Morning journal and courier., 1885-09-21
CORRESPONDENCE.

| Cattle Business-A Mexican ssPaIace,,
"A Lively River "A Trip to Dem
ver-The Silver QuestiOn-Over-
grown Towns-A Roundup.
LAS VEGAS, HoT SPRINGS, Sept. II.
To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
My last to you left us en- route fora cattle
| ranch on lower Apishapa, which was reached
| in time for dinner, the layout and contents
of which it is best not to disclose for fear
all of the aspiring youths in reach of your
circulation might rush for cowboys situa-
ton and thus demoralize the labor market in
this department. We came to meet the
long expected arrival of small herd of
Texas cattle, but were disappointed re-
ports came in that the stock was yet five
days drive away. This news came
too late for US to return
to Trinidad the same day, and the ranch
quarters being already full we walked to the
nearest nsighbors, Mr.. Samuel Henry, who
kindly gave US shelter. This house of Mr..
Henry is noted in these parts. It was built
by Mexican from old Mexico named Car
rino Mez, and as his family and attendants
were numerous the adobe was made to cor
respond, being fifty feet front by seventy-fve
feet deep. The lower floor is cut into large
and uniform rooms, and in the upper is a
spacious quarters in the long ago were other
smaller buildings occupied by Mexicans,
| probably used dwellings for sheep herd
erS.
This section not known as buffalo
| grounds, yet the Ute and Navajo Indians
were numerous hersabouts; the former saw
age tribe, who had frequent fights with Mex
loans in and about the Mez ranch and the
early white settlers in and around Trinidad.
The Navajos were principally noted for sell
ing their women, their standard of value be-
ing one woman for horse My informant
has now a servant, a present from his wife's
father, that was purchased for pony from
the Navajos I am not well up on Indian
matters and will pass the subject to one more
readily understood and yet not pecu
liar when considered from the standpoint
of Apishapa. When retiring to sleep in the
Mez mansion the clouds were threatening
and the vivid lightning and heavy thunder
betokened mischief Once 1 got up to in
as of rushing waters said by my host to
be the wind playing through the cotton
woods Judge of our surprise upon awak-
ening at daylight to find the river ten feet
deep and the ancient palace entirely sur
rounded by water A five hours wait
brought a five foot fall in this erratic
stream, and with great difficulty
we crossed over and headed for old
Ration. Upon investigation we found that
no rain fell within twenty miles of our peace
full slumber. During our five days wait,
trip to Denver was INDUCED in where among
other sights we visited, in company with
State Treasurer Mr. Swallow, the First Nation
al bank. This bank has recently moved into
new quarters in Tabor block and has proba-
bly, the finest room and Accommodations outside
Of any leading eastern city. The safe weighs
over one hundred tons and cost thirty thou
sand dollars. The cashier, Mr.. Wood, was
1r,4
strain his i'll will over the action
of Mr. Coe of the American Exchange bank
as to the silver question; the conversation
having commenced by my noticing directed
envelopes to the bank.
Denver, Pueblo and other Colorado towns
appear to have overgrown themselves, one
hotel in Pueblo having been built at a cost
of two hundred thousand some years since
and idle since completion. Colorado is very
sensitive on the silver question aud seems to
like the standard dollar. However, the trad
ers willing to part with them to the ex-
tent of giving you nine ''buzzards" in change
on one dollar deal.
Our delay is over, and again we are search
ing for cattle with success One mile from
the ranch we come up with the outfit en-
eamped for dinner, with the young Texans
grazing in the distance. After short par
ley the roundup for counting commenced
nv first experiense-and in one hour over
\
heifers were formed in, as it seemed to me,
as perfect circle as can be drawn with
pencil. The formation was on an elevation,
and as counted the drive was toward a small
lake at the base of the Mesa and near
by. About eighty cuts did the work,
and in less than two hours from the start
the entire herd had been changed to the new
round the same mass and the same proper
tions. When Texas cowboy gives his Pc
culiar yell the cattle seem to as fully under
stand what is to be done as trick horse.
I have never seen grander sight than this
my first roundup. The branding of the
poor brutes is not as pleasant, reminder in
part of public bull fight; I have seen enough
of it.
We visit the Hot Springs to get our tick
cts countersigned and notice after passing
through the Ration that frequent rains have
done great good to the range and the feed is
much better than east of the pass. The
rain on the plains has been snow on the
mountains and the Rockies are covered with
robes of white which must be worn until the
sun of 's6 breathes his July exhalations.
j. D. D.