South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-10-19
FROM NEW MEXICO.
Ssecitd Correpss{esee.
SANTA Fee, n NJ. Oct.

Where the typical American goes
40 man can play, neither can he sleep.
This is no where better illustrated
than here ia this old Mexican town.
when Pikc-whose name is best
known by that of the eminent peak IN
Colorado-cane 20 Santa Fe il struck
hun, as he viewed it from the neigh
BORING heights, as resembling a fleet
OF Hat .bottomed boats on the Ohio Ri.
yer. The contrast between the spleu
doris OF the churches and the squaIor of
the houses also struck and disguised
the rrosaic aud Protestant mind of
Pike. lie found in the town only one
citizen of the United States, James
Pursley by name, who had been fur.
trader, but had established himself at
Santa Fe as a carpenter, where he was
thriving. But it was long time be-
lore any Of these pioneers had any
successors. To-day, however, we find
yankees and the evidences of yankee
enterprise on every hand. Continl,
ing the tour through tie old town be.
gun in my last we came to the San
Miguel church which is without doubt
the oldest church ciifice in the United
States. 1t was built in 1880 by Juan
Onate, partially destroyed during the
rebellion of 1890, as appears from do
cumentary evidence, and placed in
still better repair in l7l0. The bones
OF many gallant soldier and pious
priest have there found their last resi-.
ing-place. The cross, the emblem of
civilization, brought hither by the
Spanlard, was planted here three hun
dred 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
Spaniards, as best attcstcd by tie his.
tory Of this country, WAS always that
or the sword and cross combined As
| entered the church a beam overhead
was shown me upon which was an in
scrlptlon to the effect that the church
was rebuilt in 1710, it having been
destroyed in the rebellion Of the Puc
bio Indians in 1880 The inscription
says the church was built instead Of
rebuilt. Brother Baldwin, who |
found to be not only well educated
gentleman but iocular one-a per-
son who, notwithstanding his position
as teacher IN the christian Brothers.
College, would be taken and accepted
as 'one OF the boys'-says the inscrip.
ton on the beam as you enter the
church Is huge Spanish lie as lie
records OF the church show HAT it was
but partially destroyed in the rebellion
OF 1880.
The Oldest house in Santa F. is lust
across the street from the church. II
was seen by Coronado in 1910. 1t is
OF course, O. adobe. abou; fifty or six
ty iect long by twelve feet high, and
has all tie appearance Of having last
cd from the birth of tie everlasting
hills, and it seems good fo- several
centuries more. Across the Led Of
the Santa Fe You 60 to the chapel OF
Our Lady of the Rosary. II is an
adobe building, about seventy by
twenty-five feet in dimension, with no
foor, no seats, no ornaments except n
few old pictures of the Alteration,
Annunclation, and the Crucifx,on
upon the walls. In the vc9try there
is very beautiful picture Of the Viz
gin. There is no objection to your
going, in &, in fact, the old lady who
carries the kcys will for considera.
ton admit you. The church was pro
badly built about the year 100. No
services are held here except once a
year when the Mexicans invoke rain
This is one OF the great festival occas.
sions Of the city of Santa Fe; the peo-
pie have procession, and the
picture OF the Virgin Mary is taken
from the church and carried Mt the
head of the line in great state. Four
persons bear the palanquin in which
the image is transported and behind
it is troop of young girls followed
by large crowd Of Indians AID Ca.
tholics. As the image passes the PEG,
pie bring out their best carpets and
lag them i'll the streets and pray the
Virgin to rest; whenever shc does 40
the priests knecl and pray and the
populace pay "a much money as they
are able. or what the bows call sclu,