Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-10-25
THE NORTHWEST.
FROM NEW MEXICO.
Special Correspondence.

SANTA FIX, N. NJ, Oct. 6, 1888.
Where the typical American goes
no man can play, neither can he sleep
This is no where better illustrated
than here in this old Mexican town
When Pike-whose name is best
known by the eminent peak in Colora-
do-came to Santa F'e it struck him,
as he viewed it from the neighhoring
heights, as resembling fleet Of fiat
bottomed boat on the Ohio River"
The contrast between the splendors of
the churches and the squalor of the
houses also struck and ,iisgusted the
prosaic and Protestant mind of Pike.
He found in the town only one citl.
zen of the United States, James Purs-
ley By name. who had been fur ira
der, but had established himself at
Santa Fe as carpenter, where he was
thriving But it was long time be-
fore any of these pioneers had any
successors. To. day, however, we find
'yankees' s. and the evidences of yankee
enterprise on every hand. Continuing
the tour through the old town begun
in my last we came to the San Miguel
church which is without doubt the
Oldest church ediice in the United
States. 1t was built IN 1850 by Juan
0nate, partially destroyed durfhg the
rebellion of 1890, as appears from doc
umentary evidence, and placed in still
better repair in l7lO. The bones of
many gallant soldier and plous priest
have there found their last resting
place. The cross, the emblem of civ
ilization, brought hither by the Span
lard, was planted here three hundred
years ago. and many wondering look
was directed to it by the poor Pueblo
Indians put to death in that very
church.yard and under its holy shadow.
The civilization Of the Spaniard, as
best attested by the history of this
country, was always that of the sword
and cross combined. As entered the
church beam overhead was shown
me upon which was an inscription to
the effect that the church was rebuilt
IN ITO, it having been DESTROYED in
the rebellion of the Pueblo Indians in
1880. The incrlption says the church
was "built' instead of "rebuilt."
Brother Baldwin, who | found to be
not only well educated gentleman but
a jocular one-a person who, not
withstanding his position as a teacher
IN the Christian Brothers College,
would be taken and accepted as zone
of the boys'-says the inscription on
the beam as you enter the church is
"huge Spanish lie as the records of
the church show that it was but par
tally destroyed in the rebellion of
1880.
The Oldest house in Santa Fe is
Just across the street from the church
1t was seen by Coronado in l54O. It
IS, of course of adobe, about fifty or
sixty feet long by twelve feet high,
and has all the appearance of having
tasted from the birth of the everlasting
hills, and it seems good for several
centuries more. Across the bed of
the Santa Fe You go to the chapel of
Our Lady of the Rosary. Tt is an
adobe building, about seventy by
twenty-five feet in dimension, with no
floor, no seats, no ornaments except a
few old pictures of the Alteration,
Annunciation and the Crucifiction
npon the walls. In the vestry there is
a very beautiful picture Of the Virgin.
There is no objection to your going in,
and, in fact, the old lady who carries
The keys will for a consideration ad
NIT you. The church was probably
built about the year 100. No SER
vices are held here except once year
when the Mexicans invoke rain. This
is one of the great festival occasions of
The city of Santa Fe; the people have
procession, and the picture Of the
Virgin Mary is taken from the church
snd carried at the head of the line in
great state. -Four persons bear the
1alanquin in which the image is trans
ported and behind 1t is a troop of
young girls followed by large crowd
,f Indians and Catholics AS the I'M
sge passes the people bring out their
best carpets and lay them in the streets
snd pray the Virgin to rest; whenever
she does so the priests kneel and pray
snd the populace pay as much money
IS they are able, or what the boys call
chip in," and the line of march is re.
'umed; the same thing happens ad in
tnltum, irreverent people saying that
his procession is one more of collection
han of piety. Arriving at the church
he image is placed on the altar and
IN especial service for rain is held.
Il This is the first Sunday after Corpus
christi, the great festival of Santa Fe,
md the invocation continues for eight
iays-untll week from tile next day.
4t..N