New-York tribune., 1879-08-30
THROUGH THE SOUTHWEST.
III.

GRAIN-ENTENSINE
ACROSS PLAIN.
,rno,, AN occ,s,ovAt CORRESPONDENT OF TRIDUNEl
MrsuIA. NJ NJ, Aug. Al thought had Deeh
entirely familiar with the history ancient ana moo
ern. of the Pueblo or town Indians oil the MO
Graude; but a trip through the wonderful Valey
tbatlies between Santa Fe and FL Paso washke Open
ins sealed book The Treaty of Gaudalonpe hldalgo
did not annex New-Mexico to the united STATES
IL is stll foreign country although IN name Ter
ritory of the United States, and Will remain so un
iii emigration changes it. he population is COM
posed largely of civilized Indians and by civilized
mean that they work for a living. The next larg-
est element is of so-called Mexicsns. The most OF
them claim to be pure Castilian a few of them no
doubt are but the most of thei are mixed with
Americans Indians of different tribes, and even
with negroes. There are a few via or nomadlc III
dians. most of whom are, or rather shouid De- Oh
reservations 1t is claimed that one-hfth OF the en-
tire population of New-Mexico is American; that
am sure is much too large an estimate Dut II mieit
be correct for Las Vegas County. The entire pop'Ia
tion was reported at 1901 ,00C IN 1870, IT L remem-
Der correctly think it safe TO say that III census
of New-Mexico were fairly taken 1t would snow
175 900 people The American portion is OF several
varieties. No incOnsiderable number are entespns-
ing. excellent people. Some. like the wild Indian
tribes. are nomadc and worse than nomadic.
considerable number are Jews, aud wherever one
goes he finds they are the traders. was very weh
aware that Old Mexico was to-day managed by Ger
man, French and English Jews. who manage every
thing from village stores to the Government. ulu
not expect that they had penetrated every vaiiey al
New-MexcO and that would meet them In every
ylage but here these people are and many OF thenl
date back TO before the conquest.
Coming south from Santa Fe on the Rio Grande,
FOR the first 200 miles is out of sight OF
will The kVstem OF irrigation Is
the most extensive and complete in the United
States east of the Rocky Mountains, although nan
the land is not cultivated. The larger portion OF
these towns are of the ancient inhabitants or as we
call them Pueblo Indians. Some are called Spanish
or Mexican towns and some mixed. In every
one of them, small and great, there Is Cathoiio
church. Like the other eddces, II is OF ADOBE anu
is marked by its larger size and by having a Vo"ei
and one or more bells. Many of the fields are
fenced by high walls of adobe brick, and sometimes
of sod, some of them apparently of great age. Inc
whole valley is lined with irrigating ditches' ana
sometimes three of them are found alongside OF
each other These are under the control OF local
officers who keep them In repair and allot the PoI
tion of water due to each when water ID scarce'
The oldest Indian towns have very efficient sys-
tem of water government. and the spaniard anu
American borrowed it from them. The people culu-
yate wheat oats, barley. Indian corn is extensively
cultivated but should say not very successfully,
although saw some fine fields of corn. They have
patches of potatoes cabbages beans, onions, and In
fact most of the vegetables usually cultivated,
large patches Of red pepper included. Vineyards
are found all along the valley and this is destined
70 be the great wneproducing region Of the United
States.
The valley of the Rio Grandc may be divided into
three parts For the first thousand miles, or north
west from its mouth to Ell Paso 1t Is adapted to the
cultivation of sugar. cotton. indigo, tobacco, corn
and tropical fruits. 1t is nearly four hundred
miles to Santa Fe and in that region. over which
have Just travelled by stage, wheat, oats and barley
are successfully cultivated. Corn is meagre crop
Here indigo and tobacco flourish and here could be
produced, as IN the lower region, the cOchineal
Here. also is the land of grapes of RAPID growth,
heavy production aud delicious flavor. Insect and
mildew rayages are unknown Here, too am
astonished to find apples of the juicest quality,
peaches plums pears and other fruits. Santa Fe is
68O0 feet above the level of the sea. Here at Me-
slla we are about $500. Ell Paso is still lower.
Here on the thirty-second parallel it is 90 IN the
shade. 1t has been 102 at the highest this season.
The third division of the Rio Grande lies above
Santa F6 Some of its streams rise in the State OF
Colorado. few mterock with the head waters Oh
the ella and Colorado of the West. Its tributaries
penetrate into the San Juan mining country. In
the valleys OF tle upper ItElOlS
potatoes and other crops suited to elevated regions
can be produced. 1t is the land Of mines, OF rich
pasturage, of pineries and lumber and as one goes
mn 10 the continental divide, of eternal snow.
After we had passed the fields that surround
Santa F6 there was region of thin soil, with sandy
spots, and then broken ridges as we descended to
the valley of the Rio Grande. Storms, with the
clouds foul with rain, envelODed the distant noun
tains Then before evening set IN the storm over
took the coach and we 6attened up against it. In
side we had lively party. among them German
Jew who kept store at Albuquerque, aud was very
pleasaut man mOreover; he sat on the top untll
the storm drove him iD Water had been scarce
since we left Santa F6 and since we had been told
that the rainy season had not visited the valley be-
low yet we were under no apprehension. but we
narrowly escaped menacing danger at st. Felipe.
This stream scarcely rises TO the dignity of river
As we approached its bed it appeared to be about
foot deep. At that moment 1t was probably not
more than thirty feet WIDE At its edge saw 1t
was rising with fearful rapidity, and called to the
driver to pass on rapidly. One of the mules fell,
and in the few seconds thus lost the water rose to
the bottom Of the coach. 1t came dashng down
with fearful fury. The driver who was an excel
lent one, turned partially down, and thus we got
across, forced by the raging torrent. When We
reached the top of the bank the stream at least
two hundred feet across and timber, huge stones
and other rubbish were driven before its raging
waters. Three minutes later and We could not have
crossed.
Y reached Albuquerque about an hour after
sunrise in the morning The Catholic bells were
tolling for morning service. Albuquerque is an
adobe CITY, of abOut 5000 people. 1t Is not only
smaller b ut inferior IN many respects to Santa Fe.
All that day we passed through fields and villages,
occasionally having few miles OF sand or sandy
waste. The river did not seem TO be at any place
more than two or three feet lower than the valley