 the commlitee on b.
rigation Of arid lands 10 encourage
and promote the slnkins Of wells on
desert lands Ia the state OF New Mex.
leo. an act IN line with his policy OF
securing all the aid possible In de- /
veloning water supply In the dry
parts Of the state. The bill follows,
BE Il enacted BY the senate and |
House OF Representatives OF the Unit |
cd states OF America la Congress as
sembled, That Il shall b. lawful TOR |
any citizen OF the United states, or
any person OF requisite age who !
may be entitled 10 become a citizen /
aud who has filed HIS declaration 70
become SUCH" and upon payment OF
twenty-five cents per acre. 10 Mo q
declaration, under oath, with the reg
lister and the receiver OF the land dis
trict in which any desert land Is situ-
ated within the state Of New Monico
that he intends 70 dig. sink, or drlli.
or that he or his predecessors in
equity have already dug. sunk, or
drilled a we'll upon certain designated
nonmineral, unreserved. and unap-
pFopriated public desert land, not ex-
ceeding forty acres In area, on the
surface whereof there Is not any con-
tinuous-f flowing stream or spring OF
water. for the purpose of obtaining
water for drinking purposes, or for
the Watering Of live stock, or for me-
lchanical use. and that he intends 10
complete the sinking and construction
OF such wen TO a depth Of nifty feet
or more within the period OF fifteen
months next following the fling OF
such declaration. said declaration
shall particularly describe said forty
acres IL surveyed. and n unsurveyed
shall describe the same as nearly as
possible without a survey, including
reference TO SUBSTANTIAL corner posts
or monuments OF stone erected at the
corners OF said tract. AZ any time
after the expiration OF ninety days
land within the period or fifteen
months after fling said declaration,
upon making satisfactory proof TO the
register and receiver Aforesaid that
he has completed SUCH well TO depth
OF nifty feet or more, that such we'll
IS made and lined or cased IN work
manlike and substantial manner with
view 70 reasonable permanency and
practical use, and that 81 q well has
developed and made available a sup
. ply OF water sufficient FOR continuous
and practical use for the purposes
Z stated Cand n not citizen az time OF
= making entry, that he has since per-
fected his citizenship, and upon pay
ment 10 the receiver Of the additional
sum Of one dollar per acre for the
tract of land, not exceeding forty
/ acres, upon which such well ia To-
Gated, patent for said land shall DO
! issued to him Provided, that IN case
the land Is unsurveyed AZ the time for
, making final proof, the applicant may
, elect 20 wait the making Of the reg
: ular government survey, or may, AZ
, his own expense and under the super
, vision OF the United states surveyor
general for the district Of New Mex
!, leo. cause a definite survey % be acc
compllshed which shall conform as
nearly a. practicable "a the United
, states system Of puniic-land surveys.
showing the exterior boundary lines Of
/, said tract 10 be right lines made due
north and south ana ecet and west,
and none of the side lines exceeding
twenty chains IN length. IN accord
anco with which a patent shall be a.
, snad. Provided further, that no per-
! son shall be permitted 20 enter and
receive patent Tor more than eight
/, tracts OF land OF forty acres each, OF
! an aERregnte OF three hundred ana
twenty acres, under and By virtue OF
this act. And TIRE right nf any appii-
. cant TO make entry on public land
, under and By virtue Of any other act
, shall not be abridged or restricted by
reason az his having acquired lana
: under this act.
sec. 2. That at any time within
1 ninety days after the nling OF the
4 declaration, as provided IN section
, one OF this act, the secretary Of the
\ interior or the commissioner Of the
general land office may reject such
4 declaration and Ming upon the ground
= that the hand therein designated for
! entry by the applicant Is more vaiu'
n able for general farming purposes OF
for some other purpose than Tor tht
d nurpose described and contemplated
II In the declaration filed by said appli'
d cunts anu AAAN aNNNNANNN - Nff" $500
1 Tor Is authorized and empowered al
.sl any time az his discretion, or ny ans
n with tho advice and assistance OF tn
u department OF agriculture, 90 examin'
n all or any OF the public land within
Is the state % New Mexico, either sur
u veyed or unsurveyed. IN order 20 a.
Is certain and 20 classify che land tina
~ Is chiefly valuable for general farm
ls ing purposes. the land that is chieii'
q, valuable for grazing purposes, an
= the land that - chiefly valuable 10
Ie purposes contemplated IN tho act
&. congress approved June seventeenth
"a nineteen hundred ana two. entities
IA IAN act appropriating the receipt
a. from the sale and disposal Of publ
10 lands IN certain states and territorie
IA 10 the construction 81 irriHaJon work
~ For the reclamation ~ arid lands
In and the secretary of the interior aha
Ia then Withdraw from the operation
pt this ACT any land that afah thus b
ID found 20 be chiefly valuable for gen
ia nrnI sara1Iun uurnnaoH or Tor the put