Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-04-29
SANTA FE LETTER.

EDITOR lNTELLIGENCER :-Leavlng Trim
ldad about five O'Clock, A. M. we soon com-
menced the ascent Of the Ration Pass. had
s,,,- ia1L s0cClOu
of road an excellent buffalo robe. 80 was
we'll protected against the raw, penetrating
cold of the early morning. Ascending
some 5000 feet, in drive of about 13 miles,
the summit Of the Pass Is reached. Here,
at an altitude of 5000 feet, a magnificent
view is obtained OF a vast extent Of plain,
and mountains hundreds of miles away can
be distinguished. Near this summit the
boundary line between Colorado and New
Mexico crosses the road, and some two and
a half miles back towards Trinidad IL
Wootin's Station, where the teams are
changed. The proprietor keeps toll gate,
and is said to have ''fat thing'' in the en-
ployment of this franchise. Descending on
the south side Of this Pass, after drive Of
10 miles, we reach Red River Station, where
We were soon in the enjoyment of An excel
lent breakfast. This place is included in the
famous Maxwell grant, claimed to embrace
| 60 miles square of territory, and owned at
one time by one Maxwell, who sold it, about
| five years ago, to an English company for
| some 5000, 900. The go-betweens made fully
as much more, as am told the purchasers
paid about 81 ,4OO,O for it. Maxwell died
a year ago comparatively worthless, large
part of his means being sunk in Southern
Pacific railroad stock. The title to this
grant has not yet been confirmed by congrsss,
aud 1t is said q strong probability exists OF
its being cut down to . very small area, On
account Of some law enacted by the Mexican
government prior to the date OF this grant,
restricting the amount OF land to eleven
leagues. The purchasers spent large sums
| of money In laying out and building up the
town of Cimarron. but they do not seem to
have prospered. Tho town is the resort Of
some desperate characters, and has . bad
name generally throughout the territory.
Not long ago preacher was murdered there
for no Cause that could ever be traced, and
several Mexicans have also been butchered
within the past twelve months. Taxes have
accumulated upon the property. The en-
terprise seems q total failure, and the own.
ers are disgustsd, dispirited, and are said to
have pretty well made up their minds to
quit.
Passing through Cimarron and Rayado
4 pronounced Rye-ow) we came to = consid-
cradle ascent, rough and rocky called Apache
Hill. Tired, sore and jolted as we wers,
thought the Irishman's way Of prOn0uneing
it "a patch o. hill" was no misnomer. The
country here is generally rocky and broken.
Il and IL what is called "Mol Pals" or bad
land. One of the most frequent rocks 10 .
kind OF porous compound. containing large
i proportion of silica and magnetic iron,
heavy, black, very hard, and very similar tn
the valuable mill stone found near Paris,
4 known rs French buhr. The magnetic
power is so great as to render surveying the
ground with needle instruments an impos-
sibIlity. A wheel striking upon one Of
i these rocks can communicate more jolt to Q
weary traveller than any thing else l eau
imagine. The cactus, prickly pear and
amole e,or soap weed ARE the principal growth
except very short and nutritious grass.
The amole is used by the Mexicans and
Indians in the place OF soap. The roots arc
dug up, crushed to q mass and put In the
water, when by = brisk agitation with the
hand an excellent lather il formed, having
:, the detersive properties Of soap In an eminent
. degree, without the usual caustic action Of
most kinds OF the latter. 1t IL particularly
j. excellent for washing fsnnels, and in fact
! all wooens, as there IL no shrinking OF the
I articles washed. In bathing the head 1t sur
| passes any preparation ever yet discovered
for purifying and softsning the hair and
leaving the scalp moist and smooth. In
washing silks it Is fully equal to OK gall,
which 1t resembles somewhat In restoring
! the gloss to an article which may have be-
! come rusty and dinsy from use and dust.
Passing Fort Union, y military post soma
200 miles from Trinidad, about 3 O'Clock. A.
NJ, we arrived at the breakfast lD station
: Sapello, or La Junta, or Greggs, As 1t hap
} pens to be called. There Is q good extent
Of agricultural country round this place,
and one would expect good fare and plenty
9 OF it. But Of all places At which l ever sat
I down to eat, this place certainly bangs any
thing have seen. DIRTY dishes, plates and
table cover, dishwater coffee or tea, could
not say which. A villainous looking com.
pound OF hash, grease and red pepper, dig
( nffied by the name Of "Chile con carue,' -
! together with black beans swimming In
!. rancid lamp oil constitute the dollars worth.
:. Some mon might eat breakfast here once,
: but verify don't believe they would hsnksr
q after repetition Of it.
0 1 forgot to mention q rather strange kind
Y of butter met with here. A pet billy goat
had been sheared very closely, and to avoid
Q the bitter cold made himself uncommonly
. sociable by lie aning up against US aud crowd
l Ing In next the stove. l..
y