New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-07
LIFE IN NEW MEXICO.
THE QUEER CITY OF SANTA FE.

| SANTA FE ~ NJ, Aug. 3O.-Thc carly history O.
Santa Fe is shroudcd i'm mystery. The LEGAL histo-
rans try TO identify it with OF the numerous In
dian towns visited by Coronado about l3l2' but
the names i4 mentioned in his reports havo been
forgotten by the descendants of the people who IN
habed the old pueblo on the banks OF the Santa re
River and while traces of the ruins of the ancient
Indian town are still to be seen, and ii is altogether
probable that 1t was visited by the first Spanish
exploring expeditions which canre into the coun-
t"y no one can say positively when il was first DIS
! covered by Europeans or even when the Spanlards
! took possession of it, Able Dominic gives the
names of number of provinces OF which the
Spaniards had possession III - - one OF when Is
| supposed to have been Santa Fee. il certainly had
! Spanish Governor IN the year 600, for his name
| is mentioned in the ancient records, and the
| written history of the town IS complete from the
time of the Indian revolt in 1850 There are build
ngs still standing and in usc that are known to
have been erected Immediately after the Spanish
rcconqucst of the country in lG92, ana they were
undoubtedly reconstructed upon the sites and
partially at least. from the ruins of Older Spanish
cdifces which had been destroyed 10y the Indians.
The Pucbos are said TO have tradition that there
has been q city here tor thousand years but their
chronology is entitled to very little confidence.
THE OLDEST HOUSE AND THE OLDEST CHURCH.
The old Indian pueblo which occupied the site of
the present city of Santa Fc, extended foI long
distance along the left bank Of the river and was
probably more popuious than the modern town.
It's foundations can still be seen i'm many places.
They were OF small stones. laid in adobe much more
substantial than those Of the Mexican houses
erected during the historical period. and by the aid
Of General Hatch, have been able TO trace them
both above and below the old san Miguel Church
ON ttc o,,rsit. siJo Of = narrow. coo,.od .tro4t
from, This cb,,,b IL te s. oldest bo,.c in SANTA rcr
:. t..,,, ,. Ella r,,,,i.,t;,,,. ,,r t,o o,.i.,t In
A., ,.,,.lI o, -. mani. 10 .,,,,,s,l to I. mart
ofit I;, - ,,,ro rro,,,IIo otit ,,,s l,,iIt of
,...u;,1 80, w., n, old Indian t,,r,, aud lis
ar',.,o, 49,. ,.,..r.I, o,t,.ioto r. revolt
Of 1c.o II - shoI1 think about
twenty fe,t square and-yylat must DE
ol.,itt.f g., I. o. worry, stron, orouncpt m favor
If f.. T,1i,n orioipit i two stories I'm hri.sht
Tho ,,,,onIs ,r, mud arr, now ort,n three or four
.,,ies bil ,,liIo fin, N.vi,,,s rarely buiIt above
tlo frs, THO old t,hors ~, v-lich fine second floor
r.. ,;t A., Coca. ircl,.e tI,ro,,,h fine wall i'm front
a.i, .I-. Inn. IF tl,,... of l,.r,,f Tho ORIGINAL
In ,r,. ,.- .,r,,. and ifs sill os ,nr.b os
...,'.- i,.',-. aI,., ,I,, ,,,,,,1 rlis hos NOW,
-. III 49,. LIN, ,l,,... ..,..i a., ,,., o,,. moro
' tl.ra,,I ,I,,
I,..I.. .,,..l..-.I..,.
wan "' az ''' '''.'
XXI. a.. .,l,... III
-, c. .,... 80 800, ,
go ',...,,,,ti. ,..,i a..
-. g. - .,..r hat ,,,,- I,o liso,,,.or.1
. - 49, ,I - ,"t.
~ -.
Everyone VINO comes 10 >a"'" lie Ni7l'S lHe olA
San Miguel CluIcn' inc one lh inc c.'y' Inc Il9l
building on ms size is supposed 10 nave Deeh erected
about 1910, hu' That was destroyed by iAe Indians
"a r.. ROY J..
present church according 70 rnio inscription
upon beam over Inc door, was rebuilt by the Mar
qusde ia Fouuela, through hls agent, Don Angus
fin Flores Ncr@lri. in l7lO. The church ana the
Christian Brothers College, modem building of
considerable architectural pretcnTons are sur
rounded by a high adobe wall with rudelyarchld
gateway. The foundations Of the church are Of
small stones laid in mortar; upon these are placed
very thick adobe walls mud color Of course, twenty
feet high, covering q space 100 feet long and 60
feet wide On the top OF these, setting back five
ar six feet from the outer edge on the sides and
"a much ms ten feet IN front is n thinner
wall Of the same material rising twenty feet more
and ornamental on top by little piles of adobe form
lug parapet In front of this over the door, is the
secpe narrower than the upper part Of the church.
and the first story of It,. made Of adobe with q
window in front and Il small door at the side does
not rise quito 10 the top Of the main building Each
of the remaining three stories of the steepe has n
wide opening IN its front and sides extending from
ton 70 bottom and incloscd by n low railing. The
top one has a peaked roof The church proper looks
like one great box made Of mud placed on the top of
larger one and the steeple appears like pile of five
mud boxes Of ihcrent sizes set one upon another.
the smallest on the top The interior walls of the |
church are whltewashed and run up to a sharp |
peak. They are ornamcnted. on each side Of the
.-.fl D
made in spain hundreds of years ago. but tho his
tory of which has been FORGOTTEN. y few low
wooden benches, without backs, stand on side
for the use of strangers and wealthy worshippers,
but the common people kneel on the bare floor rs
they do IN the Catholic churches In Europe, and ell