THE I R E I G A T I X A G E . 



177 



tions; United States Department of Agriculture, August 

 14, 1911, P. E. Fuller, Engineer; Report of Territorial 

 Engineer of New Mexico, 1909-10, V. L. Sullivan, En- 

 gineer; Engineer R. H. Case, engineer in private practice. 

 All these documents are of a public nature. While it 

 is physically impossible to set forth everything reported 

 by these investigators, the essential facts are given. 

 Those who desire to delve into the subject more deeply, 

 may secure what is available from the government itself, 

 or by application of the Deming Chamber of Commerce. 



Geographic Transportation Markets. 



The Mimbres Valley, near the center of which is 

 Deming, is a "Bolsom" or "Pocket" plain, a geologic 

 type of frequent occurrence in the Southwest. It lies 

 wholly within Luna County in southwestern New Mexico, 

 about 90 miles northwest of El Paso, Texas. 



The valley, proper, is the terminus of the Mimbres 

 river and embraces, roundly, 250,000 acres. Deming is 

 the county seat. It is located upon the main line of the 

 Southern Pacific railway bisecting the valley the Silver 

 City branch of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railway, 

 with through sleeper service to Chicago, and upon a 

 branch of the El Paso and Southwestern railway. It is 

 thus to be seen that railway facilties are excellent. 

 Deming, being a railway center, it is the gateway for the 

 camps in western New Mexico, among them the Burley, 

 products of the valley to many of the largest mining 

 Santa Rita, Pierre, Baird, Silver City and the famous 

 Mogollon District. The latter alone draws upon the 

 markets of Deming for over $200,000 worth of produce 

 annually. Geographically, Deming is the center of a vast 

 minearalized section and is, also, a depot to a rich mining 

 section in Chihuahua, Mexico. 



Past Industry. 



This district was, originally, "Cow Country". The 

 vast acreage, together with the adjacent mountainous 

 grazing district, offered unusual attractions for stock rais- 

 ing. The agricultural history of the valley began in 

 1908, when the first irrigating well was installed. In 



Stacking Alfalfa in New Mexico. 



1909 a Californian, former manager of the famous Cudahy 

 ranch near Los Angeles, visited the valley, saw the one 

 plant then in operation and immediately realized the pos- 

 sibilities. This gentleman, who has had many years of 

 experience in pumping water for irrigation in California, 

 installed a plant of 1,250 gallons capacity (per minute) 

 and the commercial possibility of agriculture was 

 definitely determined. 



Following his example, others tried the experiment 

 and "made good" with the result that there were in 

 August, 1911 (date of Mr. Fuller's investigation), 150 

 plants in operation. There are many more at this time, 

 the exact number undetermined and new wells are being 

 contracted for daily. 



Future Outlook. 



While the Mimbres Valley may be said to be in a 

 transitory stage, it is upon the threshold of a new era, 

 and it is a matter of but a few years when it will rank 

 second to none as an agricultural district. 



Manufacturing has not been carried on in any form 

 and, outside of possible smelting, will probably never 

 form an industrial factor, though the possibilities of fruit 

 raising will, no doubt, result in the erection of canning 

 factories, in time. 



With the practice of irrigation, the fattening of live 

 stock will form one of the principal industries and will 

 offer great inducements to the dairy industry, though at 

 the present time, many thousand head of cattle from the 

 more distant grazing territory are driven into Deming 

 for shipment annually. 



Deming. 



Deming, near the center of the agricultural district 

 of the valley and capitol of Luna County, has a popula- 

 tion of about 3,000; National and State banks, several 

 hotels, machine shop, ice and electrical plants, water- 

 works system, with over 40 miles of mains, a sewer 

 system ample for a city of 10,000; long-distance tele- 

 phone connections with many cities"; many first-class mer- 

 cantile houses; miles of cement sidewalks and graded 

 streets: a pumping demonstration park opposite the rail- 

 road station ; numerouscruirche; 

 excellent schools, including a 

 $.->0,000 high school, and a 

 theater, at which many first- 

 class companies, on trans-con- 

 tinental tours, play one-night 

 engagements. The population- 

 is 85 per cent American. The 

 climatic conditions of the val- 

 ley make it an excellent resi- 

 dence city and the social ad- 

 vantages are good. It will be 

 seen that it is anything but a 

 frontier town and the excellent 

 roads of the valley bring it 

 within easy driving distance of 

 the most remote sections, 

 while for those of luxurious 

 tastes, a 2^-hour ride by rail" 

 is nil that separates them from 

 the metropolis, El Paso. 



The Chamber of Com- 

 merce, an active organization 

 of 125 members, maintains a 

 permanent office with salaried 

 staff and complete equipment 



