La Junta tribune., 1914-04-18
BRIDGE DEAL CL01ED

Rrhlee Five Mllss - q = Jan1n
Assured d-Rig Factor u Develop-
naeat of L. Snnea.
Another big gun for The benefit q
La Junta and the dsvslopmsnt Of the
adjacent farming territory was firsd
one day this week. With the coop
eration Of A. q. Reynolds, owner Of
the Reynolds farms. and the farmers
on the north and south side Of Tho
river east Of town. along with soma
Of the good boosters Of Ia Junta. he
deal was practically closed with TIE
county commissioners one day this
week. TO build the bridge across Tie
river At Casa. five miles east Of this
city.
Now We want II understood that
Otero county 10 not paying one doll
lar Of the expense that will b IN
volved. except that the county Win
furnish the material from the old
bridge-the one that was replaced
By the new concrete bridge. The ma
terial Of the old bridge viii b nov
cd BY the farmers 70 tho site Of the
new bridge near Casa. Mr.. Reynolds
has agreed TO give ss.so0 toward he
expense Of constructing the new
bridge. and he also donates . right
of-way from the county road through
his land to the site Of the new
bridge.
II IL going 70 cost = few hundred
dollars more than we figured on 70
erect the new bridge. but the extra
amount. whatever II Il. will b sas-
lily raised among the good people Of
La Junta. and the balance among The
farmers In the agricultural territory
adjacent to the bridge. Agent Good
loe has taken up the matter Of haul
Ing the material by rail from La
Junta to the site Of the bridge with
Santa Fe officials. and n free trans
portation II secured II will be some
thing that will be very much appre-
ciated by the farmers.
Few people realize the real value
Of this bridge TO La Junta and the
surrounding agricultural territory In
The matter ef convenssncs. Il vir-
tually places 5000 acres OF lana
within three miles Of shipping sta
tion. Most OF this land At the prss-
cnt time IL six or seven miles from .
shipping station. which practically
prohibits the raising Of beets and
cantaloupes. II Ii also . very cx-
pensive proposition to haul baled hay
SIX or seven miles. There HASN'T
been n single improvement made In
this vicinity In recent years that will
compare with the building Of this
bridge In the way Of practical bene-
fits and general convenience. except
possibly one. and that was whom Mr..
Reynolds put all the raw land from
In Junta 10 the couhty line under
cultivation. want To call your at
tention 10 this matter. Have you ever
stopped 10 consider what Mr.. Reyn-
olds has done for La Junta and its
immediate vicinity? lie has put over
1000 acres Of raw. land into = high
state o: cultivation. a few ycsrs ago
this WAS raw range land with the
long horn cattle roaming over it.
Now he is the instiEator Of this
bridge at Casa. aud he has been very
generous In donating his money. his
time and his land In an effort 70
bring about its realization. Show
me another man that has done -
much ~ ne has for the good aud vel
fare Of this section and ! Will take
off my hat 10 him. II you can't find
one. please tip your hat 70 Mr. Rsy-
noids. This IL not flsttsry: these are
cold facts.
Now. I am going back 70 some oe
the benefits that Will result from The
building Of this bridge. In. the first
place Il viii bc an ideal point Tor .
beet dump. and II will ~ ready to-
one this fall. This bridge Will uako
available = shippins point for bale1.
hay that cannot b. equallsd. asd =
will also b. m ideal point 70 loento.
feed lots for feeding sithsr shssp -
cattle. Il will also ~ . as.po1ne
polat for caataioupes that Win -
moss business thsn any elhes 90
plns station betwssn neety n Y
and ~ STATE llne. AZ ~ 49,