Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1890-02-11
THE PROPOSED PARK.


ton to set aside for national park my
poses certain townships east OF Santa F.
and west of Las Vegas seems to hay
created general interest," and the follow
ING more minute description " i'll therefor,
DE read with interest:
Imagine Il grand mountain complpx in
terSpersed with lovely valleys, beautifn
streams running through them, and I'll,
mountain sides covered with lnxurjm
grassess oVershadoWed by majestic forests
its north side bordered from east to ives
by the Iruchas peaks, giants of over Is.
OJO feet elevation; succession of no
much lower peaks on the west lBaldv
Lake peak forming the Santa Fe rang,
OH the west, running south from the
northern limit, the Las Vegas ranyt
forming north and south border. moi
quite SO high, hut still with elevation,
over 10000 leet, Oh the east, and IN the
center OF this sys EN- the lovely valley oi
the l[lo fec0S, and the outlines OF the
country are drawn.
But 1t needs detailing to be fully under
Slood. III the mountain valleys, yul.hp
ana cahOns are yellow pine, plnon, dwarf
maple and scrub oak on the hlphDr
range S, IN addition to the pines, are found
the White spruce and red iir. Juniper il
common on the foot hills; the river and
creek valleys are lined with cottonwood
hoX-elder, several varieties OF willow
alder, ash, pIums and cherries. Un
mountain slopes a second growth chiefly
consists Of aspen. What variety in \
comparatively small limit
me valleys are splendidly grassed
while, where farming is pursued, as in
the larger valleys, AL cereals grow to per.
lection; the mountain sides are also Gov.
cred with the M st nutritious grasses.
GeoogcaIly these mighty elevations he
tween Santa Ee Oh the west and Las W.
Eas on the east, are free from recent
eruptlVe rocks, tor basat and trachyte
are absent. But Whilr gneiss and granite
ioflh the cores OF the two ranges we are
told ny Tie uDhtaVaI OF TIE scd;mantarv
stra'a along the western base and the red
granite thrown up during the carboniier-
Gus aye, that they are thGresult of mighty
outbursts. The Carbonierous limpstnn,s
ana sandstones are principally visible in
The valleys OF the streams. Both the
ranges form series of steep rid es
elongated spears, rocky slopes and deeply
exrayated valleys. CarbDnifpruus hnr- !
stone rs tile submits of the LIS We. |
gas range.
The whole mountain mass is richly
provided with streams. On the north side |
are tie ileadHaterS or tributaries of the |
lruchaS, next on the west side going |
south are the three branches of the !
Nalhbe, the three head streams Of the Rio !
lesuque ali Iemmed in by narrow, well |
tlhbered valleys or charming openings,
where the red granite, With white mica
and coating OF shining oxide of iron,
produce an appearance seldom seen. Next
We meet Santa te creek, originating in a
Ieep recess near the snmmit OF Lake Peak,
" here the lake" from which the peak
takes its name, is situate. This lake is
.he birthplace of the mysterious dog
lsh, and sacred place to the MANY
PuebIo Indians OF the valleys beyond, who
sho lhltier still 20, annually, to perform
'ome mysterious rites known, besides
them, to but few initiated.
Going east the Pccus is next met.
branches fOfm its head on the
uuth SIDE OF the IruChas peakp, while IN
Is sOUtnerIy course, Rito del Sarate
}lanco. Rlto del Penchuelu, Holy Ghost
reek, lnuian creek, HI Macho and Others
II the west side, Willow creek and
oHen or more Oi no name on the east side I
Jrln It's alttuents III TINS region.
Still lurther east Rio La Naca, with
TITO del Manzanare3, RIto d.. Torro I
nd others fail with a soulhprlv course
ITO the Pecos after the latter has turned %
asst beyond the southern limits Ui the
roposed national park.
The headWaters Ut the Sapillo, the Cali
as and Iecolute are met at the eastern
oundary OF the park, where they trend
asst.
All these streams, but especially the Rio
ecos and La Naca, abound with trout;
eer, bear, grouse and wild turkey, with
occasional mountain lion, afford op.
Jrtunltes 10 the lover OF sport. The
mate is superb; snow falls GENERALLY Q
entul i'll the higher locations during
e winter, but it is also the source Of the
Xurant growth OF all vegetation during
le following spring and summer.
lhe lover OF archaeology VIII find many
opportunity to study the "rorreones"
ld other runs met here and there, and
onder at the foresight OF the original in
tblant Ut this part Of the country.
Pecos church" Will always remain a
INT OF attraction and study, especially rs
can easily be reached from Glorieta,
e station on the Santa Fe road hence n
ways the principal entry will he made 1
to the proposed park. Hamilton and \
Macho form The principal settlements 3
the Pecos valley, with some other raj CHI
dotted over the country, alordlng
eter to the seeker of health or pleasur
Copper and coal are found in the car
nlltrOus limestone or on its contact
tn the gneous rocks. Silver occurs in
ariz veins, which are everywhere cleav-
: the older veins and of It's presence
eak remnants Of old furnaces erected in
'anlsh times lor the production OF the -
eciuus.
Our astronomical reporter hands in this
te Venus and Saturn are the evening
irs from February IS. The latter will
e in the east at the moment the sun Z
es down i'll the west. Uranus will rise y
II 80 in the evening. Saturn is in the =
nstellaton of the lion, Venus in the
at an Uranus in the virgin.