The total area taken up during the previous fiscal year was a little more than 2,500,000 acres, so that there were made during the two fiscal years more than 30,000 original entries, covering a total of more than 5,000,000 acres. Careful analysis of the land office records shows something more than four-fifths of the total entries to have been made by people from other States and Territories-new population. Conservatively, 25,000 of these entries were made by immigrants, indicating at a very close estimate an increase in population from this one source of 100,000. This includes no part of the thousands of people who have gone to build the thriving towns and villages in the new regions being developed by the homesteaders. This increase in the towns and settlements is shown by the records of the Post-Office Department, which, according to the April Postal Guide, show a greater number of new post-offices in New Mexico, in proportion to population, than in any other State or Territory. These figures, moreover, take no account of the very considerable increase in population of the irrigated farming districts, in several of which, as in certain sections of the Pecos Valley and in San Juan County, population has more than doubled within the two years. An immediate further increase, greater than any heretofore, may be expected because of the completion not only of government reclamation projects, but of private irrigation enterprises, a number of which, reclaiming areas of from 20,000 to 65,000 acres, are now practically ready for use. It may be concluded conservatively that the total increase in population during the past two years has exceeded 150,000. While the greatest influx of immigration has been to the so-called dry-farming districts in the eastern and northeastern tier of counties, the new population has been fairly evenly distributed, as indicated by division of number of entries among the land offices and as shown by individual reports from the several counties. San Juan County, for example, lying in northwest New Mexico, has had an increase during the past twelve months of a little more than 1,000 people, all of whom have gone to irrigated lands, giving this county a population of 6,000 as against less than 4,000 in 1906. Returns from a primary election of one of the two great parties, in Roosevelt County, on the eastern border, in June, 1908, showed more than 3,000 votes, as against about 900 votes cast at the primary of the same party in June, 1906. The population of Roosevelt County, now roughly estimated at 30,000, has grown from about 800 in 1903, when the county was created. Reports to the territorial bureau of immigration from the immigration departments of the transcontinental railroads entering New Mexico are of interest. The Rock Island System during the twelve months sold 4,799 round-trip home seekers' tickets to points on its lines in New Mexico as against 2,218 such tickets during the previous year. Mr. C. B. Schmidt, industrial commissioner of this system, estimates that 2,000 additional home seekers' tickets were sold to New Mexico points from points on the 'Frisco System and that probably 1,000 additional home seekers were carried on other classes of tickets, a total of almost 8,000 for this one system. How much of this total has remained, the report does not undertake to say, but Mr. Schmidt considers a very large proportion of it to have been permanently located. Mr. C. L. Seagraves, industrial commissioner of the Santa. 67299-09-2 Fe System, while not supplied with accurate figures, states that his system also approximately doubled the number of home seekers' tickets sold to points on the Santa Fe in New Mexico over those sold during the previous year. While the territorial bureau of immigration has no means of reaching accurate analysis of this immigration, visits to practically every district attracting home seekers and careful investigation show that the immigrants are almost entirely American born, drawn largely from the settled farming districts of Nebraska and Kansas, from Oklahoma and Texas, and to a certain extent from the farming States east of the Mississippi. Several of the Gulf States have contributed to the immigration, Louisiana in particular having sent a considerable number. Texas has been the greatest single contributor among the States, but, in spite of the heavy movement from Texas to the eastern tier of counties, it still seems probable that a majority of the total for the year has been from the northern and central States. This is particularly true as to northern, central, and northwest New Mexico, where practically all immigration has come from the Middle West. The proportion of foreign immigration for the fiscal year is less than 1 per cent. The growing correspondence of the territorial bureau of immigration and the significant demand of railroad systems, real-estate dealers, and land agencies for literature dealing with New Mexico indicate conclusively that interest in lands, both irrigated and unirrigated, is just now nearing its climax; and with favorable conditions during the coming two years the rate of immigration may be expected to far outstrip the record of the past two years, particularly in the irrigated districts, where the opening of government projects is not only reclaiming large areas, but is encouraging private enterprise to extensive development of irrigated lands. The correspondence of the territorial bureau of immigration bears continual evidence that the territorial form of government remains a serious retarding influence in our development, and that admission to the Union would result in an immediate and enormous increase in the rate of immigration. FINANCES. TERRITORIAL FINANCES. On June 1, 1907, there were balances on hand to the amount of $345,125.50, receipts from all sources for past year were $754,800.94, and total disbursements for same period $721,272.81, leaving a cash balance on hand of $378,653.63 on May 31, which amount is deposited in banks and draws interest at 3 per cent. per annum. The banks give the Territory a good and sufficient bond as security against loss. All fixed appropriations have been promptly paid and the general condition of the Territory was never at a higher standard than at present. The fact that the Territory has never defaulted in payment of either principal or interest on the territorial bonded debt has placed its credit on a basis equal if not better to that of many of the older States, which fact is evidenced by the prices paid for $75,000 5 per cent and $140,000 4 per cent territorial bonds sold in the past sixty days. The outstanding bonded debt at this time is $788,000, which is comparatively small, taking in consideration the rapid increase in population and wealth. Taxes due the Territory are promptly remitted by the county treasurers, and judging by the percentage of taxes paid in, as compared with that of past years, it is evident that the system inaugurated and carefully supervised by the territorial traveling auditor has done much toward bringing about fair assessments and prompt payment of territorial taxes into the treasury. Classification by funds" of disbursements made during year ended May 31, 1908. Statement of the debt of the Territory of New Mexico-Continued. Summary of receipts and expenditures during year ended May 31, 1908. Proceeds 5 per cent United States land sales, permanent. Proceeds 10 per cent forest reserve........ United States appropriation, agricultural college. W. G. Sargent, territorial auditor, dining-car license. Hydrographic survey fund.. New Mexican Printing Company, refund printing poll books 1906. R. P. Ervien, secretary, United States land fees... J. W. Green, superintendent, account of penitentiary maintenance $12, 670.00 14, 581.95 32, 038.48 6, 685. 77 9, 614.06 2, 332. 13 22.33 612. 16 30,000.00 600.00 1,635. 63 400.75 1,205.00 8.00 381.70 50.00 526, 336. 61 754, 800.94 Banks in which territorial funds were deposited, May 31, 1908. querque... First National Bank of Tu- National Bank of New Mex- American National Bank, of First National Bank of Por- Raton National Bank, of Raton First National Bank of Las National Bank of Carlsbad... Deming National Bank, of Tucumcari Trust and Savings First National Bank of Alamo- 6,000.00 Total..... 7,477.98 7, 212. 47 6, 880.32 7, 210. 36 7,699. 31 6, 857.75 6, 361. 18 4,000.00 378, 653. 63 a Funds not available. |