Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-25
TIE TYPE
OF A NEW MEXICO VILLAGE
DESCRIBED
San Rafael-Its People Customs
Religiep-An In
teresting Literary Picture.

Especial Correspondence of the REOoRD-USIoN /
Seven years ago the New West Educa-
ton Commission was organized. This So
ciety, supported chiefly by the Congrega-
tional churches Of the United States, has
for its object the establishment of Chris
tian schools in the Rocky mountain re-
gions. Some of the first teachers commits
stoned we're from the college ] was then
attending. Hearing very much about the
work undertaken by this society became
deeply interested When ny school days
were ended, I applied for q position az
teacher in one of the New West schools,
and was sent with one other teacher to
San Rafael, n NJ All are familiar with
the
WILD STORIES
OF cowboys, Mexicans and Indians, so it
was with feeling Of anxiety and dread
our friends ade US farewell. After leav-
ing Missouri two days By rail brought us
TO Grants, ienr miles from our future
home. The remainder Of the way we rcde
beautiful site at the foot Of high mesa, in
little mountain valley. High hills and
mountain peaks surround il on every side.
Mt. TAYLOR, the highest mountain in New
Mexico, IS on the northeast.
THIS VALLEY
Is 6,600 feet above the sea level. The eli
mate, like that of the larger part of New
Mexico, is dry and the air pure, invigorat-
ing and heaithful. The SUNNI rs are long,
but on account Of the high altitude, cool,
and the winters are mild. On the north
side Of the valley is g lava stream
from one-half to two miles broad in
places Its intense blaclness and rugged
exterior add much TO the picturesque ap-
pearance of the valley, but nothing to the
comfort of those who have to cross it in
wagons to Grants, the railroad station and
postoffice for all that region. The crum-
bling adobe walls of
OLD FORT wINGATE,
On the south side Of the valley, give it
historical interest This valley is also
blessed with beautiful spring of clear
pure water, which is carried by
a ditch through the town, supply
ing the water for all the pueblo
and irrigating the few gardens and small
wheat and corn fields. At any time in the
day there can be seen women and children
carrying water from the asequea or wash
ing beside it. The cattle and horses drink
here, ducks swim on it and pigs wallow in
It, When entering the valley the road
winds along the foot Of the hills and moth
ing can be seen of the town until suddenly,
coming around an arm of the mountain
that stretches down into the valley, about
mile ahead, is seen the quaint town Of
about 100 adobe houses. They cannot be
seen distinctly at first, as they are the
same color as the surrounding bare brown
ground. Some one has described such
village as looking " ike feet Of mud
boats moored TO the mountain"
THE HOUSES
Are in an irregular row, some rising higher
than others, as they happen to be built on
higher ground or on the slopes of the hills
There are no yards, no green grasses, and
this brown, bare, desolate-looking picture
IS relieved only by the cottonwood trees
and little willows that grow beside the
aseguea or Water-ditch. At the farther
end of the village is two-story house
with tin roof, a pleasant contrast to the
other square, one-story houses with fiat
mud roofs. 1t was built by Jesuit priest,
for whom the town was named, and is true
Mexican style, broad corridors, placita,
and large, airy rooms At the side or be-
hind nearly all the houses, are corrals, in
closed by adobe walls ike, and often as
high as the houses, or by rough pine posts
set close together. One must be pretty
well acquainted to be able TO find any par
ticular house. They are all nearly the
same shape, color and size.
HERE AND THERE
Is door painted green, and there are
some with windows instead of square holes
in the walls, covered with muslin, to ad-
NIT the light. Then, other houses can be
distinguished by their dilapidated condi-
ton. Yet, to an uncareful observer, they
look very much alike. In the fall Of the year
the pueblo presents another picture 1t has
the appearance Of large hay rioks and corn
cribs, for the tops of the houses are used
for storing feed for winter use They are
also favorite resorts for chickens and
small boys.
TIE INTERIORS
OF the houses are also very similar a
broad hall or corridor through the center,
with two rooms opening off from it on
each side, is the general plan. The doors
are low and the windows. when there are
any, small. The walls are kept spotless
white by being whitewashed often. Some
can boast of board floors but many have
but clay In the corner of nearly
every room is "fogon" or fireplace,
in which the logs are set on end to burn.
The msntle-piece holds cruci6x and a
lamp or candle. The walls are hung with
gaudy pictures of the saints, wooden
images and looking glasses, OF which there
are sometimes as many as six in one room.
Usually there is not much furniture be-
sides the beds and few chairs, and per-
haps a table The floors are covered with
skins OF goats, sheep and wild animals.
The broad, cool corridors or halls are the
sitting-rooms in the summer, while the
swallows fit in and out and build their
nests and raise their young IN the large,
unhewn rafters.
DURING THE WINTER
Gay "bailes" or balls. much loved amonc
the Mexican people, are held in these
same corridors. a platform is erected at
one end for the musicians, and the specta-
tors sit and stand around the sides Of the
wall, yet leaving plenty of room for at least
sixteen persons to dance at the same
time. Much of the household work
is done in an inclosure at the back
of the house. Some have stoves, bat mos;
of the cooking is done over the fre-places
and in oval mud ovens outdoors. Although
tables are used by some, many sit on the
ground or floor to eat. Meat, chill, fri
joles and tortillas are the principal articles
of diet In summer, when fresh meat can
not be kept it is cut up into long, thin
strips, and hung together with the chill
or red peppers outside on the sides of the
houses, forming pretty festoons When
the meat is thoroughly dry it
is pounded to shreds in sleeps skin
before cooking. Mutton is eaten more