The Clovis news. [volume] (Clovis, N.M.) 1907-1929, 1917-04-12
MUCH SCHOOL : LAND
SOLO LAST WEEK

Santa Fe, n. NJ, April 12.--Thirty
tracts Of New Mexico land, t0taling
10,63S acres, the tracts ranging In
urea from 10 to 1900 acres, were sold
al public auction In Santa Rosa, Qua
dnlupe county, and Tucumcarl, Quay
county, Oh Tuesday and Wednesday of
this week by state land commissioner
Robert T.. Ervien with active bidding
for practically every tract offered
Eleven Of the tracts sold lie In Qua.
dalupe county and nineteen In Quay
county. With two exceptions they are
small tracts, from 40 to $40 acres and
the large majority Of sales were to
farmers and stockfarmers who will put
land into immediate use. Luther q.
Hudson, II farmer Of Kirk, Quay coun-
ty paid $l2.55 an acre for GAO acres,
the highest price offered In the two
auctions and one Of the hest prices
ever paid for state land. Following the
sale he expressed satisfaction with his
bargain. The next highest price was
$1.55 an acre paid for 800 acres near
Nara Visa, Quny county, by ]. d. Air.
heart, stock farmer Of that place,
who also bought a tract Of l639 acres
ON his high bid Of $3.50 an acre or
$40 an acre above the minimum value.
All Of the land IN these two sales were
Of the minimum value Of So. A mum.
Der Of the tracts brought SO. $3.50 and
81 an acre and the state realized Il
gross total above the minimum val
ue Of $10,S54, or u trifle better than
an average Of S1.00 an acre over mini
mum value.
Next to the fact that nearly all
these tracts were sold to farmers
and stock growers who expect TO put
the land into Immediate use, the fact
Of chief interest in the sales is the
large increase IN interest shown IN
the state land auctions and the growth
of the number Of bidders. There were
crowds NJ both Santa Rosa, where the
sale was held from the front dool
of the court house, and at Tucumcur
where the bidders packed the courl
room to It's capacity. There is III
boom in state land values, the sale,
generally bringing market value oI
lands In private ownership of similar
location and character; the bidding l.
done with care aud Judgment, ant
generally by men who have studiet
and are familiar with the lands ant
their capacities. There Is little evi
dcncc Of speculative activity. although
AT Santa Rosa John Morrow. II wei
known lawyer Of Ration, \. NJ, wa
the successful bidder on 10 acres. an
nouncing that he was bidding In he
half Of u syndicate OF ColfaX county
men who were believers In the futur
values Of the state lands.
The sales ut Santa Rosa and Tu
cumcari are the first of number u
) important April state land auctions
! the more important Of which occur Il
Clovis. Curry county on April II, Il
! Roswell Chaves county April ID an
at Carlsbad, for Eddy county tract
on April II. The most important Il
: the sales will he that M Clayton u
; April - when 30 tracts. ranging |
area from 10 to $4,000 acres will Il
sold. Practically all Of these lands ar
classed ns agricultural land. The salt
{ will attract bidders from all parts q
the west and at least one excursion q
bidders will be run from Denver. 7
inform the bidders accurately on VA
ucs Of land IN New Mexico, the stat
land office will offer an illustrate
lecture IN Clayton the night bcfor
the sale. Col. Il. l.. Twitchell, Of SAINT
fe. the well known historian Of Nc'
Mexico being the lecturer. The land
IL Union coutny are all ofthc 81 mil
imum value.
The new thlrty-year law for I'll
sale of state lands is adding mntcria
ly to demand Under this law III
buyer Nlust pay j per cent Of the pu
chase price In cash. He may carr
the remaining NJ per cent for thiri
years II he desires, paying 1 per Gel
interest In advance annually on defe
!, red payments Under the old law
. per cent Of the purchase, price was r.
quired In cash, the balance In thlrl
4, equal annual payments. with I per eel
Interest on deferred payments, III
=. new law Is favorable to the buyer NJ
Is regarded as satisfactory to Il
:, state which IL secured by the lal
4, itself, while the buyer assumes taxi
!, from date Of purchase.