St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-04-08


the train climbs the mountain range at
a grade of 100 feet to the mile, pitches
through a Iialf-mie tunnel near the
summit of the Ration (Rah- pass
and soon draws up at the station of the
same name in the territory of New
Mexico. So it is breakfast in Kansas,
dinner in Colorado and supper in New
Mexico. In the run from Ration to
Santa Fe, we pass some distance to
the east of Taos, the burial place of
Kit Carson and the home of the Pue-
bio Indian, where can be seen one OF
their community houses which may be
described later. Before reaching San
TIA Fee IA singular shaped low and fiat
topped mountain is passed called Star
walton peak. The history of its name
is tragic. In 1897, during war be-
tween the Mexicans and Indians, the
latter invited their enemies to a cOun-
Gil of peace at the top of this peak. 1t
was mutually agreed that all arms
should lie left in camp. During the
meeting the Indians stealthily brought
in their weapons and at given signal
swept down upon the Mexican camp III
the valley and murdered in cold blood
the people who were there, and then
surrounded the peak and waited with
grim delight for the Mexicans on the
summit to come down and be butcher
Il
chose the latter fate, and when the
war was over their bones were found
upon the mountain top which ever af-
ter has borne the suggestive name of
Starvation peak.
Like st. Augustine in Florida, Santa
Fe enjoys the distinction OF being the
oldest city in America. 1t is few
miles off the main line of railroad
which the party travels. Its age and
consequent attractions make Santa Fe
place of unusual interest. 1t is I'M
necessary to dispute with the authOri-
ties who name 1850 as the date of this
towns settlement hundred years,
more or less, is of no account in this
letter. 1t is sufficient to say that the
old town is Spanish in it's appearance,
being made of low, adobe houses, with
gardens and grounds generally enclos-
cd in high wall of the same material,
so when Il mans family is in and the
door is shut, he knows where they are
o'nights. This wall of separation from
the outer world formerly served also
as a protection against marauders OF
both the wo-fOOted and fOur-fOOted
kind.
Santa Feans are very courteous, and
an intimation that one wishes an in
side view is always readily acceded to.
Once within the high enclosure the
choicest gardens appear; not at this
season filled with vegetables and flow
ers, but with very thrifty trees which
it is averred grow most luscious apples,
pears, peaches, apricOts and the small
er fruits. Although the city in certain
quarters is Spanish in appearance the
American residents here build houses
more like those seen in the states. The
pOpula ton is about 5000 Mexican and
about 1900 Americans. Under the for
mer name is classed every thing not
American-the mixed races-Mexican,
Indian and Spanish. The town has its
plaza, in the centre of which is a fOun-
tain and monument, the latter erected,
as the tablet reads, to the memory of
heroes who fell in certain battles
''fought with the rebels" in 1923.
This is perhaps the only monument in
this country on which the word rebel
is carved. There is military station
here also where former Caledonia
county citizen, Capt. Woodruff, was
long stationed. The soldiers are all
away now engaged in the pastime of
grounding up" the Apaches, but the
brass band remains and entertains the
people by playing very finely one hour
each day on the plaza.
Although situated some 1000 feet
above the sea, Santa Fe is nearly sur
rounded by mountains which look sew
eral thousand feet higher still. Its al
titude makes the place delightfully."-
cool in hot weather and delightfully."-
warm in cold weather. This is said to
be a characteristic of other "resOrts."
However this may be, the party was
surprised with a genuine snow storm,
on the 10Th, with accompanying cold
that would have been no disgrace to Il
Vermont March day. The residents
insist that this weather is unprece-
denied
A carriage drive of ten miles brings
one to most interesting place, the
village of the Tesuque (Tee Sukey) |
Indians, a tribe of the PueblOs, who
live upon their own land and are self
supporting and respected. The Pueblo
Indians are not only at peace with the
whites but with other Indian tribes, |
and have been for over 200 years, ever
since they conquered the Spaniards in
this valley in 1850. Great interest |
centres about these people. Some |
scientific men claim that these PueblOs |
are descendants of the TOltec race |
which inhabited this continent even
before our fOrefathers inhabited Great
Britain. To substantiate their theory |
they cite the ruins discovered, the
pottery, the devices, etc, which cor
respond closely in design and orna-
mentation with relics found in Egypt
and the far East supposed to exist i'm