USA > New Mexico > History of New Mexico : its resources and people, Volume II > Part 13
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Resources .- On account of its great extent and physical diversity, the resources of Socorro county are of wonderful variety, embracing agricul- tural and horticultural crops of both the temperate and warmer zones, live- stock of all kinds, and minerals of a bewildering range. The farms of the county are principally found in the Rio Grande valley, beginning at Sabinal, about thirty miles north of Socorro, and then stretching down to the beau- tiful fields of San Marcial, near the southern boundary. Most of this section is easily irrigated, and much more land than is now cultivated might easily be reclaimed. On the ninety miles of the course of the Rio Grande in this county there are over 150,000 acres of land easy to reclaim in the first bottoms. On the mesas and bench lands there are 100,000 acres more.
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Wheat is the largest product of the valley, and is of a very superior quality. Every year sees a greater acreage of alfalfa, which is a very profit- able crop. Corn with proper care will yield seventy bushels to the acre. Oats, barley and rye furnish unfailing crops far in excess of those produced in the Atlantic states on the same acreage. All the products of the eastern, and with few exceptions those of the Gulf states, thrive in this valley and yield unfailing crops.
The cattle interests of Socorro county are very large, both the abundant forage and the climate being especially favorable to the growth of this branch of live stock. The mild, open winters permit the animals to use their food for the making of flesh and not for the creation of heat. The imn- mense flocks of sheep range principally over the western sections of the county, and here are also the largest cattle ranches. It is the region from which flow the headwaters of the San Francisco and Gila rivers, each with its numerous feeders. It is also a fortunate peculiarity of this portion of Socorro county, not only that there are numerous small streams which come from the mountains and run some distance into the plains, but that many springs are scattered over the country.
As a mineral county Socorro is remarkably rich, and the deposits are well distributed in the mountainous regions, which are not confined to special sections. In the celebrated Magdalena district, with Kelly as its center, are argentiferous galena, gray copper, copper pyrites, iron and zinc. The Water canyon district to the east produces placer gold, galena, copper, zinc and manganese. In the Socorro mountain district are found chloride of silver, blue carbonate of copper, green carbonates of copper, galena, while far to the west, in the ranges of the Mogollon and Datil districts, are rich deposits of gold, silver, variegated copper, silver-bearing gray copper and galena. Of all the mineral districts in Socorro county the greatest output has come from the silver-lead mines at Kelly, which for years supplied the Rio Grande smelter at Socorro with the great bulk of the ore treated there.
The City of Socorro .- Socorro, the county seat, is a city of about 1.500 people. It is the first important point in the Rio Grande valley south of Albuquerque, and before the advent of railroads into the Territory, in 1879- 80, it promised to rival Santa Fé. Many of the early settlers, who were driven from the provincial capital either by Indians or Mexican revolu- tionists, located at this point, which therefore came to be called Socorro- translated, meaning "succor," or "stop here."
Socorro was incorporated as a city through the efforts of Williani T. De Baun, who was elected its first mayor in 1882. But the sturdy growth of Albuquerque and Las Vegas to the north cut off much of its trade. This general canse for its retarded progress was intensified by local obstacles, which are explained hereafter.
The city of Socorro reached the climax of its prosperity in 1883-4. In that year the new town of Lake Valley received a great impetus, and many who had interests in Socorro joined the rush to the new place. In 1884-5 August Billings erected a smelter about two miles west of Socorro, chiefly for the smelting of lead ores, which carried an average of $5 to $6 in silver per ton. After a few years of operation under private control, the smelter was sold to the trust and soon afterward was shut down.
About this time the United States Land Court decided that the Socorro land grant of about 880,000 acres was fraudulent and set it aside. This de-
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cision was the climax to the woes of the community, from which it never has recovered. In passing upon this grant the court set aside four square leagues of land as a community grant for Socorro city, thus quieting titles which otherwise would have been rendered void.
Like most New Mexican towns in the early days, Socorro suffered greatly from the presence of a strong rough element. Following the murder of Conkling, editor of a local newspaper, who was attempting to maintain order while conducting Christmas Eve festivities in the Methodist Episcopal church (in 1880), a committee of safety was organized in January, 1881. There has been a great difference of opinion as to the character of the work of this committee and its effect upon the growth of the community. Though some condemned the measures which it adopted to end the reign of terror following the Conkling tragedy, there is no doubt that it accomplished some beneficial results.
Several instances are recited where the Mexican inhabitants were sum- marily dealt with, being given no opportunity to defend themselves. On the other hand, many men were punished for crimes committed, who, without the presence of the committee, might have continued their lawless depreda- tions. In 1884, after a killing by the committee, a public meeting was called in the old court house. The result was a compromise between the friends and enemies of the committee by which the organization was dissolved. But not long afterward the body was reorganized for the purpose of hang- ing, without process of law, a notorious character named Joseph Fowler, who was a ranchman residing near Socorro.
After selling his ranch for $50,000, Fowler came to town, drank heavily, and during his spree stabbed a man named Kahl, a prospector of Engle. He was tried and convicted of the crime, but appealed. While in jail, pend- ing the appeal and under a heavy guard, a mob composed largely of the original members of the committee of safety overpowered the guard, took the prisoner from the jail and hanged him. Fowler was accused of several murders, and the simple accusation seems to have been equivalent to convic- tion. The news of this lynching brought Socorro into such notoriety that the majority of law-abiding people of the Territory shunned the town there- after, and its decline from that day forth was steady.
San Marcial .- Although not an incorporated town, San. Marcial is a place of about 1,000 inhabitants, located in the Rio Grande valley, south of Socorro. In the early days it was a stage station on the road to Fort Craig, and prior to the eighties quite a settlement had been established. Just after the railroad had reached this point, in the winter of 1880-1, San Marcial was destroyed by fire. but its rebuilding soon began.
By the fall of 1881 Fred M. Spear had erected a general store. At its completion there were three shacks in town, but his building was of rather a more durable character, and is considered the commencement of the new town.
The chief drawback to the rebuilding of San Marcial was the difficulty of obtaining good titles to property. It was a typical "squatter town," and previous to the latter portion of 1882 the titles rested solely on quit-claim deeds, which were little better than none at all. After the test ejectment suit against Simon Leyser had been decided in the courts against the property holder, the San Marcial Land and Improvement Company was organized to protect buyers of real estate. They filed a town-site plat in October,
yours Truly
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1882, and, through Hugh H. Smith and Thomas Biggs, the original heirs, gave a clear title to settlers of 4,000 acres of land. The tract was formerly a portion of the Armenderez grant. Martin Zimmerman was president of the company, and a man named Sedgwick was its attorney.
At this time, which is the real commencement of the founding of the new town, Simon Leyser was also re-establishing himself as a general mer- chant, being, after Mr. Spear, the pioneer in that line. Isaac and Abram Schey were also engaged in general merchandising, and W. H. Featherson was the first grocer. E. C. Rockwell was proprietor of a grocery and bakery, and J. V. Allen, who later started a dry goods and hardware store, kept a saloon. G. P. Edwards was both druggist and postmaster, and Dr. C. G. Cruikshank practiced medicine. Dr. C. F. Davis (deceased) was also in that professional field. H. H. Howard, the editor, is now dead, while his wife is postmistress of San Marcial. J. E. Nichols, who is still living, in 1882 was running a real estate and an insurance office and a barber shop. L. C. Broyles, J. M. Broyles and James G. Fitch (now of Socorro) were also in business, and an attorney named Clark had but recently hung his sign.
Other Towns .- The other growing towns in the county are mostly lo- cated in the mining districts. Magdalena, in the district by that name, is twenty-three miles northwest of Socorro, and is the center of a carbonate ore camp; with Kelly, the center of numerous silver-lead camps, it is con- nected with the county seat by a spur of the A., T. & S. F. road. Carthage, a little further to the south, and the shipping point for the surrounding coal fields, has similar railroad facilities. Limitar, Polvadera and La Joya, north of Socorro, rely for their growth upon agriculture, horticulture, viniculture, wine and stock-raising. In the western part of the county are Cooney, located on the creek by that name, in the Mogollon mountains, and known as a gold, silver and lead camp; Alma, at the mouth of Cooney creek and canyon, the center of an extensive stock country and a trading point for the mining district; and Joseph, on Tularosa creek, near the Arizona line, lo- cated in a region of ancient ruins, in which the most beautiful Aztec pottery has been found.
Leandro Baca, sheriff of Socorro county, was born in Lajoya, New Mexico, March 8, 1851, a son of Tomas and Consicion ( Chaves) Baca, both natives of Valencia countv. New Mexico. The father was a farmer, freighter and stock raiser, and freighted on the Santa Fé trail to Kansas City, Leavenworth and to California, making these trips in 1848 to sell sheep, in company with Governor Otero's father. The round trip required fourteen months. They drove overland across the country, with the usual experiences and hardships of such a journey in pioneer times. In later years Tomas Baca was proprietor of a store at Lajoya, and also owned a sheep ranch, which he conducted until his death, which occurred in 1897, when he was seventy-two years of age. His wife passed away in 1891.
Leandro Baca spent his entire life on his father's ranch at Lajoya, and entered in freighting before the days of railroad transportation, making trips as far east as Kit Carson. He also went to Tucson, San Francisco, Fort Wingate and the White mountains, and was a well known factor in those early freighting days. In 1874 he turned his attention to the sheep industry at Lajoya, where he made his home until coming to Socorro. In the mean- time he also conducted a mercantile enterprise at Lajoya. Called to public office in 1887, he removed to Socorro, and for four years served as assessor
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of the county. In 1891 he was appointed chief deputy sheriff under Leo- poldo Contreras, thus serving for two years. On retiring from that office he concentrated his energies upon his sheep and cattle business, continuing actively as a rancher until 1902, when he was elected sheriff, to which position he was re-elected in 1904, having given such capable service in his first term that he was once more the people's choice for the office. He dis- charges his duties without fear or favor, and is a safeguard to all interests of the county that come within law and order. His political allegiance is given to the Democracy. In addition to discharging his official duties, he also gives supervision to his ranching interests. He was always a Democrat until December, 1905, when he changed to the Republican party.
Mr. Baca has been married twice. On the 16th of January, 1871, he wedded Genoveba Jaramillo, who died January 16, 1890, leaving four chil- dren: Josefa, the wife of Justiniano Baca : Esteban J .; Jesusa, the wife of Francisco Esquibel, and Tomas A. On the 4th of May, 1891, Mr. Baca wedded Mariana Padilla, and they have one child, Domitilia.
John W. Terry, engaged in the real estate business in Socorro, is a native of Illinois, born in Jersey county, on the 12th of October, 1836, his parents being Jasper M. and Mary Ann (Waggoner) Terry. He supple- mented his early educational privileges by study in Shurtleff College at Alton, Illinois, from which he graduated in 1861 with the degree of bach- elor of arts. Later he became a student in Colgate University at Hamilton, New York, from which he won the Master of Arts degree in 1865, but in the meantime he had rendered active service to his country as a soldier in the Civil war, enlisting in August, 1862. He was largely instrumental in raising Company C of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Illinois In- fantry, of which he became first lieutenant. He was with Grant in Ten- nessee, Louisiana and Mississippi until after the capitulation of Vicksburg, having participated in the entire siege of the city, his brigade being in the center of the line which took formal possession.
Following his graduation from Shurtleff College, Mr. Terry was or- dained to the Baptist ministry, and subsequent to the close of the war he continued his studies in the theological department of Colgate University. He engaged in preaching at Madison, Indiana, and at Centralia, Illinois, and for six months was associated in church work with Professor William I. Knapp in Madrid, Spain. This was in 1871. In the meantime he had spent one year, 1869-70, in travel in Europe. In 1873 he went to Trinidad, Colorado, and having retired from the active work of the ministry he formed a partnership in the banking business with Colonel George R. Swallow. In the fall of 1879 he went to Kansas City, Missouri, where he conducted a real estate office, and in December, 1881, he came to Socorro. In the spring of 1882 he established a bank here, which he conducted for three and a half years, and has since given his attention to the real estate business and to dealing in live stock and alfalfa farms. He organized a large stock ranch in connection with the firm of Liggitt & Meyers, of St. Louis, Missouri, under the name of the Magdalena Land & Cattle Company, but after about a year disposed of his interests, in 1887. His attention is now given to real estate operations.
In 1874 Mr. Terry was married to Mary A. Bascom, a native of Rock Island, Illinois. Their children are: Paul J., agent for Wells-Fargo Ex- press Company at Ciudad Juarez; John Bascom, a graduate of the Uni-
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versity of California of the class of 1905, and now chemist for the Standard Oil Company at Point Richmond, and Helen, who is attending school in Painesville, Ohio.
Mr. Terry has been prominent in community and territorial interests in New Mexico. He has served as county treasurer of Socorro county and a member of the city council of the city of Socorro. He was a Lincoln Re- publican in earlier days, stanchly upholding the administration during the period of the Civil war, and he now entertains liberal political views, but has never been an active partisan. He has, however, served as chairman of the Republican county central committee and of the county executive com- mittee. For one year he served as justice of the peace and has been presi- dent of the board of regents of the School of Mines of New Mexico. He was made a Masen in Trinidad, Colorado, but is not affiliated with the craft at the present time.
Joseph Price, member of the Price Brothers Mercantile Company at Socorro, is a native of Germany and came to the United States in 1864. Throughout his entire life he has been connected with commercial pursuits, carrying on business in that line in Oneonta, New York, until he came to New Mexico. The Price Brothers Mercantile Company was established in 1881 and the members of the firm were Joseph Price and M. Loewenstein. Since that time a wholesale and retail general mercantile business has been conducted. The company has also carried on a banking business for about eight years and has a state bank, which is known as the Socorro State Bank. Joseph Price went to Socorro in 1887 to take charge of the business, which had been established by his brother, Morris Price, now of Roswell, and has acted as manager of the enterprise for the past nineteen years, develop- ing the business along modern lines of progress until the trade of the house has now reached large and profitable proportions. In community affairs he lias also beeen interested, supporting those measures which are a matter of civic pride. He has been school director and for several years was president of the board of education, but has never been an office seeker. For thirty-seven years he has been identified with the Masonic fraternity, being raised in Oneonta Lodge No. 466, A. F. & A. M., at Oneonta, New York. In 1873 he married Miss Carrie Stern, and their children are Jennie, the wife of L. B. Stern, of Albuquerque; Essie L., the wife of Simon Bitter- man : Lena E., and Edward L. Price.
Jasper Newton Broyles, a merchant and banker of San Marcial, to whom the city is indebted for active and effective co-operation in move- ments for the general good, was born July 24, 1859, and came to San Marcial as ticket agent on the Santa Fé railroad in 1882. Nine months later he established a freight depot, which he conducted for three years, and in the fall of 1886 he established a small grocery business, and has since been identified with commercial interests. For several years he and his brother Lee occupied the same store, but were not partners. Jasper N. Broyles carried a stock of groceries and furniture, and in 1898 enlarged the scope of his business by adding dry goods and hardware, so that he now has a well equipped general store. In 1904 he purchased a drug store, which he has since owned and conducted. In 1892 he established a private bank, which institution has been a source of benefit to the community as well as of individual profit.
In community affairs Mr. Broyles has taken a very deep and helpful
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interest, giving active aid to many plans and movements that have resulted beneficially for the city. At one time he was a school director, and he is a zealous and active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. In 1902 he established the Holiness and Missionary School, which has since been successfully conducted. He prefers that the students shall be orphans or poor children who would otherwise be denied educational advantages, and yet admission to the school is not limited to any people, class or com- munity. The school is governed by a local board and supported by gratui- ties. Mrs. Broyles is at the head of the institution, and her co-workers are Mrs. S. Rose, Mrs. J. W. McCoach, C. L. Hafley, J. N. Broyles and M. T. Dye. The last named was the first superintendent. Regular instruction in secular branches is given, but prominence is given also to instruction in the Bible. There is an average attendance of between eighty and one hundred and twenty pupils of all ages. There are three buildings devoted to school purposes and from three to five teachers are constantly employed. This school was founded to take the place of the poor schools in San Marcial. It has had a steady growth and is a most noteworthy and commendable in- stitution, doing a great and good work.
Mr. Broyles was married in 1883 to Miss Zena Hafley, of Lacygne, Kansas, and their children are Lawrence W., Rose, Ruth and Philip, all at home. Mr. Broyles is fraternally connected with the Odd Fellows Lodge No. 14. Aside from his business, his attention is chiefly directed to the Holiness Mission and Bible School, which he organized and in the work of which he receives the active assistance of his wife. Prospering in his business undertakings he has manifested the true spirit of philanthropy in the assistance which he has given to his fellowmen, and his broad humani- tarian principles find exemplification in his practical aid to children who would otherwise be denied educational facilities. Mr. Broyles put in an electric light plant this year, which is well patronized by citizens and the railroad.
Jose E. Torres, county treasurer and collector of Socorro county, was born in the city of Socorro, where he yet makes his home, his natal day being May 28, 1859, a son of Balentin and Josefa (Ortiz) Torres. His en- tire life has been passed in the city of his nativity, and in early manhood he became connected with the cattle business, while since 1901 he has given his attention to merchandising. He still. however, has farming and ranching property and is running cattle on the range. His fellow townsmen, recog- nizing his worth and ability, have called him to various public offices. He was first elected city marshal on the Republican ticket in April, 1889, serv- ing for a two years' term, and subsequently was elected city counsel, con- tinuing in that office for four terms. As mayor of the city he gave a public- spirited, practical and progressive administration. He was for three terms probate judge of the county, and in 1904 was elected county treasurer and collector.
On the 25th of April, 1889, Mr. Torres was married to Miss Guadalupe Padilla, and to them have been born the following children: Josefa, Del- fino, Valentia, Esteban, Moriana, Jose Felipe, Juana Maria, and Guadalupe.
Frank Johnson, a cattle rancher and market man residing at San Marcial, was born in Stockton, California, October 1, 1853. The years of his minority passed, he made his way to Texas and the Indian Territory in the spring of 1873 and traveled quite extensively. In 1874 he established a
Jose, E, Jones
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milling business at Henrietta, Clay county, Texas, where he remained until 1881, when he went to old Mexico, where during the construction of the Mexico Central railroad the firm of Brandt & Johnson, grading contractors, laid a considerable stretch of the road. He was thus engaged for two and a half years, and on the 19th of August, 1885, he located thirty-five miles west of San Marcial, since which time he has made his home in New Mexico. He has been engaged in the stock business, handling as high as two thousand head in a year, and he has a home both on the ranch and in town. The ranch is situated fifteen miles northwest of San Marcial. Both branches of his business are proving profitable, for he is conducting a good meat market in San Marcial, attended with a liberal patronage, and he is widely recognized as a business man of marked enterprise and keen dis- cernment.
On the 20th of January, 1870, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Jessie Johnson, and they have a son, Kelder, who is associated with his father in the management and conduct of the ranch. Mr. Johnson has always been a Democrat, but is not an active politician. He has been a Mason since 1893 and has served for the third time as master of Hiram Lodge No. 13, A. F. & A. M. He also belongs to Santa Fé Lodge of Perfection and the Wichita Consistory, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, and he is now senior deacon in the grand lodge of New Mexico.
Patrick Higgins, owning and operating a ranch at Reserve, New Mexico, has been a resident of the Territory since 1862. He came to this section of the country as a member of Company B, First California In- fantry, having enlisted for service in the Union army from Los Angeles, California, on the 9th of October, 1861. He was a native of Munster, in County Limerick, Ireland, born March 17, 1835, and his education was ac- quired in the national schools of that country. For four years he was a sailor on board the Jessie, visiting all ports of Europe, after which he went to Quebec, Canada, to visit his uncle. While there he secured his release from the ship, and soon afterward, leaving bis uncle's home, he began raft- ing on Canadian waters, being thus engaged until 1852, when he went to California, attracted by the discovery of gold on the Pacific coast. He was engaged in mining in that state until 1861, when he enlisted in Los Angeles on the 9th of October for service in the Union army during the Civil war. He re-enlisted at Fort Cummings as a member of Company B, First Vet- eran Infantry of Colorado, becoming first sergeant. The regiment was constantly in active service in suppressing the Indian uprisings in the south- west. Mr. Higgins was wounded by an arrow in the right leg and by a bullet in the left leg, and he afterward lost the use of his left hand and arm when engaged in trouble with horse thieves in 1877. He was at that time serving as deputy sheriff of Socorro county, a position which he filled for fourteen years. Both the thief and Mr. Higgins shot at the same time, and the former was killed, while the latter was shot in the arm.
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