Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1891-11-28
A PIONEERS C0NTRIBU TON.
Routes for Road from Roswell to AIbu-
querque-Early Day Experiences
of a Santa Fe Exploring
Party.

To the Editor of the New Mexican.
SANTA FF, Nov. I'll clip from your
paper this paragraph credited to the Al
buquerque Citizen:
EMANCIPATION into the Pecos valley
country has been large. Tue Dallas News
says that the prospects OF that section are
so encouraging that the road will proba-
bly, soon consider proposition to extend
the line from Eddy to Roswell and Albu-
querque."
In connection herewith | propose to
enlighten the Dallas News and the Pecos
valley road upon the most practicable, de-
sirable route from Roswell to Albuquer-
que, as the entire country over which
such road would pass has been familiar
to me since 1915. From Roswell the
route would follow the Pecos river north
ward via old Fort Sumner, distance OF
seventy-four miles, continuing thence up
the Pecos sixteen miles to entrance of
Arroyo Salado, following said arroyo in
westerly direction to its source, distance
of thirty miles.
AT this point the upper level or smface
OF prairie plateau is reached then forty
five miles in a northwesterly direction
across the plateau to Pedernal peak,
thence fifty-four miles in nearly the same
direction crossing the &C. ia de Galisteo to
Cerrillos, thence to Albuquerque, fifty
miles. Total distance 269 miles.
Another, and by far more desirable
route, would be to continue up the Pecos
from Roswell to entrance of canon Pnta-
do, forty miles above old Fort Sun ner,
thence westward up said canon forty
eight miles to the level or surface of the
prairie plateau above mentioned, thence
nine miles to Pedernal Peak and over the
first named route to Cerrillos, fifty -four
miles, thence to Albuquerque, fifty miles.
Total 275 miles.
There is another route via the Beck
grant and Canon Blanco, interseCting with
the above described routes to Cerrilos at
the south boundary of the Eaton grant,
but it is not desirable on account of the
natural distractions to be found in Canon
Blanco.
There will be no difficulty in the water
supply on these routes, not even on the
prairie plateau, timber for ties, ETC.,
being abundant at reasonable distances
after passing Fort Sumner.
These routes would pass to the east of
the Ortiz grant in reaching Cerrillos.
From Cerrillos the route would pass to
the west OF the Ortiz grant, via San Pedro,
through Tijeras canon to Albuquerque.
Were there more practicable route,
the road could not afford to ignore Ger
rillos on account Of the immense deposits
OF anthracite and coking coal, and extern
sive mineral deposits in and around the
Little Pittsburg."
Assuming that the readers Of the fore
going would like to learn some of the
details of my experience in that part of
the country, and knowing that the very
few now living companions of those days
would be pleased in perusing the same, |
will crafty them by stating that in the
early part of the tifties there was danger
from Indians as near as twenty miles out
of Santa Fe. Depredations were being
committed in all directions, while an army
of troops were in pursuit.
With the order to establish Fort STAN
ton, Preston Beck, jr., one OF the noted
pioneers of those days, lin whose employ
was at that time as bookkeeper, cashier,
and general clerk) received an order to
furnish large quantity Of corn at the new
fort, at cents per pound. After diligent
inquiry, neither transportation nor guides
could be procured from the point of pro-
posed purchase, viz: San Miguel and
Anton Chico.