El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-10-26

: .=r5.- ,5-,rv- Years residence IN " mite
( Oaks. n NJ while looking Tor a new
! location drifted into the san simon
| valley He studied the topography OF
] the country, thought from Ile LAY "a
{ the land that there should pc ar IesL.,A
/ water there and, taking cua-iSe' PL'
! down a we'll His dream came true
f He struck a gusher at 500 rect 1AS
} well was a small one as 10 diameteI
| but the force from below was sun III
{ cient TO throw a stream me1isuLlLs ~ ~
! gallons a minute 50 feet in the arr Inc
/ vel still throws $50 gallons a minute,
but il doesn't throw the water LLLtO
| the air. except upon gaia occasions,
/ when the cap is taken OH the pipe
in order 10 convert the well into a
] temporary fountain. At other umes
/ the well is harnessed to a system o.
! pipes which carry the water 70 tnS
I stores and dwellings OF the town anu
/ the water used for domestic purposes.
Rush Caused Confusion
| The discovery made y mr. sign
! was heralded far and wide ana eausso
a rush to be made TO the NlcLL l ~
/ a few Iandless men and by many spec
ulatOrs. Practically every acre o. lLe
| land in the valley was, at mat tlIns'
the property Of the naIlonal BoNe u
ment and therefore SUBJECT 10 emu
under the Homestead act foI
time there was much CONFUSION OWNS
| to lack Of proper surveys ana 70
| lack of knowledge OF the unlts OF UT
area subject 10 irrigatlon oy Hle. ~
last named score was due. IN a meas
ure, to the fact that homesteads OF
irrigable lands must be confined 70
160 acres. while hUmeSteads OF non
irrieabIe lands could include 800 acres
] The sinking Of many wells. however.
soon very clearly defined the area OF
the artesian belt, and many OF the
aunoyances Of the first Few months
of the rush for the lands Of the new
garden spot
SpecuIatOrs on Ground Floor.
So far as san Simon Is CONCERNED.
/ the year 1911 might be called me
speculative era Many, attracted BY the
discovery Of artesian water. filed on
lands, but. finding II hard TO comply
{ with the requirements OF the govern
menU, either abandoned their CLAIMS OF
sold their REIMBURSEMENT rights 10
those who wanted the lands for nome
making purposes at reasonable tlgures
and the real farmers, the rolled Up
shirt sleeves kind began to come IN
The development Of the land along
agricultural lines then began, in earn
est though IL was not TIL 1913 lnal
any appreciate effort was made 10
get any considerable area under Guilt
This year saw about 1000 acres Of
artesian belt lands under the plow and
the indications are that next spring
will see that acreage more than dou-
bIed. Not a bad showing for a com
munity but three years old and IN a
country that up to the discovery OF
artesian water had been supposed 70
be good for nothing better than graz
ing cattle at the rate Of one steer 10
Land VIII Grow Crops.
There need be no fear that the land
I viii not produce @ variety OF the staple
/ crops Of the semi tropics in abund-
/ ance- That IL viii produce wheat, corn
! sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, milo
: maize feterita. alfalfa, apples, pears
/ and other fruits was proved to the
[ satisfaction Of the most eLacting at the
: first annual fair Of the San simon
I board Of trade held at san simon last
I products was creditable from every
/ point Of view and demonstrated as
I could be done in no other way the
! agricultural resources of the country
Alfalfa the FuvOrite.
/ While at present most OF the farm
! ers are growing forage and root crops,
! many are planting great areas to al
/ falfa this fall Attempts at alfalfa
/ grovvine on a small scale have proved
I that four cuttings, with an average
yield Of more than one ton OF hay TO
the cutting may be had each year
Z Some growers have had better returns
; from their experimental patches of al
( falfa, but they feel safe in banking
upon four cuttings OF one ton each
That viii compare favorably with the
Aesilla, FL PaSO or the ella valleys
all Of which have about the same alti-
I tude-35OO to $500 feet above sea level.
Soil Is Rich.
I The son of the san Simon valley is
a sandy loan, varying IN depth from
five TO % feet, is easily worked and
rich in plant food In its wild state
the land is covered with heavy
growth of mesquite brush, indicating,
70 those familiar with the southwest,
a productive soil. The cost Of prepar-
ing the land for cultivation viii vary
from SO 10 $50 an acre according to
the density Of the growth OF mesquite
brush on the land to be cleared
Both the contour and the border sys-
terms Of irrigation prevail though Ow-
ing to the generally level nature Of
/ the land the border system is the sys-
TEN most generally used
Cost OF Wells.
The wells now down have varied in
cost from $3.50 TO $500 each, according
to depth and, IN a measure, according
. TO the size OF the CASING and to the
depth 10 which the casing is sunk.
Where wells are not contracted for at
a special Jump sum TO get water"
charged for drilling. The casing is
extra That varies in price from 30
cents to so cents per foot.
The custom has prevailed up to this
time Of casing the wells only deep
enough TO cut off the water from the
strata penetrated close TO the surface.
New Laws Needed.
There IS move on foot, however. to
ask the legislature which meets in
Phoenix this winter, to pass a law COM
pelllng the casing Of all artesian wells
TO the bottom, to prevent waste of
water by seepage through any strata
OF gravel or other porous substance
through which the water may have to
pass on its way to the surface outlet
Il is purpOsed, too, TO ask the legisla-
lure 10 pass compulsory Gaping law.
Several of the wells now in operation
IN the valley are PERMITTED TO run wide
open all the year round, a willful waste
which may, some day, result in WOful
want, if not stopped.
Profit by Experience.
Several Of the settlers Of the valley
are former residents Of the PecOs val
ley Of New Mexico. and they have
vivid recollections Of the great harm
that befell that region through the
waste OF water and consequent damage
10 land caused by the failure 10 case
or cap the artesian wells
In the PecOs valley much OF the
damage done by the continuous flow
OF the artesian wells. was the water
logging Of great areas and the bring
ing OF so much alkGi TO the surface
from below that thousands Of acres
OF formerly good lands were rendered
unflt for agricultural purposes 1t is
not believed that there is any danger
IN the San Simon valley of spelling any
land though the bringing of alkali
from below, as no alkaIi has yet been
found at any depth. but those inter
esJed In the valley desire TO forefend
lne waste of water therefore the pro-