The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-08-12
SWINGING AROUND
ARIZONA.


Mexico. all the time in the valley of
the Rio Grande, and most Of the
way running along the bank of that
noble stream which lower down
marks the division line between
the Two republics. The valley is
broad and beautiful, and at this
seasOn-the rainy--is especially at
tractlYe from the fact that The pros
pect is relieved by green trees, mead.
OWs and growing crops. There is
so much dry, dusty, paTched cOun-
try in this region that every patch
of green seems GOubly beautiful, ap-
pearlDg like an oasis in the desert.
On9 Of these days the Rio GraDde
valley will be a charming garden
spot, an abundance Of water for iTri-
cation aud the ease with which it
may be turned upon the land, as
suriug for it a grand agricultural
future. The soil is rich lean,
aud exceedingly productive, if We
may judge from the rank growth OF
wheat, oats, corn and Vegetables
observable mere and there. How
ever, before the valley can b.
brought into its best service the
system Of land tenure will have to
be changed. These immense grants
will have to be done away with, and
the soil divided into proper-3iz3d
holdings, when it can be brought
under cultivation. We ride for
hours through Individual grants.
mile after mile Of the valley being
held under some old Mexican title,
or by fraudulent purchase from the
United States. phe owners seem
disinclined TO dispose of any portion
Of their possessions, retaining the
virgin soil for cattle and sheep past
ures, CT what is worse, permitting
il TO lie Idle, while thousands of poor
people are struggling for d
livelihood in less favored sections.
Thriving towns have been built here
and there along the line Of the rail
road, but the titles to the land on
which they are erected are held by
the old Spanish dOns or their more
greedy and shrewder American
neighbOrs. Everywhere is heard
the same complaint, "We cannot
obtain titles to the land" This
thing must all be changed and these
broad acres brought under cultiva-
ton to help feed the world. There
are many ranches in the valley,
where the Spanish landlord lives
and cultivates little patches and
narrow fields and surrounds him.
self by enough of the poorer MeXi-
cans 20 perform the manual labor
on the place and tend the fJcks and
herds. Farming is done in
remarkably sIOvenly manner.
The agricultural implements are
primitive, the lab0rers are awkward
and the msthOds crude in the ex-
IRENE; while the yield as might be
expected Under such circumstances |
Is small com pared to what it might |
be Were the land worked by care
ful New England farmers,
who know what soil is
worth aud how to make 1t
produce most. The Indians ap-
pear to be the more industrious and
expert farmers in this region. There
are numerous pueblOs along the
river, aud surrounding them are
fields Of thrifty corn and the smaller
grains. IG appears strange to one
accustomed all his life to seeing
lazy, loaing, begging Indians, roam
ing about with no apparent object !
save The filing Of their raVenous
stOmqchs and tn8 avoidance of Ia
Dor, to see here scores CT red men
hOeing in cornfelds, pulling weeds. |
and turning wafer here and there
through there gardens. What is |
stranger still, is the fact that |
here the bucks work as well |
as the sguaWs, though understand |
the heavier Toll falls to the lot of |
the females. 1t NAV be remarked |
here that these Indians, though |
physically inferior to the Utes, Sho-
sh0nes, Bannacks and other tribes
10 and about Salt Lake, they are in
tellectuauy superior, and are far |
heater in personal appearance, and |
have much more sh3pely facial fea-
lures. Seine Of the younger girls 90
not fall far short Of being pretty |
Their features are round and |
smooth, many Of them have blue |
eyes, and some Of their cheeks are
quite rosy. There is an entire lack |
Of that hungry, gaunG appearance
that gives such a vicious express
sion to the countenance of so many |
of the Utah Indians. It is said |
that these pueblo Indians are re-
markedly virtuouS, such a thing as
adultery being almost unknown
among them, and il is rare indeed
4 maiden falls. They have kept
themselves freq Hrom the vile dis
cases that af1lict 50 many Of the
western and northern tribes; and
instead of dwiading away as so
many OF the aboriginal bands are
doing these pueblo indians are
yearly increasing in number.
The more important towns aLopgt
he route are Albuquerque. thei
junction otthe Atlantic 81 Pacific |
With the Atchjson, TOgeks s. /
santa Eei Socorra, Sau 2Iarci8l a1o !
ElGcon, the 6rst two only.possesslnr |
any considerable proportions AMI I
giving promise Of rapid growtb and |
commercial onseq9ence. 8Ibu- |
querQUe viii probably soon he She