Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-12-03
NEW MEXICO.


w. Uollcnbeck TO his vile, daughter and
son, the first lie has written, We nfc in
formed, which entered into u description al
the country and it's inhalninnls since lr
went there with the Mogollon Mining Com
pany coIly lgst Spring. 1t will be seen
toward the close that he givesus u different
version OF the character Of the Mcxicnn
from that which we usually get from tray
elcrs in that section;
MAGDALENA, New MEXICO, |
Nov. 20, 1880.
My DEAR KATIE, ALLIE AND DICK;
propose devoiing this letter Ia few re-
ncc,ions ON some of the customs and pecu
luritics of this country and It's people, but
before commencing on those topics want
To tell you OF great aud pleasant surprise
| experienced few days ngo- one that
will long lie remembered by me.
Leaving Socorro for the mountains we
pnss ont of the town Mt the south wcst side
through long, narrow and rather crooked
street, with adobe walls on either side, PAS.
sing the Methodist Church and parsonage
ns we come to the end OF the street aud en-
ter the open country. Here we turn to
the south and going from four 10 FIVE miles,
turn the southerly end of the Soccoro
Mountains and tnking westerly
course, travel over rough, stony road for
u distance of about twelve miles when we
reach the Culavera, or MS we call it here,
Snake Ranch, which is about seventeen
miles from Soccoro and where we find the
first water. This ranch IL in charge of an
American whose wife is Mexican woman
with very fiat nose. We call for n pan
of lichn, dread and milky, and while the
good woman il preparing the same for us,
we will step outside and take look ut the
surroundings. Looking to the north we
zee a large and seemingly lone mountain,
which has the appearance of having n
smooth suriace and being ensy of ascent
but Chamber to its summit over rocks and
lodges and you will find that by some up
heaval of nature, il is rent in thousand
places with crevices and uaverns into which
person can pass for fifty feet or more if
they have the nerve to do 20. To the east
of the ranch is another mountain called
Strawberry Mountain ON account of its re-
semblance in form to that lucious berry,
will, one of its sides rent and tumbled
from its position, leaving that side per-
pendicular wall. East and southerlv are
the Socorro Mountains around which we
have Just Travelled. All these mountains
are within the distance of mile from
where we stand. To the west, eight mi les
distant as the crow flies, are the Magdale-
ma Mountains, the objective point of our
journey, and here seated among these mour-
tains is the one lone adobe building in
which the keeper of the ranch resides and
the only house of any kind we have seen
since leaving Socorro. The spring is To-
Gated few rods only from the dwelling
and here the three hundred and fifty head
Of cattle with which the ranch is stocked,
come to drink. Entering the house we seat
ourselves at the table on boxes and bench
and refresh the inner man on the only eat
able this caravansary supplies for the en-
tertanment of the tired traveller and it is
good enough assure you. Wishing more
milk, we say to the good dame, poes mas
latcha, "a little more milk, and we ut once
have our pitcher reflled. Having satisfied
the longings of hunger we bid our hostess
adeos (good bye), and mount our wagon
for the next and last stage of our journey.
Our party consists of the driver, a white
man, n freckled, very freckled faced mu-
mulatto, and myself. Our wagon is freight
ed with general assortment of merchand-
ise, and the mulatto and myself find seats
where best we may. Lenving the ranch
we Immediately enter upon the mesa, or
plain, lying between us and the Magdale-
mn Mountains and upon which the cattle
of the ranch Craze. This mesa is from
eight to fifteen miles in width and about
eighty miles in length. Passing in north
westerly direction for distance OF ten
miles over the finest and smoothest natural
roadway ever saw, we reach the north
ern end of the Mag,lalenas between which
and another range Of mountains is pass
through which we must go, ascending grad
ually and mt the same time turning TO the
left making n slight curve, we come in sight
at distance of four miles of large noun.
tain, and / suddenly exclaim in loud
voice, there she is !" there she is ~ The
driver of the mules turns around in his
seat, thinking his passenger crazy,no doubt,
and the freckled faced mulat,o inquiries
"what's the matter wild you? who do you
see 2" Why Magdalena, the beautiful
Magdalena, and pointing TO the last noun
tain referred to we see magnificent pict-
IRE OF heroic size hanging against its gran,
ile walls, and that is Maglnlena, the beau
| tiful Magdalena, wife OF AIontezumo, and
| from which our grand old mountains take
their name. The picture is about seventy
five feet by one hundred and twenty Ave
feet, but hanging as it docs against thil
magnificent wal of granite that has deliet
the storms and blasts of ages il does not ap
pear out oil proportion or of such immens,
size. This is no fancy sketch, the pictur,
is there-face, bust, turban and hair, al
formed in solid everlasting granite, an,
every feature and outline w perfect az j
pain ell by some master hand. AT ON
point when an intervening foot hill cut
off II portion of the chin the resemblance 4
Allie when she wore her white fur cap an,
her long hair was NJ striking that acluall
shed tears Now you will ask, "Why hav
you not written about this beautiful pctur
before?" My answer Is that knew notl
ing Of il until my late visit 10 Socorro, /,
which time was talking with genllema
about the mines and during the convers;
lion he asked me il had seen Magdalen,
replied that had wife and childr II i
far off Ohio, for whom had the greales
respect and love, and since my advent inl
, New Mexico, had not sought nor mao
the acquaintance of any OF its ladies. ii
then told me OF this picture. 1t is certain
8 y surprising that had not heard OF it b
; lore, as the mountain is situated direct
in front Of our camp and not more TIM
! half mile distant. From the camp "
: see simply mass of rocks. Certain it
shall never pass over the road ngain wit
e out paying my respects TO the superb
= beautiful Attic.
y A description OF Mexican town wi
. no doubt be of interest to you, and AS II
better acquainted with Socorro than N
b other, and as description of one is a /
II lection Of all others, will attempt in II
i poor way to tell you something OF II.
i The town is situated about one and
e half miles from the Rio Grande del Nor
G on ground rising at gradual incline un
II il reaches the Socorro Maintains, WIN
are three miles distant and form an excee
Is ingly bold and picturesque back grou
'e for the place. The water for the supply
6, the town Is conveyed in bitches iron
,e warm spring in the mountains, but befC
ID IL reaches the town is utilized by the I