El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-08-30
ANOTHER RAID ON CLOUDCROFT Isl
ATENED:MESCALEROPROTECTED

As IF the to the Mescalero natural park were
not enough the word comes that the state Of New
Mexico is preparing to let contract for the rum OF sec
ton Of land Immediately adjoining Coudcrott on the noLn
which happens to belong the state school fund ms
section laps over part North C0udcroft and the old
school house stands Of it. From there It e-
tends norhery and estey across the heads OF the can
yons toward the Silver Springs road Every CouoeroIte
ridden through it. It possesses many noble trees ana
would have more beauty than It has somebody would
take the trouble TO clean up the dead wood on the ground
As It Is It is a fine bit Of virgin forest.
For something like SIS acre matter OF lew cents
for each tree the state Of New Mexico now purposes 70
grant lumber company the right to srup the WOODS
bare We have what these numbering operations nave
meant IN al directions from Cloudcrof outside the Small
reserve Vast areas have been entirely denuded and gen
orally burned through the almost universal careless
Of lumber company workers FIRES started py l-
ber tram locomotives swept dozens Of square miles years
ago when numbering being carried on and 200 years
under natural conditions VIII not suffice to restore tns
woodlands to anything ike their former condition
The project to strip this school section which lies prae-
tcaly within the Cloudcroft reserve, is CRIME against
the present and future generations. If anybody snoua
b interested IN seeing that the natural park the Cloud
croft region preserved for public recreation It IS the
state Of New Mexico What sinister influence Is mat
IS al the time trying to ruin the cloudcrot region as
place Of recreation and residence and enoyenlf
Has Otero county no interest IN Cloudcrotts Otero
county and the state Of New Mexico 90 NOT nave ny s
csl modssty about imposing taxes on the
unitv Some Fl Pasoans owning cottages az CiouoeoIt
actually pay taxes their property there tnan e
nav On fheir permanent homes Fl Paso 1eL Sleua-
rof coftsges must be kept up and maintained al year
for the sake Of month two OF three months use n
,idsuuasr The rest Of the time the cottages stand
closed and idle but depreciation is rapid IN mat ~lnle
climate and reuairs must be made annually klre insuI-
snoe costs by reason Of the non-oeoupncy DUNG
most Of The year otero county and the state OF new
Wexico take no account Of all these things ana impose
taxes at the rate Of assessment and collection as on
permanent residences IN athe--yearround New MEXICO
towns and cities. -,sz.
Otero county collects large revenue from Clouarolt
in taxes The county and the state benet BY the neay
annual influx Of visitors 70 Clouoerol many
fousnds of them who spend months there and add to the
business activity and the income OF the region fet t
Gems 70 Be somebody somewhere interested IN running
Cloudero and appears that the state OF New mexico
and the county OF otero do not sufficiently exert te
selves &c protect the Cioudcroft community WEIGH IS o. a
tev more value to them than the money worth OF me
timber contracts always bobbing up.
Coudcroft but sole reason for beng ana mat
is as summer resort II has infinite posslotes Tor me
future If properly protected and developed The railroad
copsuv the county and state have It IN their power 70
make coudcroft Of the big interstate resorts OF the
country # they will And they also have It N their power
to destroy Cloudcroft utterly.
Ths Herald Is not entering any complaint about taxes
imposed On property owners up therej NOBODY speHy
bss 90 long as it can be that fair share OF me
money Is being spent the regions Development olt
IN the name not merely Of Cloudcroer property owners
and SUMMER visitors but far to the point IN me
rs AZ the people Of the future IN the southwest who
vii need CIordcroft much vitality than we neeo II
now The Herald protests against destroying the oeauls
md pleasures Of the region by cutting out the big WOODS
II Is not only foolish and shortghted policy but It Is
qrievous wrong that can be righted once done
ne school section adjoining Cl5udcroft should be saved
- 5 cIousroft reserve It should be set aside By the
zste Of New Mexico perpstuay state PARK ana gwen
into the trusteeshp Of the coudcrott eoaTa OF oeo
70 nrotsct and administer. Only IN this way can ne
ssvsd ron those who would dsspon for few dollars