Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-10-09
A PECULIAR AMERICAN CITY.
Life in Santa Fe.

A letter from Santa Fe, New Mexico,
says:
Santa Fe is situated at an elevation of
more than seven thousand four hundred
feet above the sea level, being about
fourteen hundred feet higher than the
top of Mount Washington. The at
mosphere is so greatly rarefed as to
give most newcomers much difficulty
about breathing, and cause frequent
bleeding at the nose in many cases. In
consequence of the small fall of water
the air is very dry, and at most seasons
of the year fresh meat can be kept in
the open air without fear of its decayiDg
until it becomes dry and hard. The ex-
treme dryness Of the atmosphere gives
a stranger an idea that cold winter S
day is not so cold after all; but if he
venture out without his overcoat he will
soon find his mistake. Another strange
thing is caused by this lack Of humidity,
namely the great difference in temper
ature between sun and shade. In the
warm season, to step from situation
where G person is exposed to the direct
rays of the sun to shady place, is al
nost invariably to pass from
extreme heat to an air almost
chilly. Snow falls to a very light depth,
rarely more than four inches during an
entire winter. Most gladly would the
people hail the heavy falls Of snow which
preyail in other localities, for upon it
they depend to start the grass for their
aocks and herds in spring, and to swell
the streams with water for irrigating
purposes. Rain very seldom falls, ex'
cent in the rainy season, which usually
commences about the 18th of June, and
continues until about the 18th OF August.
During this period the skies will be cloud
less until 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon,
when a shower will suddenly descend,
and last generally about two hours.
TheSe showers occur almost daily during
the period mentioned. At such times
the number of streams in New Mexico
is indefinitely increased, for the country
abounds in brooks and rivers, the beds
of which are at other times entirely dry.
These are called by the Mexicans ar
royas." The streams which flow all the
year are often so swollen by the rains as
to sweep away whole villages, 2 catas-
trOphe witnessed D1 tue WRITER az HeSefGA
points on the Rio Grande during the
present summer.
The city Of Santa Fe itself is, with
single exception, built Of " adobes," OF
sun,dried brick. They GEa eighteen
inches in length, nine inches In Width,
and four and half in thickness. With
very few exceptions the houses are but
one story high, with fat roofs, made by
covering the top Of the house with either
poles or boards, the letter being hard to
obtain aud expensive. Over them earth
10 the depth Of two or three feet is piled.
OF course, when the rainy season comes,
nearly every house in the town leaks like
a sieve. One army officer, known to the
writer. on one Of these occasions of gen.
eral leakage pitched 9 tent in his pariori
and another slept With an umbrella
spread over his head and rabbeT plan-
ket covering the rest Of bis person.
THE POPULATION OF SANTA FE.
The population Of Santa Fe consists
of about seven thousand Mexicans and
about three hundred Americans, in
clHding The Government officers. ~
the term American the New Mexieans