Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-07-01
NEW MEXICO.
The Ancient Town of socorro-The Tertio-
Miilennial Celebration Mt Santa Fe-
Notes of Travel.

! Correspondence to the Gazette.
Socorro, n. NJ, June 26.-Socorro Is
situated l75 miles north of FL Paso, in
| latitude about 81 degrees. II is on the
west bank of the Rio Grande river III
the midst of beautiful and fertile
valley with lofty mountainous peaks
not far in the distance on all sides. 1t
is one of the most thriving towns ON
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
railroad. thas about > 900 population,
of which about one-third are Amcri-
cans, one.third Mexicans, and the re-
manning third Is right smartly mixed
indians, negroes and Chinese com
posing the loblolly. 1t is in about the
! geographical center of the territory
and has m altitude above the level of
the sea of about 4 600 feet. II claims
to be the center for the richest mining
district in the territory, now just be-
ing developed. The Atchison, Topeka
and Santa Fe railroad company have
commenced Il road from this point to
Benson in Arizona right through the
center of the mining district. 1t is
believed this road when completed
will add materially to the importance
of the town.
The Billings Mining company are
now erecting an extensive smelter at
| this place with the view of smelling
the ores dug from the adjacent noun
tains. Grant d Hall of Colorado pur-
pose doing the same thing.
There are four churches in this
place, one Presbyterian, one Baptist,
two Methodist, Northern and South
ern, besides the Roman Catholic
church and convent. Rev. r.. NJ. Car
son, formerly pastor of the Presbyte-
rian church ut Denison, is now pastor
of the Presbyterian church at this
! place, and is very much beloved by
the members of his church. Is at
tended his church twice on Sunday
last, and could see from the attend
ance and attention paid to his dis
| courses that he has already
won the hearts of his peo-
Pile, although he has been among
them but short while. He has some
| friends in Fort Worth who, to nay per-
sonal knowledge, will be pleased to
hear from him. | am told the Meth
odist and Baptist churches are weak
numerically, but they are stemming
the tide and will doubtless receive
strength Through their efforts to do
good. The Roman Catholic is the
strongest in tie place, numerically
speaking. 1t has quite n large church
edlfice, IL convent, and is now erecting
quite large two-story college building.
There are nine physicians, fifteen
lawyers, four ministers, three eX-cir-
cult judges, five hotels, three banks,
one courthouse, two weekly newspa-
pers and telephone communication in
the city at the present time, and still
the good work of improvement is go
ing on.
Excellent water is abundant. The
valley is connected with the Rio
Grande which affords an ample sup
ply of water for irrigating purposes.
The houses are mostly on the MeXi-
can style, being built OF adobe and one
story high. The Grand Central
IS the leading hotel, and is
headquarters for the miners. 1t is an
excellent hotel in every respect.
The weather is dry and hot. The
rainy season usually commences
here about the last of July and lasts
two months. If had to remain here
long, ] would be impatient for it to
commence. They have wind enough
here, but they do not have the gentle
cooling zephyrs that we have in
Texas.
Rev. Carson has promised to favor
the readers of the GAZETTE with n
communication occasionally. If they
are rs interesting as his discourses.
your readers will do well to watch out
for them.
The tertio-millenial commences i'm
Santa Fe on the ID proximo, but for
fear your readers are as much per
picked to know what this term means
as | was the first time | heard it. |
will explain it to them rs it has been
explained TO me. The present inhabi
tants of Santa Fe claim that their
city was founded A. ID. 1850.
They have selected period of one
thousand years and divided it into
three equal portions, which gives three
hundred and thirty-three and one
third years to each subdivision, which
they denominate 1ertia-millenial.
They have agreed 10y common consent
To celebrate the expiration of each pc
ROD with a festival lasting thirty-three
and one-third days. Grantinp
A. d. 1850, then by adding 1884 years
to that date, it brings the first Tertia
10 begin ON the second day of July.
and to end on the third day of All
gust OF the present year. The festival
VIII he celebrated after the manners
ana customs of the ancient race from
whom they have sprung i. G. with bull
nights, cock fights. dancing and sucb
other amusements as have been
common to the Castilian
race rom time immemorial.
III Is TO them rs a festival that the CEN
ssnniai Is 10 The people of the United
states, only more important us il
comes only one third us frequent. The
citlzes OF Fanta Fe are expeetjng
thousands Of visitors from the states az
MEXICO ana nave been making extern
sNe preparations for the event for
some Time, No event of the ace has
pter eNci,ed so much inter
est all through this country
as TINS irst Newfoundland. Every
uody expects To attend during some
portion or the festival. Unless other. |
wise ordered, your correspondent ex-
pec's 10 he present portion of tho |
ilme at least, and will endeavor 10 |
keep both eyes and ears open for the !
benefit OF the readers of the GAzE1rrr |
M VINO ever expect To witness n ceIe- !
prasioll Of the kind had better be on
hanu TO see this one, as il comes IN
pass every 1881 years.
| had the pleasure of aeetinp with
', M brown and DR.. Barradall,
rom fort Worth, on the plaza this
,Nehlng, They are just In from the
anu ! imagine they looked
oout IKE John the Baptist did when
e came IN out of the wilderness. we