Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-10-04
THE NORTHWEST.
FROM NEW MEXICO.
Special Correspondence.

LAS VEGAS, n. NJ, Sept. II, 1888.
The town of Las Vegas stands upon
a land grant made by the Mexican
government in 1885 to Juan de Dios
and others, the area of which is 1885,
447 acres. The city really consists of
two towns, situated on opposite banks
of the Gallinas River in a. plateau and
surrounded by mountains. The 'old
town. or original Las Vegas, is halt
a mile from the other, and is com
prised chiefly of adobe houses built
around an open square or plaza In true
Spanish or Mexican style. The new
town Is of more modern appearance
and construction, being composed of
frame houses built since the advent
of the railroad. 1t is likely also to be
the most important Of the two In few
years. The old town lies upon broad
slope to the south and east, and its
adobe, or unburned brick houses,
mostly ne.story high, have rather a
squatty, uninvlting appearance, though
more comfortable inside than one
would suppose as the thick, dry walls
guarantee q cool atmosphere in hot
weather, with equal protection against
cold in winter. The streets are mar
row, irregular and untldy, and alto
gether the place presents sleepy,
thriftless and despiriting outlook. Still
in a business point of view Las Vegas
is one of the most prosperous towns in
New Mexico. Some Of the largest
mercantile establishments in the Ter
ritory are located here, and their trade
extends far to the south and southeast.
Some mining interests have been de-
veloped in the locality within the last
four years, but they are not exten,
sive.
The country around Las Vegas is
the typical New Mexico-the dry arid
looking plains we have seen all the
way from Western Kansas and South
ern Colorado. North of the Mesilla
Valley, stretching away as far as rhe
eye can reach, is the dreary, unbroken
monotony of gromma grass, which at
this season of the year and, in fact, at
any time after the first of July, is of a
grey color and looks as If a simeon or
prairie fire had passed over ltleaving
but bare stubble to mark where lux
uriant grass had been But this grass
though short is succulcnt, and contains,
I suppose, far more nutritive proper
ties than our best kinds or blue grass.
Cattle living the year round upon
these plains receive no other nourish-
ment than what they afford and still
thrive. Some of the land around Las
Vegas is cultivated, and by means of
irrigation large crops Of corn, oats and
barley are raised upon it. The rain
fall of New Mexico is very infrequent,
and when 1t comes it comes all at once
and has such an effect that the whole
country is cut up in ravines and ar.
royas. But little irrigation has been
done, the native Mexican or Greaser
being perfectly content to squat him
self upon his hams upon the sunny
side of his adobe building. or with
riding wildly across the plains upon a
half. broken mustang as wild as him
self, in search of some strayed cattle.
A Mexican is in the highest luxury
when he has nothing to do uninter
rupted hot weather, Chilli Colorado
and an unlimited amount of muscale, a
fiery, intoxicating liquid distilled from
species of cactus growing wild upon
the plans,
About seven miles west of the city
of Las Vegas the Gallnas River leaves
long canyon, formed by the eastern
spurs of the Sierra Madre, and enters
the plain. There. behind low hill
lying like porters lodge at the en-
trance of the canyon, are Hot Springs
concerning which we have heard more
or less in recent years. A large hoteI
has been erected near them and othel
improvements made under the auspi
ces of the railroad company, with thu
expectation that they will become (
popular resort. Of their real qualitie
I know little or nothing at present
and will reserve intended mention TO
a future letter. West Of Las Vegas
to the north and northwest, projects GU
from the main range of the mountain
an irregular line Of hills, and over ant
above these rises grey, precipltou
dome of rock, known as Hermit Noun
tain, the Gel Solitario' of the Mexi
cans. Tt is so called from the fac
that hermit once lived on the top Q
it, never coming down, subsisting o
what he could pick up and what tn
people brought him. There was
spring Of water on the mountain, an
a cave, and with these resources h
lived for years.
On the way from Las Vegas to tn
springs the tourist will see on top of
hill to the left of the road a eros
standing boldly out against the SIX
1t is of wood, rude IN its structure