The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-05-28
THE CHARMS OF Las yEo,s
N Letter from the Chevalier Won u...
wartegr.


the Territory Of New Mexico on ia vovtoc
Fe. All the numerous obstacles which nj tbn 49,,
set appeared to be insurmountable bavo hoa.
successfully overcome. Tho high range a, ~"
Rocky Mountains formed the most i'm
obstruction on the way to the country NJ tho A."
tees, and the railroad line crossing II NOV :,
wonderful piece OF railroad enpineor;nc, ,.
pairing favoraby with the Semmernp RAIN,
in Syria or the Bremen in Austrian TIL Tau
trains daily coming from the East cIin,h .n
mountains on heavy grades brino,no .iio
time a number OF merchants. miners -
grants. and tourists to this vast doroin aIl,
to civilization3and commerce since tho dsr. =,
the Spanish conquest. Every day new d,sooU
cries are made. every day new cities and se,tlo.
ments founded. every day new mines onened
The changes which have taken place in New
Mexico since the opening OF the railroad ara
marvellous, ana the moro one sees Of the coun.
try the more ne Is convinced that it's resources
are unlimited In many respects. and that New
Mexico. at a not distant day will be one Of tn,
most productive OF Western States.
But aside from its commercial. agricultural
and mining interests. Ihave no doubt that New
Mexico will soon become favorite resort Th,
will be due in great measure to the manyar.
Genealogical and historical points OF interest. tia
ruins Of ancient cities with their quaint civilizs.
ton, all OF which make Of New Mexico. so to say.
the Egypt Of America Moreover. the climateisof
miraculous salubrity on account OF the altitude
OF the country--it being over 5000 feet aboye
the sea level-and Of the richly wooded noun.
tain ranges.
AS the best example may quote In the hrst
place Las Vegas. Both the city and the springs
of that name have shown marvellous growth
and are slight indication Of what the country
Itself will become within short time AT my
the centennial year. New Mexico did not pos.
sess n single mile Of railroad. The only connec.
taking their snailiEe Course over he old santa
70 trail between Las Animas. in Colorado. and
the capital of New Mexico. Las Vegas was then
brown adobe houses, with lettering walls. a
haf-starying population. and very little COM
meree The principal means 9f subsistence
its low, mud-built houses scattered over Q bar.
rem hin slowly rising from, the Las Galinas
capital of Nubia. which 1 had visited. Strange
as II seems. the resemblance OF these Mexican
towns to those OF urner Egypt and Mn6Ias
needed TO make the Oriental picture. at least
from distance, complete.
Vegas the Gallinas River leaves a long can.
on. formed by the eastern spurs OF the Sierra
Madre;, and enters the plain. There. belinda
trance of the canon. were to be found the Hot
Springs of Las Vegas celebrated among the
ma oyys to Re eR Of u ene
prise these springs were left in their natural
condition; neither reservoir nor a bath house
their baths In big holes dug in the ground. into
which they conducted the springs, No analy.
sis OF the water had ever been made; and The
sources had only the name of possessing excel
lent properties for the treatment Of rheuma.
tsm CONT and scrofulous diseases.
1t was then quite evident that only the rail.
needed lannon's
md well -patronized health resort and when
travelling over the same territory this year
pectatlons were greatly surpassed BY the re.
s hs town Sp sns fhs
tlement was not to be recognized. and had not
the conductor, positively. called out the name
name, in big letters on the railway station,
would not have believed it. The changes that
pnee 5 nsW S %
about 5000 inhabitants has sprung UP within
the short space of three years. Wide stress.
hotels vast warehouses and stores. news
papers tramways. gas and water works, tho
latter sgppynT the city Mh fsSn drnss
and school buildngs-signs of prosperity
everywhere. even among the Mexicans There
lSn II eap hsfe 81 New the CON-
p SSs Frf e is shs os Of ss's ads
By the marvellous growth of the Hot Springs.
1t Is rather to be called creation than growth
for three years ago nothing existed but the
bare ground Previous to my departure from
New York | had read that q hotel had been butt
at the Springs, and that line OF street ours 10
the city was in construction, On my arrival
two months afterward found no. street cars.
but, an actual railroad from Las Vegas station
to the Springs seven miles distant, IN full Oper-
alton, with four daily trains. The mesa between
the mountains and the city was coySred with
rich fields and dotted with trees. The small
MpE N I.nS Vegas had bnpOmn
a nice little town. The train trayersed rapidly
the canuns and rayines by which the mesa is
intersected. and halted after some twenty min.
utes ride. 81 Hot Springs station.
What n difference between the Springs Of
1879 and those OF to-day! Instead of disap
mas River, or flowing in dirty pools the Spring.
are nicely, walled in and their hot clear wster
conducted through long pipes into u large bath
ing estab shment. which. in point Of elegance
and comfort. reminded me OF similar institu
tions in Baden Baden and Homburg, This Gle
the Rio GallInas, with It's noble facade toward
wide plateau. cncirced by low rocky hills
formerly 9I,, awld"rneSs, to-day an elegant parf
have been brought here By rail from l.qwrenG,.
Kansas. 800 miles away The rocky banks ot the
Wild river seem to have been covered with
Persian carpet so soft and beautiful are the
flower beds. created by dllgent hands. An I'm.
mense ho{c' called the Nopis14na' w i2rms
snort time of several months IT Is Today b-
yond doubt the most pr"tcntiQm7 ana bHautllM
equal only in the fashionable summer resorts
Of the eust. II is sGid Of the Pueblo indians
that they are still awaiting tho return OF Mon
tpyumu. and pgpy for the same. L believe tho
old Emperor would quickly return II he knew
how comfortably he could spend the rest Of us
days in his former domain, and how easily he
could get rid OF his rheumatism, which he IN
doubleday caught III his numerous campaigns
The cuieIne and comfort OF this hotel cor
rcs pond with its elegance Of appearance, Tue
eilbles are sent here daily from Kansas civ
There are large parlOrs, terraces. ana pilzl1S
reading rooms bowling alleys, gardens, post.
telegraph, and express Offices: telephone CONF
mulication with Las Vegas city; a livery stale.
cricket ground, and all other modern improve
mcntS, What was most astonishing To me WIS
to indherc already the guests tocnioy thcseaI
van.ages. At the time OF nv visit, several wee,
after tho opening Of the hotel. there were az"
100 guests, and in looking over the rrgistc
found that this hotel. situated in cuunlp lwl
unknown 1000 miles Wrs. Of the Atlantic. was
visited hy about illly pee Die from different cue
on til" very day Of lis opening. The influx Ns
not ceased since. How did they know oi ~
Another hotel and several elegant coitaI''
the iu'ior belonging 10 private parties, nave
boon ornrtcdHi tho foot Of the wooded h.DS ra'
ciraiiu,; "a" ll.tlc park which forms The cri 70
/ Oi Oh" ulAce. ! beli"N" ! am lu~!lilri IN tN"'
purltl; Las Vegas to A,X-la-Chappiig. the g',
/ cicut EuruI"an Watering pluc", iorl ipulN
most remarkable similarity in the test any,
/ effect %, some II the springs, Several peCln
have competed them 20 those Of kAr-had, 1l.
. e al