Bent County register., 1886-07-10

A TRIP TO LAMAR.
Prom the Las Anlmas Leader.

to take in the city of Lamar. The
sun was just irving over the eastern
hills, and all nature was joytully
welcoming the beaming face of old
Sol. The view from the car window
as the train sped down the valley
was magnificent. The cottonwood
groves Inning the banks Of the river
on the left, and the hills and bound
less prairies on our right, all covered
with refreshing green, that brought
up train of thought as to the limit
less number of people the Empire
of Bent" could sustain were the
proper facilities for opening up this
immense acreage provided.
At Prowers we concluded TO stop
off and interview our old friend X.
N. Kirkpatrick. At this point we
saw the large excavator used by the
Koen Bros. on their ditch, and no.
ticed the marvellous ingenuity with
which it is constructed. We did not
learn how much of labor saving
machine it was, but presume it must
be immense, to judge from the
amount of earth it has removed dur
ing the last few months. The ditch
has been brought down opposite
( Prowers, distance of about five
miles, having a width of about thirty
feet on the bottom, and will, when
completed, cover a large area of
country with water for irrigation,
and open up for the homestea Ter
thousands of fine claims that only
needs the aid of mans ingenuity and
art to transfer INTO profitable farms
and homes.
When we got off at the station AT
Lamar, the first idea that rose to our
mind was that we were witnessing n
transformation scene in fairy pan
tomine. The prairie that we have
known for twenty years seemed cov-
cred with buildings of all sizes; some
completed others nearly so and a
number being commenced, while on
all sides the ring Of numerous ham
mers was quite likely to spoil the
''siesta" of any person that indulges
in such a luxury during the daytime.
Men were hurrying in all directions,
intent upon the business they had i n
hand. Teams were busily haul ing
lumber in all directions, and as we
wended our way through the work
ers--too busy to notice eur presence,
we wondered if we had struck a part
of Bent county in which we We're a
total stranger. While musing we
ran against J. ID. Mitchell, and was
enchanted to meet another idler in
that busy throng. j. DIS. ranch is
Is miles south, and be had driven in
the previous evening to find out for
himself what the prospects Of the
town were. We then caught Billy
Donlan on the ety." and after pump
ing all the information that be knew,
We paid our respects to Judge w. r,
Davis, editor of the REGISTER, and
found him ensconced in his sanctum,
on the north side of the track. The
Judge has large faith in the future
of Lamar, and has very near com
pleted handsome residence for his
family, whom he had brought up
from Dodge City few days before.
The main street of Lamar runs
north and south across the railroad
track and has gentle decline that
insures good drainage. The largest
part of the building is being done on
this street, and about thirty store
rooms are either completed or nearly
%. Some of them are occupied, and
We were told all will be, as soon as
ready for occupancy. Several bust
ness houses have been erected on the
street running parallel with the track,
and residences are in course of cree
tion in different parts of the town
site. The only one we noticed com
pleted and painted was that of c. NJ.
Morrison. the general agent of the
Spivey & Holmes mercantile com
pany. This company has large
and commodious storeroom complet-
ed on the corner south of the depot.
filed with stock of all kinds OF |
goods. We don't know what their
special line is, as we noticed every
imaginable thing that o person would
want to purchase inside their doors. |
Thexe ait sevesal real estate Arms
aoing business intown that keep q |
keen eye upon all strangers, and if