The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1880-02-19
LEAVES FROM NEW MEXICAN TRAVEL,
LAS VEGAS, New Mexico. !
February 18th, 1850.


week. al dead. Soon after daylight
last Sunday morning one Of the boys
at the hotel knocked at my door and
asked me II didn't want to 70 and
eco three mon that were hung by the
Vigilantes during the night. After
dressing we walked to the Plaza, about
one block away. There was sight be-
held-the like never saw before, and
hope I will never see again. One man
vas hanging. dangling In the air,
almost fifteen feet high beneath him
lay on the platform two men dead,
with ropesaround their necks and with
several bullet holes in their heads. Oh,
what sight tolook upon-that beauti-
full, bright Sunday morning. About
0o'clock the officers removed the bodies
to the court house. Next morning
early they were buried all three In the
same grave without q box or CONN;
1t seems that about seventy-five Of
Judge Lynch's court, belonging to
East Las Vegas, met between the hours
Of 8 and o'clock Sunday morning,
went to the jail, and after breaking
down the doors, took the three prison.
ers, and marching them to the Plaza,
put An end to their lives. They belong
TO what Ii called COW boys, formerly
from Texas, and were In Jail for muir
der. One being boy p years Of age
and ~ the Vigilantes were pulling him
up remarked: my God! Ny God
Ny Nother!" Whata world Of refiec-
ton In the expression; how his men,
DRY turned In that instant Of time to
his past life. can safely say I have
no inclination to murder my fellow
being while In this country, for want
no rope around my neck, as they sell
dom give . person Q trial by court.
About one dozen men have died with
their boots on In this county since my
arrival; two suffered the same fate As
the above here last summer. Itseems
that the State authorities Of Texas are
ADDE'S In that State 80 closely that they
are coming to New Mexico BY the
hundreds, and number 80 many that
Governor Wallace. Of this Territory, il
powerless to drive them out Below
Las Vegas about flfty miles they are
very strong and Q terror to the coun-
tn. This place seems 10 be their head.
quarters and the people are determin-
ed TO make short work Of them. Many
people Of Las Vegas predicta raid from
the band below In retaliation for the
three hung Sunday. I will try and
answer the most important questions,
- parties have written 70 me lately
requesting information about the coun-
try; but I will say have received quite
Q number Of letters thus Ear. and most
Of them would occupy about one hour
Of my time to answer. Some morn
ings I receive several that would keep
me writing most Of the day. This !
cannot do, for came here Tor my
health, and my DOCTORS instructions
were to keepout of doom all / possibly
could. It would please me to accom-
modate all my friends and others.
Another small matter that counts In
the aggregate: not one who has written
for information has inclosed Q three
cent stamp to prepay postage, and /
think II the information Il not worth
three cents they are not very anxious
to know; and have come to the con-
clusion that the JOURNAL may have
the benefit Of informing them. Most
Of the inquiries are for work snd husi-
ness locations, and I will speak from
Q Las Vega and surrounding point Of
view. I know but very little below
this point, only by heresay ;..as for work
will say our population Is about one
half Mexican. Very few do anything
else but day labor; they can work
cheaper than others, for they live %
cheap and stand more hardships, and
plenty of them to do all the work.
Many are idle; for sheep and cattle
herders they are the best, nd;Hlmost ex-
clusively employed by all the great
sheep and cattle kings of the territory.
I have seen more Iaborers from the
north out Of employment since / ar
rived than at Salina In the same time.
About business, would say 1t Is over
done, although Las Vegas does . very
large business, and a person to start
here must have a large capital. Two
about SIS, O0O, and many have larger
clerks we have plenty clerk to se-
cure q position In Q store here must
speak the Spanish language well. Doc-
tors and lawyers are plenty, but not
withdrawing all this q man might
come here aud geteinploymeat-but the
chances are against him. As for
other points SOUTH cannot say. Some
have asked me how il would be for
them to get employment at Shakes
peare. or course cannot say, for to
reach Shakespeare from here Il Il about
$50 miles travel, oil but 20 miles by
stage. Very near a. far % from here
to Sallna. About the climate in this
Territory for health: almost all Of JAM
uary we had summer weather, cool
nights and warm, pleasant days. ]
believe that an invalid. unless too far !,
gone With his disease, eau flnd In New |
Mexico just the climate he needs o. |
the Territory extends 90 far north and !,
south. II the northern part Is too cold |
You can try the southern portion. a. Il I
b always warm, or you can get the /
medium In the CsntVal portion. MI
health has improved very much go
I arrived. We have had be- wy few
cloudy days the sun s1s3u10most every /
day and comes cot WoSm. Here the |
air Is dry and y seldom rains. Two
rain stOr0guouce last May. Have had
souss s1Ow but not much. Since writ !
AQmy last We have had some cold
weather, but when the Thermometer
Is q above zero ut O'Clock A. NJ, by
- O'Clock Il stands nom So to " and
remains with but little change until
bed time. I think for weak lungs this
h the country TO come to, aud the
quicker the better. The altitude OF
the Territory varies very much; Lse
veeas b over 6 200 feet above sea level:
Santa Fe about 1000, and below here
any mikes Il n I, 800 feet lower than
here: AZ you 20 farther south II h
still lower. A Person can get most any
climate or altitude he wishes II the
Territory. Ia New Mexico Adeairabie
place for person to move to with his
wife and children: / ahould answer
1t present, for - long q the
Territory u infested with terrible
clAss Of deapasadoes, / take it for grant.
ID that no lAther n willing tn bring up ,
his children with 20 much blOodshed |
around them, whether II might afIect
hem personally or not. 4 child b.
ZONES hardened to such scenes. Anoah- ,
y great objection Is that there are NO
public sehools, and cannot see much
hopes a any for several years; not
lntil enough ennigrnnts come to
,utvote the Mexicaas. They pow :
'ontE0l about ali the o0lces.excepe
.tate omcen who are appointed BY the 7
Most Of the Officers In
his county are Aexlcana and the rest /
,Sected BY. Nexicans, and do "a thev !. .
vish. think the two above objec- Z
n a D..