The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-01-22
A GLOOM CHASER

THOSE gloomy gentlemen who 4c no future for New Mexico cxccp,
in the development now reached and the public revenue obtain
. able 'hcrcfrom in taxes, are invited 10 consider a suggestion made
at the meeting of the Albuquerque Rotary club on Thursday. This
proposal, made by Capt Clark NJ Carr, was that the club make as its
chief objective for 1927 the finding of ways and means TO drain the
central Rio Graudc valley
This ra program that r practical and that. can be carried out If
The attempt is made and If cooperation of state and national govern.
mcnts are secured IS they can be secured by the proper effort.
If this program is carried out 1t win mean that some 100000
acres Of land having water rights and now worth an average of $50
an acre. will become worth q conservative average of 800 am acre.
In other words the execution of this program, which can be
achieved within three years, will increase the valuation of property
now on the tax rolls at S60oo0oo o less too conservative estimate of
S3OOOOcO, or an increase in ta, valuation of %>24OooOOo.
If the state Legislature could count On an increase IN taxabl"
property of 2iOOoO0o during the coming year, instead of a probable
decrease OF more than that amount, the problem OF financing the state
government for the next two yours would not be- the very serious
problem that it is,
The gloom sprcodcrs say we can hope for no early or speedy or
important increase in taxable values in New Mexico.
1t is a cnch that we cannot look for any such increase unless We
g., out and make il happen.
1t can be made to happen and it can be made to happen quickly
The increase in valuation possible, as outlined above, would be
in four counties Sandoyal, Bcrnalllo, Valencia ard Socorro.
Governor Mcchcm has proposed, and tn" Legislature seems dis
posed TO adopt a plan to appropriate 10000 from the Rio tirandc
improvement fund. for an expert survey of the whole middle Rio
Grandc valley, TO see if food waters can be controlled by reservoirs
located in the northern coumtic, of the state This proposal may not
provide the huaI means for draining the Rio Graudc valley, but it
will, if found practical, greatly simplify the drainage problem, and
draiuagc construction would undoubtedly proceed and be a part of
the food water storage project suggested.
If these small ,'orag" reservoirs prov" practical they will u-
doubleday provide water for 100000 acres or more of land now idle
and without water rights. This land, when 50 reclaimed would be
worth at the minimum. another Sl0Oo0Oo0 So add 10 the T2iOO0OOO
10 be gained in th, immediate portion of the valley.
Ultimately, of course these drained and irrigated lands would
become worth from $500 am acre M. Tncr reclamation would make
a big city ont OF Albuquerque and would establish prosperous towns
and farming communities throughout the valley from the Colorado
line to San Marcul.
\ dream, YOU suggest
Undoubtedly but a dream that can Doc made to come true within
three years il the effort is pat behind II.
-O
Having lost H. second congressman We hoped to have. New Mcx
leo Is no worse III than II has been Maybe we are better of Get.
ting one congressman elected is Il considerable job. Elociing two.
with thc primary system thrown I'M, would double up the job for a lot
of people There's a silver lining 10 this particular cloud