Pat Garrett by Jameson W.C.;

Author:Jameson, W.C.; [Jameson, W. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing
Published: 2015-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Seven

Pecos Valley Irrigation Venture

Following the winding down of the cowboy strike and the real estate venture, Pat Garrett returned to another of his holdings, an eighteen-hundred-acre farm and ranch east of Roswell in the Pecos River Valley, where he lived in relative peace. In addition to a herd of cattle, Garrett raised pecans, apples, peaches, grapes, and alfalfa. On the surface, it appeared Garrett had it made and could easily settle into the life of a prosperous rancher/farmer.

The truth was, however, Garrett was anything but prosperous. Ill-suited to the farming and ranching life, his crops often went neglected and his profits, if they existed at all, were marginal. Further, Garrett’s vices used up much of what money he made from his ranching enterprises. Once again, he began to cast about for an opportunity that might make him some money.

Author Metz referred to Garrett as a visionary, and that he longed to see the Pecos Valley “flourish with crops, with businesses, with schools.” He envisioned, wrote Metz, “room for both the lion and the lamb to lie down together.” In order for the sand hills empire to flourish, the normally arid region must have water. That meant irrigation: systems of ditches and canals distributing water throughout the area. Irrigation cost money, and Garrett, as usual, had none.

The geographic area Garrett had in mind was called the Middle Basin, a portion of the Pecos River located between Las Vegas, New Mexico, and the Panhandle of Texas and ranging south to Roswell. The principal streams flowing through this area included the Spring River, Salt Creek, Rio Hondo, Rio Feliz, Rio Peñasco, Seven Rivers, Black River, and Delaware River. Geographers classify this region as arid to semi-arid. In fact, during drought years, water was scarce to nonexistent in the aforementioned streams. Without irrigation, agriculture would be marginal to impossible.

Following the Civil War, newcomers to the region purchased the cheap land and set about developing crude irrigation systems. The federal government passed the Desert Land Act in 1866 that granted rights-of-way for canals on public lands to those who held legal water rights. Land was offered at $1.25 per acre for 640 acres per person if the purchaser would provide irrigation to the property within three years.

The settlers borrowed money to construct canals and ditches, but most of their efforts ended in failure, much of the land was abandoned, and very little of this money was ever paid back.

In an attempt to lure more settlers to the region, New Mexico passed legislation in 1887 providing opportunities for people to form companies oriented toward the construction and maintenance of reservoirs and canals, as well as ditches or pipelines, for the purpose of irrigation, mining, and/or manufacturing. The legislation encouraged these companies to raise money via the sale of stock. After being apprised of this legislation, Garrett viewed it as an opportunity for him to make some money.

On January 15, 1887, Garrett agreed to purchase one-third of a company called the Texas Irrigation Ditch. The company was owned by Roswell businessman William L.

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