Nebraska advertiser., 1868-09-17
LETTER FROM NEW MEXICO.

FORT CRAIG, New MEXICO,
August 24th, 1853 !
Editors Nebraska Advertiser.
Tell Mexican that the Rio Grande is not
the greatest river in the world, or that its val.
ley is not the most fertile, and he viii receive
your statement with the same discredit that
you will any assertion he may make to you
after you become acquainted with him. To
them it may be 50, as they have never seen
any other; but in my view the Rio Grande
is very much like the PIatte--a rapid current
winding along among sand bars and over
quick sands, frequently changing its channel.
The low bottoms, mostly on the west side, are
the only portions susceptible of cultivation
the second bottoms, or table lands, being
nothing but barren, drifting sands. The low
bottoms at this time (the rainey season. are
mostly covered with water, although thiclsly
settled all the way.
The first appearance of thrift and industry
manifests itself at the Pueblo Indian village,
ten miles below Albuquerque. Here were
the best crops of grain that have yet seen in
the Territory. Men, women and children all
busy at work harvesting their wheat, now
ripe. 1 would estimate the yield at about ten
bushels per acre, and their corn at not over
thirty The implements used by these peo-
pie are of emost primitive kind. They cut
their grain with crooked knife, carry and
pile it on carts, and haul 1t direct to the
threshing place to tramp it off with cattle
The wind is their tanning mill. The quality
of the wheat is medium. PrOnged sticks
were the only forks 1 saw, and wooden pad
dies the only shovels. These PUeblOs were
comfortably dressed, and appeared contented
and happy. They have abundance of all
kinds Of fruit, apples, peaches, pears, apricOts
and grapes in abundance. These grapes,
am told, make a superior wine, though for
table use they are not good. The vine is here
cultivated by trimming down to one stem
about one foot high in the fall, and covering
this entirely up with sand during winter.
In spring the sand is removed, and the vine
Immediately throws out new shoots on which
the fruit grows. I failed to get any wine, as
it was all sold or consumed.
TheIands under cultivation here are patches
oblong triangular, and of every other con-
ceivable shape made to conform to the Sake
Grrigating ditchesg and in the construction
of these very little engineering skill is man
ifested, yet the expense and labor Ofconstruct-
ing them is an item of no small Importance,
as the nature of the soil here (mostiy pure
sand,) requires constant, unremitting care
and attention to keep the SAX es in repair L
was thinking to-day that had to till the soil
here for my bread, instead of ditching and
daming these bottoms, I would damn them
and not ditch them at all, as tits fact very
apparent TO my mind that every bushel of
grain raised in this valley is secured at more
than three times the cost it is with us, and
very little demand for it except by Govern
ment, My impression is it was God send to
this country when Uncle Sam assumed the
care of it. SO far as the Mexicans themselves
are concerned, two-thirds of them we see
are clothed from Uncle SANS wardrobe. His
wagons supply all the carts used here; his
saddles, brides, blankets and spurs are every
where seen. 1 have never seen a mexican at
work, and yet he would shame Jew in the
price he will endeavor to extort from you for
anything he has that you may want, and
then take what you may give him and any
thing else he can conveniently get without
your giving it to him. So far as the chaTac-
ter of thelower class of Mexicans is concerned
Elder Chivington's estimate is about correct
-as near the truth as he ever preached.
After leaving the Indian village fora dis
tance of probably three miles, the bottom
lands are very badly alzalied, the soil being
white with it, and all the pools of standing
water diseolored. Below this again the coun-
try imprOves-crops are better and fruit plen-
ty. All along the banks Of these SalKes cot
tonwoods are plenty; some of these now are
from twelve to eighteen inches in diameter,
but all branching out very low. find these
are planted for the purpose of holding the
banks of these bitches from washing, and
the tops or limbs of these trees, which
are cut of about every other year, afford
a supply of fuel, as there is no timber
whsteverin the valley of the river. From the
time we leave the mountains, twenty miles
east of Albuquerque to TT. Craig, a distance
of one hundred and thirty mile, we have to
lug what wood we use, at an extravagant
price.
They tell us that this is the worst season Of
the year here. Yesterday at noon the ther-
mometer was 79o in the shade. This morning
a o'clock it was $50; quite change 1t
rains every day, and was it not that our teams
are extra good, we could not travel at all. As
it is, we made sixty miles in eight days.
LOcosso is a very pretty little Mexican town
thirty-six miles above Ft. Craig, containing a
steam houring mill, several stores and some
very neat residences From here down the
table lands become very strong, and we ma
some grass growing upon them. notice for
the first time some Nexieans at work build
ing some new adobe houses and in their corn
patches. A short distance below this the first
timber appears-scrubby cottonwood-on the
river bank. Grass continues good, but the
bottom very badly alkalied, and no water NJ
for use except river water, and it muddy and
warm. The river has washed the road away
in several places, as also the town OF San MI
guel; and the inhabitants-of the latter are
building new town on this side. Our hag-