Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1913-02-21
OLD GRADE IS
SCENIC ROUTE
Roadbed Of Deming, Sierra
Madre and Pacific Belongs
to County
NAN p0AQN To HOIIIAlDII
ROAD BOARD TO COLUMBUS
Met Border Towns Citizens
and Held Mimbres Valley
Booster Meeting.

Straight as the crow flies the
grade Of the defunct Deming, ST.
ezra Madre & Pacific R. r. stretches
for forty miles between Deming
and Columbus. Built in 1883 the
cuts and fills are as plain as if they
had been completed only last year,
so littlt marked is the erosion in
the semi.urid West. So thorough
was the work of the hopeful rail
road builders that much of the
grade, even through the arroyas, is
still cntact except for a break here
and there where the flood waters
have broken through This Is the
con" n of the old Mormon. or rs
it is d,mctimes called, Manana"
railroaG. which has served III" eli
zehs .l.;l along i; as IA boulevard
highway for years.
BNILEVARD READY MADE
lucsiay t.. NJ. Sadler, and D.
X. i. Hoffman. members of the
Lana county road board, accompan-
led BY Mrs. Charles Heath and Mr..
and Mrs. Clyde Earl Ely. made an
inspection tour of the road. The
object Of the hoard was to meet
with the citizens of Columbus and
to gain their cooperation with a
view to reclaiming this splendid high
way and secure it forever to the
citizens of Luna county. Thousands
of dollars were expended by the COM
pany which projected the railroad
and it is estimated that, taken as it
stands. it is worth not less than
$25, ,OOO to the county BY placing
few culverts in the arroyas and grad
ing here and there on the open hill
sides the road could be made the eq-
aal of the best motor highways of
the East, or of Europe.
IIpi n pnncrrp a,ru,rtNc
The inspection party left Deming
about y O'Clock and was less than
than two hours on the road. A
number of citizens of the border
town met the party and regular
Mimbres Valley booster meeting fol-
lowed. 1t was found that deeds
could be secured from all settlers a.
long the route with the exception
of just one. This indiviual is locat-
ed on the Deming end of the roab
and the hoard is of the opinion that
there will be no trouble in securing
this deed after he has been suffi-
ciently prayed with.
MADE THOROUGH INSPECTION
Members OF the board expressed
the opinion that the old grade road
could be placed in boulevard condi-
ton by the expenditure of very
small amount of money and would
form the southern half Of the north
and south trunk line which is part
OF general scheme of county road
Improvement. While in Columbus
the board inspected several stretches
OF section roads, on which some Of
the county funds were alleged to
have been spent, but which certain
iy do not show 1t. At lunch the
party enjoyed the hospitality Of
William Close. The return was une.
ventful.
PASTORAL LANDSCAPE
The evidence of the industry of
the Mimbres Valley pioneers is in
evidence on every hand, and in Sec
lions the landscape presents the ap-
pearance Of older agricultural COM
munities. Fences are up and the
stacks Of straw and alfalfa testify
TO the husbandman's labor.
SCENIC HIGHWAY
The scenery along the road is not
the least Of its attractions. The
route skirts the Floridas for several
miles to the east, while the regular