New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-21
THE LAND OF THE PUEBLOS.

CONQUERABLE CASTE-TERRTvoRIAL POLITICS.
lFROM ocC AsIoNAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE TRIBUsEl
LAS VEGAS Hot SPRINGS, n. NJ, Aug. 90
There are very few dull moments the journey hther
from the Colorado line The passage over tho beautiful
Ration Mountains Is followed by the descent upon the
broad plains of the Maxwell land grant, which Cor0-
nado crossed $40 years ago. Then como the quaint
Wagon Mounds where Kit Carson fought ono Of his
desperate battles while tho Mesas with their sum-
ms level floor, the pine-cad mountains crowned
with tabeands the low adobe houses clustered in fertile
valleys and the arroyas cutting gashes In the plains,
give the a strangely sem-tropical aspect At Las
Vegas the contrast OF the old and the new. On
hand is busy pushing, restless town. with mills
and business blocks and ali the Accomplishments of trade
On the other Is the old town, where swarhy MeXicans
drive their burros through narrow lanes lined with
adobe huts opening upon the street ITSELF where squnld
Indians wrapped in blankets. their tangled elf-ocks
bound with red ribbons and their legs swathed with
bandagcs squat I'm the shade along the Plaza waiting
purchaser for their melons, pnms. or finely woven
baskets where you the Mexican women their dark
eyes the only beauty left them. at work at the adobe
bake-ovens shaped like beehives. or pulling yellow
cigarettes. who the musical accents OF the Spanish
tongue and the chime of the convent bells tho only
sounds that break the silence
After six miles ride up the Mesa on q little branch
railway you the rocky gate OF the Gainas Canon
and the smooth plateau Just within you find cause to
doubt your cyesght in the existence OF fashionable
watcrcure and pleasure resort with all the appoint
of modern luxury that the best Eastern obstetrics
provide. Just above hot mineral waters boil out
from the sides of the canon. forming medicinal springs
known Of old 10 Indians. army officers 0nd MeXicans,
but which have been thoroughly utilized for the first
time this in the erection OF new hotel and the
enlargement OF the long bath-hOuse where the dusty
traveller fresh from hotels where bath-tnbs are I'M
known. luxurate IN Turkish. needle. shower
plunge mud baths The hotel. which bears the name
OF the mystic Montezuma, resembles the Long Beach
Hotel except in size and stands ut corner OF the
Plaza lust in the elbow formed by the bend Of the river
Sitting the broad verandah listening to the after
concert of the band and looking the velvcty
lawn and fountains of the Plaza the visitor fairly
imagine himself popular resort in the far East.
the clear COOL nvigoatng mir and the glorious
atmospheric effects peculiar TO New-Mexico.
This has become territorial centre for representative
well pleasure seekers and In its way ranks rs
the Saratoga of the Southwest This had occasion TO
appreciate n few evenings since when the Midsummer
Fee held. It singularly picturesque enter
tainment, and considering the place and gathering,
(may be regarded as unique The open dancing floor
was built of the Plaza, around huge pine
tree. On the sides locomotive headlights and
Chinese lanterns gIttered among the-branches of the
pines. Lines OF parti-colored lights and Pickering
torches stretched in dazzling meshwork across the
Plaza while the windows and vcraudas Of the hotel
and the annex opposite flashed with the rainbow hues OF
light broke above the summit OF the canon WALL
and was repeated again and again along the cliffs, ms
successive bonres burst into flame With the prismac
radiance OF the lights below and the gay throng Of
vibrating with the music and with the tongues OF
flame slightly revealing the crags above and eapng up
toward the dark sky there was formed startling
vivid picture. doubly striking when one remembered
that this brilliant of gayey laid in the depths
OF IA New-M xican canon The guests formed an III
tercsng study. Army officers from Fort Union, among
them Colonel Brady fresh from pursuit of the Jcaia
Apaches Governor Sheldon, who was Lieutenant
Colonel of the Forty-second Ohio. of which General
Garfield then colonel, and who was warm personal
friend of the martyr President; Adjuant- General
Bartlett with a score Of Territorial dgnitarcs; cattle
kings who count their beeves hy the thousand blue
bo0ded Spanish Mexican dOns. and representatives OF
half the States in the Union. Then there were the
unlimited lowered tho outskirts where could be
seen the gfldcd sonbreros of Mexcans the gtterfnS
eyes OF two three Pueblo Indians, the vacant
countenance OF Chinaman and the saucy features of
the American 4" hoodlum." Up rode half dozen cow
boys the sights, but they peacefully retired when
politely requested and whoOped off down the canon dis
charging their revolvers into the air they went
Then the the merry usual at such fcstiy
ties closing a little before the dawn
ELEMENTS OF NEw-MEXICAN SOCIETY.
without entering In this letter upon the wonderful
material resources wish to sketch briefly
salient points presented by her people Although
the Territory has been practically shut OFF from the out
side world for 500 years the Spanish blood and Spanish
forms of civilization have been preserved In all their
purity This is IN itself a striking fact much so as
the existence of higher and lower class and the
presence of wealthy. educated and exclusive aristoc
racy, to those who Fave been accustomed to class all
Mexicans as Grcascrs" The Spaniards who remained
in NewMcxicO after the first conquest OF 1880 or who
came in subsequently to the second conquest OF 1894
included both members OF the nobity-thorOughbred
f,lro uks
OF the Spanish peasantry. The distinction still holds
good Spanish officers received grants of lands settled
down the lords of large estates, and began by means
barbaronsy treated Indian slaves TO develop
the mines Meantime they were and have been most
jealousy preserve the purity of their blood
1t was always CUSTOM" said Spanish don to Inc
the other day &" whenever there question Of
marriage examine the pedigree both sides with the
greatest care and II trace of Indian blood was found
that prevented the marriage" SO the leading Spanish
Mexican families have kept up to this generation as unin
terrupted Casan descent If they had never quilted
Spain On the other hand, the Spanish peasants who
originally accompanied them In many cases inter
married w. the Indians forming the half breed prod
uct known the " Greaser" and thus making the line
of caste more distinct while Others poor and humble
as they were gdy preserved the purity of their blood
Most of the spaniards who driven out by the in
furiaed Indians in 1880 returned TO their possessions
fourteen years later with Diego de Vargas so there are
families which descent in this Territory for
300 years. The higher class holding great estates
pasured vast focks of sheep, while their dependents
carried agriculture by means of irrigation. with the
same rude sticks for ploughs and solid slabs for the
wheels of their primitive carts that used In parts
of the Territory to-day. Grazing, agriculture mining
and trading the occupations Of these baronial
Spanish dons and their WOOL and hides were abor
ously carried animals 1000 miles south
to the City OF Mexico by the same route
by which they sent their sOns TO gain a
European education. 1t IN many respects a
patrarchal life that these grand segnors led for each
had clustered abOut him a colony of dependents who
loyal feudal vassals TO the great family TO
which they tacty acknowledged allegiance. And the