Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-09-26

mountains TO tho east is the Anlmaa
valley, which slopes to the north. IL
extends from Lordsburg To Skeleton
canyon. near the Mexican border. Ia
nous as the point where Geronimo
ana his band surrendered
Very little farming is now practiced
along the line ~ the railroad IN this
valley and for several miles south. be-
cause OF the great depth to under
ground water $50 10 200 fceO. The
water-iable gets shallow higher up
the valley, and shallow water basin
about thirty To- forty miles long and
iiom one 10 three miles wide is found
in which The water IN only ten to
thirty feet below the surface. The
water from Anlinas creek rs used Co
"a limited extent IN irrigation but this
stream is dry "a greater part Of the
year. so that Hood and underground
waters are the chief sources OF water
for irrigation one of the first and
best farms passed going M the valley
o. that OF Mr. NJ. A. Woods. who has
thirty ncrcs In cultivation, on which
numerous crops are grown. including
an orchard Of 100 fruit trees. -Four
Windmils are the only source Of water
for irrigating this area. other than
rains INA food waters. and the crops
on this farm are doing well, IN spite
OF the drought now prevalent IN this
section.
Going south from skeleton canyon,
Is a wido basin called summit valley,
which apparently had no outlet FOR "A
/ part. "a lcnst. of rs waters. u rs about
ten miles wide and receives the waters
shed from the Guadalupe mountains
1 on tho west and the Animas and Sicr-
re- Madres on the cast and south.
( Clovcrdalc creek enters the southern
part Of this basin from the Guadalupe
mountains, and apparently a portion
OF its heavy foods are drained south
einto ola Mexico.
Tho shores uf an ancient lake are
clearly marked on the topography OF
q the eastern part Of this basin a
/ ridge ten feet high, fifty feet wide
and about twenty miles long forms
/ the western shore of this lake. while
& the Animas mountains. four miles dis
d tant. mark lts eastern boundary. The
, Western shore Of this LAKE. being on
| the plains. has the appearance Of "a
dam and h thought by some to have
( been built by Aztec indians.
Playas valley.
J Crossing san Luis pass Ia the AMI
I mas range near the Mexican border,
one enters the Playas valley, which
, constitutes the drainage basin for the
/ Animas range on the west, and the
I rig Hatchct range ON the east, This
! valley IL about ten miles Wide and the
I greater part OF the water shed into W
/ has no outlet. hut forms an Interior
/ take about one-half mile wide and NJ
I teen miles long tn the lowest part Of
| the basin. The constant teaching of
| the soil by the waters that empty into
/ this lake. and it, concentration by
/ evaporation, has caused an accumula-
i ton Of comfortable black alkau in
/ this vicinity.
Artcsian water has been obtained at
several points ip this valley.
lower Mimbrcs valley.
I From Dcmiug south tu tho Mexi-
can border In the Florida plains is a
/ shallow water belt thought 90 be tho
uudcrnow of the Mimbres river. In
\ the southern part Of the state, around
! Columbus, there are "a few successful
farmers, but considerable area Of
| this portion Of the basin is rendered
worthless has AN excess OF black alkalL
Tho luNuriaut vegetation that
marks the numerous 'cicncgas' found
all over this section whore water ape
pears at the surface are indications of
| tho agricultural possibilities when
water can Doe obtained.