Artesia American from Artesia, New Mexico • 1

Artesia Adverate Published by Todd Hoffman, Owners, ARTESIA, NEW MEXICO, FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 1920. VOLUME 18. NUMBER 14. A CHAPTER ABOUT THE HIGHWAYS. THE HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS OF THE VICINITY--THE IM.

PROVEMENTS IN PREPARATION ON DIFFERENT ROADS AND THE APPROPRIATIONS -AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAM. (By N. O. SHANKS Without doubt the greatest contributory element to the development of a successful commercial centter and the appreciation of rural lands and the increase in the' population thru the attraction of discriminating farmers, is the modern highway. City limits of today are not fixed by municipal ordinances--but by automobiles and good roads; the town that cuts the distance by saving time is the town that is going to become the trade center for the farmers.

The people of Artesia and vicinity appreciatt this fact; they have their eyes open and their hearts set to do the right thing; and indoing so they are laying the foundation for permanent prosperity. Artesia is strong for good roads, and while not the county seat much of the road activity that has been done during the past years has been due much to the pep and push the people around Artesia manifested and forced to action. In talking about the roads of Eddy county, naturally one has to take the valley as a whole; these roads are under construction and work about to. be started affects the whole valley, the Chaves, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln and Otero highways connects up with one another. Therefore in dealing with the road question and the proposed program, the data has been secured for the whole road district No.

2 of which Eddy county is an important part. The 1920 program as outlined for the road work in District No'. 2 which is comprised of Chaves, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln and Otero counties, cover's both construction and maintenance work to be done from State and County. funds. The program in brief detail follos: Projects now under Construction Chaves, Federal Aid Project No.

8, six and one half miles in length, spanning the Mescalero sands east of Roswell, to be surfaced with caliche and crushed rock at a total cost of $75,000.00. Lincoln, Federal Aid Project No. 11 five and one half miles in length, extending from Fort Stanton, west through Capitan, to be surfaced with gravel at a total cost of $40,000,00. Chaves, Federal Aid" project No. 12, extending east from Roswell for a distance of 17 miles, with concrete structures and metal culverts, and the surfacing to be of gravel, complete cost $142,000.00.

Lea; Federal Aid Project No. 16, located east of Carlsbad across the Big Sands. Length of project, five and one half miles, to be surfaced with caliche at at total cost of $40,000. Projects under course of Construction 'Eddy, Federal Aid Project No. 18, extending from Carlsbad east a distance of thirty two miles, to be a graded earth road with adequate drain age; and representing a cost of $60,000.00.

Lincoln, Federal Aid Project No. 20, from Borded Hill to Picacho Hill distance of eight miles, to be surfaced with' semi-gravti at a cost of $96,000.00. Eddy, Federal Aid Project No. 29, from Artesia west to Hope a distance of twenty one miles to be surfaced with gravel and to cost about $90,000.00. Lea, Federal Aid Project No.

30, from the Chaves county line east of Roswell extending across. Lea county to the Texas state line, a distance of forty six miles, to be a graded earth road and to cost $53,000.00. Otero, Federal Aid Project No. 40, project six and one half miles in length extending from the Mescalero Indian Agency west toward Tularosa be of graded earth construction NAVAL ACTIVITIES ON SCREEN a total cost of $15,000.00. Otero, Federal Aid Project No.

41, from Valmont south a distance of eleven miles to be graded, and surfaced with caliche, the total cost to be about $60,000,00. A proposed Federal Aid Project (the number not yet assigned) to extend from Roswell south to Dexter. The length of the project will be abou. sixteen miles. The type of construction is to be gravel surfacing and the amount to be expended about $150,000.00.

Projects to be constructed on the Red Line roads of Chaves County from funds of the bond issue are as follows: A six mile project. from the west end of Federal Aid, Project 8, extending to the Lea County line and connecting with Federal Aid Project No. 30. This to be graded earth road and to cost $6,000.00. A project twenty five miles in length extending from the east end of Federal Aid Project No.

12 to the west end of Federal Aid Project No. 8, connecting the two projects. The construction to be graded earth road and to cost $12,500.00. For repairing the structures and adding new ones on Road 13 from Ros well west to the Lincoln county line, an amount of $46,000 is to be expended. To take care of the maintenance work of the various counties to the district, a truck patrol crew is being assigned to each county to patrol the Red Line Roads.

The maintenenance funds for the counties of the district for the present year are as follows: Chaves county $7,000, Eddy county $6,500, Lea county $3,700, Lincolr county, $6,500 and Otero county $7,000. Already one of the best highways in the state, and probably one of the best maintained, extends from Artesia to Carlsbad. More road projects in Eddy county are being planned, but are yet not sufficiently progressed so as to be announced for publication. It is stated that there is more travel and heavy hauling over the Hope to Artesia road than any other highway in the Pecos valley, when one considers that the produce of Penasco valley is all hauled over this highway one is not surprised. Roads in the City Artesia--the city proper--has lagged behind on her road building; while the city streets are not as bad as some other towns, Artesia's main street demands better attention.

Not a business man or resident of the town will dispute that point. Only recently Mayor Bullock had the matter up to gravel main street. Councilmen said that they went out of office in April and did not wish to vote for the added expense. It is a settled fact however, that the next bunch of councilmen will be instructed to see that the street is either graveled or paved. In fact there is a petition under.

preparation now to be submitted to the city council asking for a paving district to be organized. The main street of the town runs from the east to west, and the main side of the business street is on the south side facing north; naturally this makes the driveways in front.of the majority of the main street houses rather muddy during a rain or snowy season. But Artesia is coming out of her lethargy; she has taken a new lease on life; the clouds have passed and big things are happening; roads and streets will not be the last considered. ANOTHER REALTY DEAL R. L.

Paris has purchased the prop- cL erty east of the railroad on Main 'street which was once used by the Pardon-Sipple Co. for a lumber yard. The property extends from the railroad- right of way to the premises accupied by L. L. Feather, and from Main street southward to the end of the block, and includes the lumber office and warehouse, Mr.

Paris bought the property for hay storage and the consideration was about $3,500. It is rumored that there are other important deals in soak. Chief Yeoman Howard N. Smith, U. S.

and Chief Gunners Mate Richard Pritz, U. S. N. were here the first part of the week. The two naval representatives brought with them a feature film showing the U.

S. Navy in action, and the picture was shown at the Methodist Church last Monday -evening. The pictures 'were authorized officially by the navy department, and tht films contained views of every class of modern war craft that took part in the recent war. There were torpedoes, depth bombs and gunfire, as it appeared by night and day, and many scenes of the navy trade schools and other things showing the advantages offered by naval service. All the action pictures showing the big ships in battle formation were taken in the North Sea off the coast of England.

The pictures were accompanied by an explanatory lecture by Chief Yeoman Smith. The same gentlemen also addressed the high school and grammer students Monday forenoon on the subject of "What the Navy is Doing," relating its trditions and present condition and needs. These gentlemen were not seeking recruits for the navy but were aiding the recruiting service by propaganda. CHANGE OF NAME The Pecos Valley Drug Co. will change its name to the Palace Drug Store.

The change will take place when the firm moves to its new quarters on the 10th of the month: There are several reasons for the change. The principal one is that there is a Pecos Valley Drug store at Rosewll under entirely separate ownership and merchandise for one store is being continually sent to the other. This constitutes an unendurable annoyance. ROLAND L. MORLEY A brief mention was made in these columns last week of the death of Roland L.

Morley who died recently in a hospital at Muskegon, of Mr. Morley was for some years a resident of Artesia and was assistant cashier of the State National bank up to the time of its consolidation with the First National. His wife, who is also seriously ill with flu, is a sister of Mrs. A. B.

Coll, of Artesia. Mr. Morley was only 36 years old. He was a skinful civil engineer and at the time of his death was president and general manager of a short line railroad in Mich, igan. He was high up in Masonic circles and a member of the Christian Church.

DEATH OF C. A. COLL Charles Alanson Coll died at his home one half mile east of Artesia at 3:30 o'clock, Feb. 29th after a short illness. Mr.

Coll was 70 years of age, born at Waterbury, Connecticut, Oct. 6th, 1849, where he spent the first ten years of his life. In 1859 he moved to the then new prairie state of Illinois with his parents and one sister, settling on a farm near Cambridge, Henry County. While yet a young boy he helped to break up the land with an ox team and improve the farm which was the family home. He was married- -to.

Emma E. Coll, of Cambridge in 1877. There were born to them five children: Mary Adeline, Alfred and Max W. of Artesia, Charles H. of Princeton and Eben F.

of Cambridge, Ills, all of whom with Mrs. Coll are now living. In 1904 while in search of a more favorable climate for Mrs. Coll. The family came to Artesia, purchasing a tract of desert land mile east of town.

Here he developed a fine alfalfa and fruit farm. He continued to live upon and operate this farm until his death. He was a man of thorough business habits, an industrious toiler and of sterling integrity. He was also a man of much reading and general information. He was life long member of the Episcopal church.

The funeral services were held in the chapel of that society and the burial in Woodbine cemetery. F. J. Close of Denver is in town waiting for two associates to come from Pennsylvannia. When the latter arrive it is expected that a drilling contract will be closed for a well near Hope.

The tract of land on which it is expected the well will be drilled embraces 20,000 acres and is known as the Hope pool. It is mostly agricultural and pasture land and was put in a pool by the owners. Mr. Close and Harry Wright have been working on this project for a week or more and the matter is so far along that the form of the leases is the only thing to be settled. Mr.

Wright and Mr. Close both say that if the leases are acceptable the whole thing is settled, The contract for the actual drilling of the well will, according to Mr. Wright, be made with F. L. Howard of El Dorado, whose reputation as a driller is well known, The tentative contract calls for active operations inside of ninety days.

The two Pennsylvania men above mentioned have for years been oil producers in Pennsylvania, Wyoming and Oklahoma. The Advocate is informed that two other contracts for drilling are almost certain to be closed before the week ends, but the particulars are not quite ready to be given to the public. BELL WELL A WINNER PROSPECTIVE DRILLING The Bell well at Dixieland is without doubt a producing well. Every one who has seen it during the last ten days has said that when the dirt from the cave-in was removed it would yield from 40 to 60 barrels of oil per day, and oil of the best quality. The prediction seems to have been verified.

On Wednesday Martin Yates received a telegram from a banker there stating that 93 barrels of oil were baled out of the well on Monday and that it was conceded by all to be at least a 50 barrel well. At any rate the drill has given way to the pump and the rig is being moved to another place near it where a deep test well will be drilled. The oil from the Bell well will be used for fuel in the drilling of the second well, The news bf the Bell well is received with joy in Artesia as the prospects here seem just that much better. TO DRILL AT WAGON MOUND The Advocate is in receipt of a letter from S. A.

Turner, president of the Wagon Mound Oil and Gas stating that the Palo Alto Oil and Gas of Wichita, has taken over 20,000 acres on the Wagon Mound structure and given a bond of $15,000 to have a standard drilling outfit on the ground by June 1, and to drill to a depth of 3500 feet if necessary. The Wagon Mound Oil and Gas Co. has another large acreage blocked up and expects to close a second drilling contract in a few days. THE IRREPRESSIBLE TANK STORY The story about operations being suspended by the Illinois Producers at their well No. 1 until a big concrete tank could be built to hold the oil has gone the rounds of the papers and finally reached the Oil and Gas News of Kansas City which swallowed it, hook, bait, sinker and line.

The tank story was originated by some one who was suffering from an abnormal atmospheric pressure in his think-tank. The Illinois Producers may sometime in the future need such a tank, for there are indications that well No. 1 is going to be a real well. But the tank will not be constructed until needed and it wont be needed while the company is fishing for.a bit, Mrs. John P.

Lowry came home Tuesday from Comanche and Waco, Texas, where she was called by the serious illness of her brother, Gayle Talbot. Mr. Talbot is now recovering from an operation for gall The Advocate Phone CALM BEFORE STORM Several Drilling Contracts Ready to be Closed- New Wells in Prospect There is very little news in the oil field this week. There is a considerable in the making, but that is quite different from the finished product. Of course there are rumors and rumors, but the Advocate doesn't invest very heavily in rumors.

It prefers to wait for something with substance. If, however, there is anything in appearances something is due to drop with a thud before very long. And what is more one has to go by appearances to quite an extent. When you go on the street and notice men in little knots and groups in earnest and quiet conversation, and notice also that more than half of these men are strangers, it is a reasonable conclusion that something beyond the ordinary is brewing. These men are not talking politics; they are not discussing presidental possibilities; they have no interest in the proposed attempt to reach the planet Mars by airplane an dthey don't look like enthusiasts in the inter-church world movement.

are talking about oil, and leases and drilling But what they are saying is not easy to find out, The average oil man, that is, a real oil man and not a barker, would readily tell you what was said when he popped the question to the lady he married, but he would shut up like a clam if asked anything about his oil scheme. Some of them will frankly tell you a lot, but just about the time you have the warp and woof for a good story they will say that what they have told you was told in confidence as from one friend to another, but not for publication. In spite of all this it is known that there are some important events maturing and that they are nearly ripe enough to be picked. That they have not been given publicity is a good sign. Oil men with a big scheme in contemplation are always reticent.

They shun publicity. It is the speculator that dissolves into words about his business. While he barks a good deal his teeth never make dangerous incisions. It is known that men representing powerful organizations are in town and that several important drilling contracts are ready to be closed. The documents in some cases have been sent back east to the men behind the guns.

The Advocate is reliably informed that it may very soon have something important to announce in the way of drilling contracts. DRILL AT BLACKDOM Roswell Record: The Blackdom Oil Company has signed a contract with a California drilling company for a deep test on 4,200 acres at Black dom, south of this city. The contract provides that operations must start within ninety days and actual drilling within six months and that the hole must be started with a 20- inch casing and must be drilled to 3,500 feet unless oil or gas is found in paying quantities at a lesser depth. The Blackdom Oil Company received a bonus of $1,25 an acre and a bond of $5,000 has been deposited in the bank by the drilling company to insure good faith. The National Exploration Company is now ready to drill at Orchard Park and drilling at Picacho was resumed again this morning.

LAW ENFORCEMENT LECTURE Antonio Lucero, ex-Secretary of State now Federal Prohibition Enforcement officer will be in Artesia Monday night and will speak at the M. E. church at 7:45 on the subject of law enforcement. A. B.

Stroup of Albuquerque, brother of Dr. Stroup of Artesia will accompany him and also talk on the same subject. These gentlemen should have a good audience. stones. Mr.

and Mrs. G. R. Brainard No. is 7 2t visitors to Carlsbad Tuesday.

were.