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Sherry Hester (Trasp)

Rex, I love windmills! The one you posted is beautiful! 
Thanks!!
 

Rex Booth

Sherry,

I remember being around 4 years old, my granddad would drive me around in the country to see old ranches located northwest and southwest of Chaves county. Seeing old wooden windmills and drinking the cold water from the tanks always evoked many good feelings then, and years later to come.  I have always loved the windmills in Peter Hurd's paintings and by other artists as well. If an old windmill could speak, think of the tales it would tell !!

John Landess

My Grandfather had a big old windmill for years on their little farm out toward the base. We boys were often in hot water (pun) for climbing on it.

The neatest thing was the runover water helped grow two huge weeping willow trees that had branches that touched the ground. We kids would play under them, wrapping the branches back to make "rooms". And it was cool under them in the summer.

Unfortunately, after many years, the windmill mechanism stared leaking oil, and when my grandfather went to have it repaired, he was talked into have a 'more efficent' electric pump installed. Within a year the trees were dead as well as many other plantings there.

My first visit there after living in Alaska (1973), was sad to say the least. His big yard was then typical of most of southern New Mexico, with little growing except for patchy bermuda grass. (can't be wasting electricity to water stuff!)

Rex Booth

Granddads are great!  My granddad told a story about early Roswell, when a person could take a stick, poke a hole in the ground, and water would shoot out of it!  At one time in the early 1900's, the Pecos Valley had deep artesian water that flowed under pressure in limestone caverns. This is not the case today, as farming irrigation has helped deplete the water supply. Dependent now on the Permian Aquifer that serves parts of eastern New Mexico and west Texas.

There is a picture from the early 1920s of a Water Recreation Park located in the Spring River close to the old swimming pool. Several couples could row boats and dawdle time away on a sunny afternoon, enjoying this water park. I'll try to find the picture.

John, did your granddad ever tell you how many feet his well was dug to reach water? I have heard wells in some areas took 900 to 1200 feet to strike water.

John Landess

Rex, My Granddad said when they first moved to Roswell, there was a big spring right on the corner of the old courthouse downtown.

BTW, does that artesian well still flow down towards Artesia???

Speaking of windmills and such. We lived down by Dexter part of my third grade. It was an old adobe ranch house, that was cool in the summer and warm in the winter. We got our water from a windmill. It had a small tank up high for the house, and that ran over to a big tank on the other side of the fence for the cows to drink out of. I came home on the bus and was a "latch key kid". Always had some chores to do, but if it was warm, I would slip through the fence (if no cows) and would climb into the tank and splash around. The water was nice and cool and came over my knees. I found out shortly that the rancher had put some type of fish in the tank to keep the algae/moss eaten. That was kind of spooky when almost stepping on one, or having one check out your feet and legs.

BYTW When I asked if anyone knew who the kid was in the photo (entry 8633) I think that may have been me. I went to Washington after Dexter, I believe. Due to my old man, we were like a bunch of nomads. Didn't stay in one spot until the ninth though the eleventh grade. Then after I had made a few friends...OFF TO ALASKA! for my senior year............. 17 schools in 12 years.

Rex Booth

I would not doubt an artesian well being on the Chaves Court House lawn.  It is my understanding that Artesian wells were "more than prolific" in the city of Roswell, Chaves county, and the Pecos Valley. People from all over the US and other countries visited Roswell to observe and laud the vast amount of water produced from these artesian wells in the early years. 

Do artesian wells still flow down to Artesia?  I would venture that back in the day, the artesian water table flowed all the way to Carlsbad to the south and possibly to Vaughn to the north. 

How many of us have gone out to look at the various sinkholes north of Bitter Lakes off Highway 70? In the 1920s, there was an underground cave with a river that people visited for fun. It was called "Lost River". As a sinkhole, it finally caved in, killing a couple who parked their car above the bluff. It was then blasted with dynamite to prevent any future accidents.

Perhaps the explanation for all these sinkholes can be found in the depletion of water from the underground artesian system, but only the Shadow Knows....

Lost River (1920's)  Nine miles northeast of Roswell on Highway 70

For more information

https://www.rdrnews.com/arts_and_entertainment/vision/historically-speaking-the-lost-river-story-continues/article_b20765ea-6b2d-50e9-8346-7b3dcf2b6dc0.html

John Landess

Rex,

Thanks for the info.

The artesian well I was asking about was a site somewhere down towards Artesia. I remember as a youngin' going down there when we had some visitors to see it. As I remember, there was some type of marker telling about it and how many gallons a day flowed... We were usually on our way to Carlsbad Caverns that day, a place that I have been in probably a couple of dozen times over the years with family visitors... Last time, I took my youngest son, wife and grandaughter there after our 50 year reunion.

As to sink holes, Johnny Perry's cousins used to go down to some and set them on fire (tumble-weeds). They then would use a bamboo pole with a hook on the end to fish out dead (or mostly dead) rattlesnakes. Johnny and I got to join them a few times. They would cut off the rattles and sell them to Inez's Curio Shop.. 50 cents for most, but a buck for a really big one. That was something that could get really exciting, specially when the fished out one that was lively. Army surplus machete usually took care of that!!

Man, them was the days!

Here is the artesian well on Oasis Ranch in the 50's/60's (RDR had quite a little story on it)

Well, the photo would not print, but it can viewed at:

Roswell Daily Record, Christina Stock, May27,2019 pdf

SORRY

Rex Booth

John, here you go! And thank you for sending us the Oasis info!

The artesian well on Oasis Ranch in the 50's/60's (RDR had quite a little story on it)

https://www.rdrnews.com/arts_and_entertainment/vision/historically-speaking-memories-of-the-oasis-ranch/article_784f02e9-f85f-525d-b75b-3473affb498e.html

Paula Carl (Cowee Miller)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NEW MEXICO!  114 years old and you're looking very good. 😊🥰👏🎂

Paula Carl (Cowee Miller)

There was an artesian well somewhere just east of Roswell. My daddy would take us out to see it especially when we had visitors from out of town. Seems like it flowed freely from a large pipe. Surely would like to taste some of the cool sweet water right now. 

Rex Booth

Pauta,

You said you and your folks went out east of Roswell and looked at an artesian well flowing freely.  The artesian well could very well have been the large Littlefield Ranch, which was 4 to 5 miles east of Roswell.  In 1890, Colonel George Littlefield and his nephews, Phelps and Tom White, purchased farm lands on the north side of east 2nd, next to the Hondo River where Pat Garrett had lived 10 years earlier.  Littlefield also had large farms on the south side of east 2nd (highway 380). Johnny Allensworth attended the LFD School just north of East Grand Plains. LFD School was built and named after George Littlefield (Littlefield Cattle Company).  LFD School was located on the Littefield Ranch Farm. 

Yes, New Mexico became a State on 1912 (January 6th). Hip Hip Hooray! or as the Gunny on Lock 'n Load would say: "Hooo-Rah"!!

Rex Booth

While we are on the subject of "water"... more Roswell histrionics 

"Haynes Dream Park" in Cahoon Park 

Captain Haynes was a successful cattle rancher in Roswell. In 1902, Captain Haynes built a dam on Spring River that was supplied by an artesian well. The start of this park on Spring River was an inspiration of Captain Haynes. He felt it was important for recreational purposes for the early-day residents. Those with nostalgic memories of the original first park, have related many anecdotes of the old cement swimming pool, with a long row of clean, light bath houses on the south side of the pool, the row boats with couples dawdling about on Sunday afternoons, and the power boat named ‘The Katie,’ that never ceased to be the main attraction and source of pleasure at Haynes Dream Park. 
 

John Landess

Rex,

That was an interesting question...

I think that the loss of the artesian wells was due to two things.

First and foremost,was the fact that the early farmers and ranchers had no idea that the water was a finite item, and allowed their wells to flow continuosly, thinking it would last forever.

The second was major use of available water from both artesian sources as well as that pumped from the same aquifer was greatly expanded in the 50's with the sudden impact of everyone wanting grow cotton.

Not only did this use large amounts of water, it led to much dryer and hotter conditions locally. Remember the advent of huge dust storms back in the day when we were in the 3rd of 4th grades?

We had lived out somewhat north of town off of Pinelodge Road,  in a little farm house surrounded by alphalfa fields, and it was always cool when the wind blew. Then, those fields were converted to cotton, and it was much hotter and dryer. The next year the big dust storms started and my dad ended up nailing a big tarp over the windward side of the house to slow down all the dirt coming in through the cracks.

One day, it was so bad that when our school bus stopped, the driver told me "you are the oldest and you need to see that these little kids get home ok. You all hold hands and walk close to the fence so you can tell where you are going". Well, got everyone, including myself home ok. Later that summer, we moved into town for a bit.

The only folks that did ok were the people putting in all the miles of concrete irrigation ditches all over. Remember them?

Rex Booth

John,

Yes, I agree with your assessment that “the early farmers and ranchers had no idea that the water was a finite item, and allowed their wells to flow continuously, thinking it would last forever”.

After reading articles about the Pecos River with irrigation, artesian wells, and the advent of cotton growing, the following is my understanding:

Ancient Beginnings (1,250–800 B.C.): Native peoples in the Southwest cultivated cotton for textiles, with archaeological evidence showing its use by Pueblo communities by A.D. 400.

Fast forward to 1910, two years before New Mexico became a State in the Union.  At that time, cotton was being grown by irrigation from the Hondo and Pecos Rivers serviced by canals.

These canals were developed first by Pat Garrett and his partner, James Hagerman (a prominent silver mining magnate and railroad tycoon from Colorado).  Pat Garrett ran into financial difficulties. Hagerman (with deep pockets) further developed irrigation canals from the Pecos and Hondo Rivers. It was a maze of over a hundred miles of canals, which included East Grand Plains, Dexter, Hagerman, and Lake Arthur. During the 1920’s cotton was being grown commercially.

In 1948, as a young lad, I remember another trip with my Granddad taking the old Dexter highway south.  Granddad’s friend dropped us off and we walked and walked and walked from one cotton field to another. We walked what seemed like a mile on that hot dusty road before Granddad stopped and said, “Ok this one”. We then unrolled our long white bags. We stooped down between rows of white puffy cotton. Then Granddad said: “Son, this is how you pick cotton”! All I remember is once the bag started filling, it got really hard to pull that cotton sack down the row. My finger tips were cut, bruised, and sore from picking cotton that day!  

Sherry Hester (Trasp)

Rex ad John L., 
Thanks for the history lesson. I've enjoyed it.

This must be the Year for my learning more 
about the past. I just finished reading "Sara's Key",
it is about a young French Jewish girl and her family.
during WWII. I did not realize how the French police 
collaborated with the Germans in gathering up the Jews
and putting them in containment camps then moving
them to concentration camps in Germany! I was shocked
and sad. It was a uncomfortable, sort off depressing,
read but I couldn't put it down.   
 

Paula Carl (Cowee Miller)

I see that the Thunderbirds are going to be at the air show in Roswell. I saw them when I lived in Raleigh, NC. Great show!

For any that might know him, I heard from John Stephens today.  He graduated in 1961.  His mother Corrine Steven's taught language arts and his dad worked for the post office.  His sister was Cynthia Stevens.  I had not spoken to him in 60 years.  It is certainly fun to catch up with people from our past.  

Thanks for the great info on the canals used for irrigation. Very interesting!

Sherry, that book sounds interesting.  I'm going to order it.

Rex Booth

Sherry, glad you liked the summary on irrigation and cotton in the Pecos Valley. You can also count on John L to post something interesting about growing up in Roswell. As Bill Turley would say: "Them-thar wuz the Days"!!

Paula, you got the news about the "Thunderbirds" a day before Roswell did! The RDR has cut back circulation and is now delivering the paper three days a week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. With online news on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday.  The paper is delivered around 10:30 pm (can hear the thud of the paper hitting the front door). One can then read the PM paper the "next day" which is actually called the "morning" paper... Newspapers are in a sad state of affairs. Has anyone noticed a drop in the delivery of newspapers in your area?

Paula Carl (Cowee Miller)

Our "Daily" Sentinel is in a mess. The Sunday paper comes in the mail on Saturday so I read it after I get home from church on Sunday. Then we get a Wednesday paper delivered by mail on Wednesday.  When we went from daily to bi-weekly the cost stayed exactly the same. Grrr!  Go figure. But I'll probably keep paying for it since we don't have a local TV station so the paper gives me some local news. Remember the Roswell Daily Record folded square and delivered by you guys on bikes? 👍

John Landess

Paula,

Only folded square on 'slim' days. The rest of the time I had to roll them and put a rubber band around them. The Record gave us rubber bands for a while, but then we had to buy them. On rainy days, the drop off trucks would throw out some platic bags to slip the papers into. 

I had a route starting in the 5th grade and through the 7th. Started out with about 55 deliveries and built it to over 150. Collections on Saturdays was always a chore! All this on a bike, except on Sunday mornings, my Mom would drive me about usually, so I could go to church with her.

And Rex, full agreement on the cotton picking...a one day learning experiece for me!!

Fred Miller

John, I had a paper route about that same time, about 120 - 130 customers.  All delivered on a bicycle after school.  Sunday mornings, my Dad would drive me because I delivered before sun up, and the papers were heavy. 

Christmas time was always nice in the gift dept.  Most gifts from my customers were usually cash.  But my favorite every year was from Col. Lusk.  He would invite me into his house, into his extensive library.  He would tell me to pick out a book as my gift, and then leave me alone in the room for as long as I needed to make my choice.

Early on, Saturdays were spent knocking on customers doors and collecting the $0.30 weekly subscription.  It did help us learn some important  lessons early on in life.

Rex Booth

Paula, thanks for thinking of us paper boys!

My RDR paper route days were during 7th-9th grade. Yup, on days when the paper was too' slim', the 'square' fold could open up if, landing on its corner, thus opening the whole paper. Get off the bike, refold, and hustle it over to the porch. A few of us had bragging rights in those days. Not sure if our throwing skill was from newspaper tossing or throwing hardball curves or sliders. Some of us paper boys got really good at "gun-slinging" the paper. We took pride throwing the paper directly onto the customer's porch... and not hidden in a bush. Guess which customers paid on time when collecting the monthly dues?

There was a technique in making a good throw. Throwing the paper a little early, at an angle, just before being in-line with the porch. The throw was all in the timing, the speed peddling the bike, and the sidearm pitch to make the square paper do a 360 degree loop, landing perfectly on the porch with the folded side up! Made you feel good, like sliding into home plate hearing the Ump yell: "Safe"!

Paula Carl (Cowee Miller)

Thanks for sharing your paper route stories, guys!  My brothers didn't have paper routes but they cut yards around the neighborhood. Push mowers, hand held clippers. They worked pretty hard in that summer heat. 

John Landess

Rex,

I can't pull up the name of the circulation man at the RDR. I think he was the guy you had to turn in the weeks money to.

I do remember they had a contest for a trip to Disneyland, and I really went to work expanding my route. AND THEN, low and behold. his kid won the contest. I don't believe he even had a route.

Rex Booth

John L,

Think the RDR changed to monthy collections around 1958 or so.  Many of my customers paid RDR directly which helped a lot with less collections.  The customers I had the most difficulty collecting from were the younger WAFB guys who lived in town. They were always gone. My Dad told me to go to their house Sunday morning around 6 am and wake 'em up. It worked too!!

Paula,

Your brothers and I had something in common: mowing lawns during the summer. Yup, started with a push mower as well.  By the end of the summer, had saved enough to buy a used Craftsman rotary mower with a basket from an older gent in the neighborhood. Some of my customers were over a mile away, so by the time pushing that power mower to their place, I was just about tuckered out.

These days, one hardly sees any kids knocking on doors asking to mow your lawn... much less to rake those huge piles of leaves during late fall. Where are all the young folks today? 

Fred Miller

John, the circulation  mgr. was Mr. Higginbotham.  His son Ronnie came in 1st on that Disneyland contest.  Why,...because his daddy had him answering the phone at the Record at night when a lot of people would call in wanting to start delivery.  Every one of those new starts was credited to Ronnie in the contest.

I came in 2nd in the Disneyland contest, I had my own little trick.  My next door neighbor was a supervisor with the electric company.  Every night, he came home with a list of new hookups for me.  The next day, I was knocking on their door and signing them up.  I also won a contest for a trip to a dude ranch in Arizona.

Those were fun times