Wichita eagle., 1888-07-01


We left Springer for Las Vegas. There
are certain points person must make in
travelling among the mountains, and in
going south through New Mexico to
Santa Fe they must go by Las Vegas
and Glorieta. To get through the noun
tains one prefers to keep away from the
railroad if possible. l took southwest
direction from Springer for Ocate; not
the railroad station, but Mexican town
at the head of the Ocate creek. 1t is
quite flourishing town in very fine
valley, and is improved as none but a
Mexican will improve valley with a
small stream running through it. The
houses are all adobe, and the Catholics
and Presbyterians each have adobe
churches.
got there Saturday evening and was
a little short of grub, and much to my
sorrow they observed Sunday so well
that they would not open store to sell
us anything on Sunday-the first case of
the kind on record, as Sunday in a Mex
lean town is generally holiday and
everything open.
From Ocate went south to the Moro
tiver. The towns Of Moro and Watkins
are on this stream. Moro is up in a
canon; the houses all built to face the
east and some of them were very neat
and tasty. think the prettiest sight
ever saw was right there at sunrise,
| looking up the canon. The houses of
Moro were to be seen rising one above
another, the red adobe houses surround
ed by small fields of grain of dark
green, while the houses of Watkins were
on the south side of the stream, and all
facing the north, and the valley ON each
side OF the river was beautiful with fields
of green grain for number of miles.
But | went On to Fort Union, fort, or
in fact town, built in military order.
In selecting this spot they knew what
they wanted and it would be hard to
find another spot that would equal that.
There are seven companies of troops
there at present. They have their guard
mounting and dress parade with some
drilling and target practice to pass away
their time. There are a few fine resi-
dences near there but it is on a military
reservation and not much settlement
From Fort Union l passed down the
Moro river and crossed it at Watrous,
town on the railroad The valley of the
Moro was the finest l had seen. 1t was
diversified with fine adobe houses, green
fields of grain and alfalfa, shade trees,
making the Mexican part of the town of
Watrous a sight worth seeing. The
American part is a railroad town, and
like the most of them is not very neat or
attractive.
From Watrous to Las Vegas was a
short. uninteresting trip. The country
is very dry; no grass or anything, I'M
less they can irrigate. Then the face of
the earth will be changed. Las Vegas is
on the railroad. Part of the town is
very old, but after the railroad went
through the Americans built up a new
Las Vegas. They have some fine build
ings and do quite business, but there is
a feeling between the Americans and
Mexicans in all large towns. but more
plainly to be seen in Las Vegas than any
other, that is not brotherly love. The
Mexicans have the finest part of the city
as far as the situation is concerned.
They have the finest plaza as well as
the best shade trees; they have also
very fine court house built of stone: the
grounds around it are kept in fine order.
| noticed that over the south entrance it
said in Spanish, Casa De Cortes, but
over the west door it simply said conrt
house, which goes to show that the
Mexicans intended to be heard from.
We did not stop long but crossed the
river and turned south again. We fol-
lowed along the side of a rocky noun
tains for three miles and then came to a
gap in the mountain: it is about 300 feet
wide, cut square through as well as a
set of railroad men could have done it,
leaving the ends perpendicular and went
through on a level for mile and half. |
There is another gap only in the
mountains to the south or west that the |
railroad goes through. Now, / can
understand how mountains are pro-
duced, but gaps Of this kind / cannot |
understand, as evidently it was once one |
continuous chain. There is no sign of |
any upheaval or downheaval. but simply |
I. square cut and no rubbish around |
but piece taken out and carried away |
and nothing to show what became of it. |
We passed through the gap, then on to /
Lecalote mountain, town and river of the I
same name. Zecalote mountain is a |
grand one; it Is isolated, standing out by |
itself. 1t is aoout seven miles long and |
three wide end runs away up among the |
clouds, no breaks but tapers up grandiy
until it reaches the mesa. there il stops /
perfectly fiat. but covered with trees:
Zecalote town is on the river. 1t con-
tains about seventy-fvs houses and is a
sheep and goat town. When we find
town that depends on raising sheep and
goats it is generally a poor, diiapidated
town, but where they depend on farm
ing the towns are neat and trim.
We next went to Bernol, San Miguel.
Glorieta and TO Santa Fe. Stepping into
that old town over the old Santa Fe trril
which we have followed for q long
ways. number of hundred miles. be-
fore reaching this place of which will
tell in my next. GEO. 4. WHITE.