Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/330

318 NEW MEXICO ever eruptions and overflows of porphyry have acted upon the formations containing coal, the latter has been completely metamorphosed into anthracite of excellent quality. Variegated marls and heds of gypsum are exposed in many localities on this plateau. W. of the Rio Grande the same formations are met with. The exten- sive layers of lava, spread in several localities horizontally upon the sandstone strata, are a characteristic feature of the geology of New Mexico. Many of the streams flow through deep cafions, that of the Rio Grande W. of Taos being more than 1,000 ft. deep, with perpendic- ular walls. Mines of anthracite have been open- ed at the Old Placer mountains. There are hot and mineral springs in many portions of the territory, possessing curative properties. Salt lakes (salinas) are numerous, particularly be- tween the Rio Grande and Pecos, S. of Santa F6 ; they furnish a large portion of the supply of salt for the territory and adjacent portions of Mexico. The precious metals and copper are abundant, and mines of -these were worked in Spanish and Mexican times; more recently lack of capital, want of water in many dis- tricts, and Indian hostilities have retarded their development. The annual product of gold for several years past, according to the United States commissioner of mining statis- tics, has been about $500,000. The principal mines are those of the Moreno gold fields in Oolfax co., on the E. slope of the Rocky moun- tains, in the N. part of the territory ; of the Pinos Altos district in Grant co., in the S. "W. ; and of the Old and New Placer mountains in Santa Fe and Bernalillo cos. There are also gold mines in the Sierra Blanca, Oarrizo, Pa- tos, and Jicarilla mountains in Lincoln co. ; in the Magdalena mountains in Socorro co. ; in Rio Arriba and Taos cos., N. and N. W. of Santa Fe ; and in other places. These are chiefly placer mines, but quartz lodes are worked at some points to a limited extent. Silver is not now largely mined, but there are deposits of it at Pinos Altos, in the Organ mountains in the south, in the Oerillos and Sandia mountains near the centre of the ter- ritory, in the Magdalena mountains, and in other places. Copper is found in the Pinos Altos region, where one mine is in operation, yielding about 9,000 Ibs. of metal a week ; in the Manzano mountains, in Bernalillo and Va- lencia cos. ; in the Mogollon mountains, near the Arizona border ; in the Magdalena moun- tains, and elsewhere. Lead occurs in the Pi- nos Altos mines, in the Organ mountains, and in other parts of the territory. Iron is found at the Moreno mines, in the Placer -moun- tains, near Pinos Altos, and near Embudo, between Santa Fe and Taos, as well as at other points. Zinc, manganese, quicksilver, and other minerals occur. The census of 1870 returns 17 mines (all gold), of which 12 were placer and 5 quartz; number of hands employed, 177; capital invested, $2,384,000; wages paid during the year, $107,550 ; value of materials used, $33,138 ; of products, $343,- 250. The amount of gold from New Mexico deposited at the United States mints and assay offices to June 30, 1874, was $1,004,755 72 ; of silver, $239,574 49. The climate varies much. Near Santa Fe and in the mountains the win- ter is severe. N. of Santa F< the days are never sultry and the nights are always cool. In the south the temperature is mild, being seldom below the freezing point, and rarely rising to extreme heat, owing to the elevation of the surface. The sky is generally clear and the atmosphere dry, so that meat may be pre- served for a long time without .salt. In the south the rainy season is in July and August. The annual rainfall varies from 10 to 30 inches in different localities. The mean temperature at Santa Fe (lat. 35 41', elevation 6,862 ft.) for six years has been as follows: spring, 49-7; summer, 70-4; autumn, 50'6 ; winter, 31-6 ; year, 50'6. For the year ending Sept. 30, 1873, the mean temperature at the same place was 49 ; of the warmest month (July), 71; of the coldest month (January), 29; total rainfall, 8-59 inches; greatest monthly rainfall (August), 2*79 inches. The highest temperature observed during the calendar year 1873 was 88; lowest, 5. The dis- eases are few. Inflammations and typhoid fe- vers sometimes appear in the winter season ; rheumatism is more prevalent, arising doubt- less from the common practice of sleeping on the ground. Pulmonary complaints are scarce- ly known. The number of deaths in 1870 was 1,180, of which 420 were from general dis- eases (including 36 from scarlet fever, 11 from typhus fever, 90 from enteric fever, 12 from intermittent fever, 31 from remittent fever, 39 from rheumatism, and 45 from consumption), 60 from diseases of the nervous system, 33 of the circulatory system, 305 of the digestive system, 161 of the respiratory system (inclu- ding 63 from pneumonia), and the rest from miscellaneous causes. The proportion of deaths from consumption was smaller than in any state or territory except Arizona. The valleys of nearly all the streams and such por- tions of the table lands as are within the reach of irrigation are very productive. The most important agricultural regions are the valleys of the Rio Grande and Rio Pecos, which are generally from 1 to 4 m. wide, the former ex- panding in places ta 10 or 15 m. Owing to the slight fall of rain, artificial irrigation is necessary. The supply of water is obtained by constructing from the streams, at the gen- eral cost, large canals, called acequias madres, of sufficient capacity for an entire settlement, from which each farmer constructs a minor canal to- his own land.. Some of these main canals are 20 or 30 m. long. Large portions of the table lands too remote or elevated to be irrigated from the streams possess a fer- tile soil. "Whether a supply of water for their irrigation can be obtained by artesian wells or otherwise remains undetermined. Agriculture