The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1919-01-27

A SUMMARY Of the findings Of State Engineer
"A French aud his assistants. a. a result Of more
= than 9 year % drainage Investigation in the
Central Rio 0rande valley, was published in the
Herald Of Saturday last. The report. which Is In
sxhanssise detail. shows that a very thorough study
has been made Of the water iabln conditions in this
valley and that the engineers have arrived AZ facts
which will furnish the basis for = sound, ~prnctisal
reclamation project by means Of drainage.
The outstanding fact IN the summary Is that by
carrying OUT the drainage project outlined, on the
valley lands between White Rock Canyon and san
Maresal. there win be added about two hundred per
cent 10 the actual, tangible value of the lands reach.
ed By the drainage canals.
The engineers estimate that without the appli-
cation Of a dollars worth o. actual farming the
msre compilation Of the drainage system. the lower.
ing 81 the water table and the consolidation Of dup
lieate irrigation canals viii add approximately a.
0O0.oO0 70 the value Of The lands IN Bernalillo, Va.
Iencia aud Soeorro counties. A very considerable
part Of this land j. IN Bernalillo county. and al "
Il h more o. less directly tributary 70 Albuquerque.
This added valuG, Il should be kept IN mind. Is
IL the raw land itself. II does not take into consid.
Grafton the increased production Of an acreage that
win be more than doubled, and Of the increase IN
production upon acreage now less than twenty-five
percent efficient because Of sccpage aud the water.
logged condition that limits production 10 salt grass
hay and one or two other scarcely more profitable
crops.
The engineers are quite right in excluding pro.
dnction increase values aud figures from their re-
port. They have stuck 10 their task Of finding how
much Il will cusi to drain this valley, and what the
drainage win BE- worth 20 the raw land. They have
done that, and IN doing It have demonstrated an
investment which the most cautious business man
must admit is absolutely sound.
We who live on and adjacent 10 these now nm.
drained lands, however. have a right 10 consider
fhc production values sure TO follow reclamation.
We may safely take the word Of the engineers ~ 10
The added raw land values. We can. with equal
safety, estimate the increases in production values
from the reclaimed lands To do this we have only
10 study the production values from such lands as
are now well drained, or sufficiently above the
water table 70 be useful for trucking or general
farming.
II i conservative 10 state that in addition 10
The increase in raw land values, this reclamation
project 81 ours will add, from the beginning Of gen
eral use Of the land. half a million dollars a year IN
production. That estimate is the outside Of con-
seryatism.
We have known, in a general way, Of this gold
mine at our doors. We have all come 10 realize that
with drainage we have here a mighty irrigated
farming region with the finest soil aud the most
perfect climatic conditions 10 be found in any irri.
gable region We now have the concrete facts about
our gold mine before us. There is this difference
between our gold mine and the average gold mine.
IN ours the element OF speculation is wholly elimi.
mated. We dream no dreams and we take no
chances with our money when we tackle this recla.
mation project. ID is within our means. II is within
The capacity Of the state, with the federal aid that
can be had. II is within the means Of every land
owner.
This being the situation, il is clearly up TO us
up 20 Albuquerque to see that this drainage project
il carried out without further delay than is neces
ary 20 reduce the operation ia a thoroughly sound,
conservative basis. Here is a project which will
make homes ON the land Here is a project which
viii give employment 70 labor; Here is d
project which will insure the future prosperity OF