Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-02-12
MANY EXPECT To
Go ON EXCURSION
To LOWE R VALLEY
Crowd Going to Inspect Drain
age Benefits viii Be Larger
Than Was at First Expected,
Is Belief Now,

A great deal of interest is beng
taken in drainage excursion to the
Mesilla and lGl Paso Valleys, which Is
to leave the Chamber of Commerce
at II o'clock tomorrow forenoon, as
Capt. Clark NJ Carr, who is in charge
of the matter, is receiving inquiries
every day regarding the pilgrim
age and the Indications at present
are that the crowd will be much
larger than was at first figured on
Some are planning to go on the train
and it was suggested yesterday that
they leave here FRIDAY forenoon 50
as to get the benefit of the daylight
ride down the valley. At any rate,
they should be in Las Cruces Satur-
day morning when the visitors will
be shown through the valley and also
inspect the buildings and groun's Of
the state agricultural college. Those
poing by auto will visit the Elephant
Putte dam on their way to Las
Cruces.
1t is planned to reach Ell Paso Sat-
urday night and spend Sunday tour
ing the Ell Paso valley, going as far
as Ysleta, about fifteen miles south
east of the Pass City. The country
between the two places is said to be
which has been made possible by IL
rigation and drainage.
The county commissioners it was
announced. will send County Sur
vevor Edmund Ross as their repre-
sentative. One of the commissioners
may also make the trip. The city
commissioners will probable send the
city er~inonr 10 REPRESENT them. COL.
tri-state drainage commission, COM
posed of Colorado, New Mexico and
Tevas, will he a member of the party
and Capt. w c. Reid experts to wake
the trip as the representative of the
Santa Fe railway, which corporation
is intensely Interested in all matters
pertaining to the development of the
valley.
A report on drainage investigations
in the middle Rio Grande valley, is
sued by STATE Engineer James A..
French shows that in the Albuquer-
que district the present value of land
nov acre is $44.6S. The reclaimed
value per acre would be s60.Sn
The report also states that from 80
>" 90 ner cent of the valley land is
, affected, to some evtent, by high
! water table and 80 to so ner cont o@
! the lands are totally unproductive or
o"ricultural crops for the same rea-
! son.
! 1t is physically possible. the report
saws, to construct drainage system
| witch. IN conjunction with the con-
itrolled and restricted use of irriga-
| ton water, will effectually and per-
! manently lower the water table sur
| ficiently to permit of the successful
| growing of general AGRICULTURAL
crops. The cost and benefit to be
! derived from drainage are such thar
! the expenditure necessary for its ac--
complishment are entirely warranted
and iustifiable.
! Farmers and land owners, nartic-
! ularly those who have not in the
past LOOKED with favor on drainage.
are urged to Join the excursion ana
ae fNr themselves just what mas
| been accomplished in the lower val
| 'evs, It is generally conceded that
the valley lands in Bernalillo county
must have the water table lowered
| before thew will be worth much FOR
! agricultural purposes.
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