El Nuevo mexicano., 1919-02-06
LA PLATA IRR|GATORS
FIGHTING COLORADO
ASK LARRAZOL0 AID
SAN JUAN COUNTY WATER USERS
INTERESTING GOVERNOR IN EFF.
FORT TO KEEP WATERS WITH
IN STATE.


An effort is to be made to interest
Governor Larrazolo and the state leg
islature in the fight which is being
made by the La Plata Water Users
association in San Juan county to pre-
vent excessive appropriation by the
state Of Colorado Of the waters Of the
La Plata river. Mr.. Rosendo Martinez
the president OF the association has
reached Santa Fe from his home in
Aztec and will see the governor on
the Iatter's return from Las Vegas.
The matter is to be tested In the
federal courts and funds are sought
from the state to assist in the fight
for the citizens OF New Mexico. Mr..
Martinez claims that the La Plata
flow has always been devoted to resi-
dents in San Juan county with the ex-
ception Of so feet until a few years
ago, when the change OF the status
of the Ute Indian reservation resulted
In gradual encr0achments by Colora-
do until they r now using 235 feet.
He is aided in the effort he is maxi
ing here by Edward Everett Young,
known as the Apostle of the San Juan
Valley.
Mr.. Martinez has submitted the fol-
lowing to the governor:
Aztec, New Mex, Jan, 10, 1919.
Hon. o. A. L~arrazol0,
Governor Of New Mexico,
Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Dear Governor Larrazolo:
/ take pleasure in enclosing here
with a memorial setting forth facts
concerning the La Plata, New Mexico,
Water Users association. ! wrote
you Dec. 10, 1918, to your home adj
dress at Las Vegas, New Mexico, in
which I outlined the facts concerning
the situation at the present time.
We are going to ask the legislature
OF 1919 to appropriate an adequate
sum Of money, to be agreed upon, to
bring an action before the United
States Federal court for the prior
right to the water Of the La Plata
river, to which we think we are en-
titled under the laws of the country.
Perhaps it might be proper to in
form your excellency that we have
already assessed ourselves to the
amount Of $1,000 a cubic foot per sec
ond Of time to pay for the preliminary
details Of the case. But since we
know that the people of Colorado are
going to have the aid Of their state
we believe that it is no more than fair
and equitable that our state aid us
in getting what is rightfully ours.
We have a plain case as people
settled in New Mexico all the way
from IS to 40 years ago and appro-
priated the water of the La Plata
river, built bitches and put the water
to beneficial use. Up until the time
that the Southern Ute Indian reserva-
tion was opened for settlement, the
people of Colorado had appropriated
only about 80 cubic feet of water but
since this time they have appropriate
ed more water until at the present
time they have a total of 235 cubic
feet, so you can readily see that
about 1S5 cubic feet are from new APP
preparations.
In a letter dated Dec. 18th, from
your secretary, Mr.. Gartner, | was in
formed that your exeellency was in
the East attending a Conference Of
Governors and that ON your return
my letter would be submitted to you.
Up to this date we have had no reply
from you nor from Attorney General
Askren, to whom / also wrote. We
realize that you are very busy at this
time with the taking over Of the state
government, but hope that you can
see your way clear to help us in this
matter so that we will not have to
make the fight alone.
Thanking you in advance for your
aid and hoping for you the most sue
cessful administration in all the sis
terhood Of states, l am, sir,
Most respectfully yours,
ROSENDO MARTINEZ,
President. La Plata, New Mexico
Water Users Association.