El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-27
6RiN COUNTY RABN8E l8EFHE
bNIREG93D YEiR.S III PROSPECT
In Southern Grant County the Cattle Are Fat and Cond
tiOns Generally Are Better Than for Many Years. Has
No Foot and Mouth Disease; Some Big Deals Have
Been Made; Cattlemen Have Increased Ranges.
BY FARIs V. BUSH.

in the washing away Of valuable farm
land, bridges and improvements in the
ella river country. The Lyons-Camp
bell outfit was among the heaviest
losers. No sooner had the ranchers re-
covered from the shock of the disas-
trOus December floods than they sus-
tanned further damage to property by
the January torrents But through il
all they came up smiling with the bet
ter condition Of the range and fine
looks Of the cattle.
BOckIear Interests Sold.
An important transaction was made
at Gold Hill last month when Andrew
LOckiear sold his interest TO the Jones
Brothers OF Lorsburg. The deal included
the property formerly owned BY the
famous CrOWfOot Cattle company. in
Thompson canyon. recently purchased
by Mr. Locklear from Ed Head of Dun
can, Ariz. The consideration is said
to have been in the neighborhood OF
$4,000. J. c. Brock, B. NJ. McWhorter,
W. H Patterson, George Hornbrook,
Jack Stephens and many others OF the
Gold Hill stock raisers are looking
forward to one Of their biggest sea-
sons and doubtless there will be i'm
mense shipments Of cattle from the
region north OF Lordsburg.
Interest in Land Matter.
The cattlemen OF southern Grant
county are awaiting with interest the
action IN two important land questions.
One is the approval Of the survey made
OF the land in the Animas valley and
the other is the action OF the senate
and the president regarding the $40 acre
homestead bill introduced by reDresen-
tative FERGUSON of New Mexico
The stock raising homestead bill was
introduced by H b Ferguson several
weeks ago and was passed by the
house. 1t is designed to lease the So
100000 acres Of remaining public
domain OF the semiarid states by a
system Of grants to each settler OF
a home on the lands with sufficient
acreage to support his family by COM
bining forage farming with stock rais-
ing. The bill requires entrymen to make
permanent improvements Of not less
than S1.25 an acre in value and allows
entry of up to $40 acres.
II the act should become law. John
l. Burnside, register Of the Las Cruces
Land offices, advises that due notice
by publication will be given
Many of the larger stock raisers
are retarding land acquisition. await
ing action taken regarding this 60
acre homestead bill.
The Aaimas Land.
A. A. Jones, the first assistant sec
rotary of the department Of interior,
advises the writer that the returns
been received, but it will be at least
several weeks, or several months, be-
fore plats are approved and filed in
regular course. This one item is OF
paramount interest TO over hundFeu
southern Grant county cattlemen, who
are holding land in the Animas valley
by squatters' rights.
As in the matter of the $40 acre
homestead act. when the surveys Of
the Animas valley land are approved.
due notices will be given through pub
licetien in the local newspaper. Fol-
lowing this a rush is expected to the
land office in Lordsburg.
Cnttlemen Buy state Land.
During the past year there have been
large purchases Of state land made by
cattlemen desiring a broader range.
Among the larger purchases was that
of John r. Muir of Lordsburg who
took i'm about $4,000 acres OF land about
10 miles southeast Of this city. There
arc many state land purchases pending
Continued on page =, Col. 81