1776 



REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. 



made, as the owner is absent at his mines in the laboring season and returns in the 

 winter only to live and hold his place. 



The second class are too lazy to work, or shiftless when they do commence ; they 

 are satisfied with bare sustenance without realizing the full value of their land. 



The third class are oona-fide farmers ; they labor as farmers must do all the world 

 over, and find their ground, the gift of a beneficent government, a source of wealth 

 ere long. 



No questions were asked and no inquiries made thereon, but from personal observa- 

 tions it is presumed that representatives of all three classes have locatted in the Animas 



Park. Too little time has elapsed for the com- 

 pletion of ditches and other things incident to 

 •u 00 ^ and connected with thorough and systematic ir- 



rigation, but, unless greatly in error, the settlers 

 of the third class are believed to be in a minor- 

 ity. Save that little necessary to establish and 

 hold their claims, the ranchmen, in general, have 

 made no improvements worthy of mention on 

 their land. 



A beautiful waterfall on the west side a num- 

 ber have utilized, and draw the supplies for their 

 main imgating-ditches, a few miles in length, to 

 their several places. 



Several of the ranches, however, make. a good 

 showing in an agricultural point of view, one of 

 w r hich, about 4 miles above Animas City, and the 

 property, we Avere informed, of Mr. J. V. Lamb, 

 deserves especial mention for the fine appearance 

 of the farm, with all the usual outbuildings and 

 external signs of thrift and comfort noticeable in 

 one of the Eastern States. 



Below the Animas Park the agricultural devel- 

 opment of the country has only begun. 



Tbat portion of the valley of this stream, of the 

 La Plata, and of the San Juan itself, situated in 

 New Mexico, and lying east of the Navajo Reser- 

 vation, was formally included in and set aside 

 for the Jicarilla Apache Reserve. The Indians 

 having never been placed thereon, and never de- 

 siring it as a home, the land was finally opened 

 to w' bite settlement, and a heavy immigration for 

 that section set in during the past spring, sum- 

 mer, and fall. 



"While the amount of land under tillage in Sep- 

 tember last was inconsiderable, from all things 

 observed, it is more than probable that the acreage 

 during the season of 1878 will be large, unless the 

 ranchmen should be deterred from planting full 

 crojis by the threats aud presumed disturbances 

 of the Indians, who regard with unfriendly eye 

 any approach to their own lands. 



The soil of these river-banks is very rich and 

 capable of returning large crops for the labor ex- 

 pended; the timber growth, high sage-brush, 

 and other vegetation indicate a most promising 

 agricultural section. The altitude itself in each 

 case i^omts to a large and varied field for the 

 planter's selection ; below the line of the Ute 

 Reserve, which is also the boundary of Colorado, 

 the La Plata lies at an elevation of 5,600 to 5,300 

 at its mouth, in the San Juan River, and the 

 Animas from 5,900 at the same north point to 

 5,300 below. On the boundary of Colorado and 

 New Mexico the Animas is 17 miles due east of the 

 La Plata. The latter, with a tortuous course, 

 flows to the south, its mouth being -20 miles dis- 

 tant ; it receives no streams en route, all of its 

 tributaries being wholly dry unless during the 

 rainy season. In both peculiarities mentioned, 

 the La Plata and the Animas are very similar. 

 The valley of the Animas trends so strongly to 



