Wright, Sidney Orson 1984-02-23
Sidney O. Wright discusses farming life in the New Mexico communities of Virden and Animas.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Sidney Orson Wright
Additional Parties Recorded: None
Date: February 23, 1984
Location: Cotton City, New Mexico
Interviewer: Richard Mason
Length: 1 hour 20 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Sidney Orson Wright: background,
Born: Hachita, New Mexico (1918),
Parents,
Jim L. Wright, father,
____ Richards, mother,
Died (1920),
Mormon colony,
Colonial Diaz,
Orson Richards, grandfather,
Virden, New Mexico,
Hachita, New Mexico,
Corner Ranch,
Virden, New Mexico (again),
Church construction (1925),
Land purchase,
Water well,
Farmers’ Co-op (1935-1940),
Electricity,
Water supply,
Sunset Canal,
Colonization,
Land allotment,
Sunset Canal (again),
Administration,
Agriculture,
Crops: alfalfa,
Feedlot (30 years),
Dairies,
Beginning in Animas Valley, New Mexico,
D. A. Lee,
Drilling of discovery well,
Ted Tibbets (1946),
Well construction,
Harvey Hatch (brother-in-law),
Land purchase,
Irrigation wells,
Pumps,
Reservoirs,
Land clearing, Animas Valley,
Land purchase (1947),
Agriculture,
Water wells,
Pumps,
Land clearing (again).
Tape 1, Side 2: Land clearing (grubbing),
Irrigation,
Energy source,
Butane and natural gas (1955),
Gas pipeline,
Underground pipes,
Basin,
Closure,
Water rights,
Land values,
Cotton at Animas Valley,
Western Cotton Oil,
Cotton stripping (1982),
Single variety,
Pure Seed Association,
Co-op,
Beans,
Bean House (1957),
Grain sorghum,
Cotton (again),
Yields (1952),
Harvesting,
Handpicking,
Spindle picker (1955).
Tape 2, Side 1: Cotton (continued),
Harvesting (late 1950s),
Bracero program (ended 1963),
Irrigation,
Sprinkler systems (1974 or 1976),
Grapes (1983),
Pyramid,
Bill Veck,
Irrigation (again),
Cotton,
Conservation,
Seneca Valley,
Metered water (1974),
Cotton (again),
Boom (late 1940s-1968),
Problems,
Crop rotation,
Farming remarks,
Irrigation (again),
Virden citizens move,
A. D. Merrill (1952),
Other,
Farming experience,
Tent living.
Tape 2, Side 2: Blank
Range Dates: 1918-1984
Bulk Dates: 1918-1984
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Transcript:
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