Las Vegas free press., 1892-07-08
Las VEGAS.

Las Vegas Che meaeows), the largest city In New
Mexico is the county Of San Miguel county, the
most populous and wealthy county Of the Territory
tits situated in latitude IS degrees 10 minutes north
on the Galllnas river, at the eastern base Of the
Rocky Mountains, at an altitude Of about 65O0 feet
above level. A few miles to the west the
mountains, to the east and southeast vast plain
stretches away and affords fine stock and agriou
turai country. Il has an enterprsing population Of
between seven and elghtthousand people and s grow
ing steadily.
It is situated on grant of 10000 acres, Of which
only few thousand had good title, but the legsla
ture has Just passed aaw which settles the title and
will throw the balance of the tract open to settle.
ment
The t.wn is lit by electric light, hns water works,
gas, streetcar line, telephone exchange daily pa
per- churches academies, public and private schools,
number Of solid banking and financial institutions
and mercantile houses, some Of which carry stocks
of s250000 and whose trade extends throughout New
Mexico and Arizona. IL is the chief commercial
TOM of vast tributary country, rich In resources,
the development Of which has Just been commenced.
West and north Of Las Vegas reaching to the Coora
do line is mountain and mineral region, covered
with forests of pine timber affording excellent
] quality of lumber. Just west Of town, to two
miles, is an unlimited supply Of the finest rcd and
white sandstone, pronounced by Prof. Hayden the
nnest in the United States.
The valleys of the mountain-streams very rich
in abundance. East and south Of the town and like
wise tributary to It. are the vast and well grassod
plains and.vaeys of the Canadian and Pecos rivers
and their tributaries constituting the hnesu stock
region for sheep and cattle in all the west. This
great country Is already well occupied with prosper
GUS cattle raisors and wool growers, who make Las
Vegas their business town and supply point. Build
ing material Is excellent, convenient and cheap, and
the business houses and residences are handsome,
well built and permanent. Las Vegas is, without
question, the best built town in New Mexico.
The headquarters of the division Of the a. T. q s.
| f. Railroad extending from La Junta to AibuQuer-
que are located here well their tie preserving
works.
Besides its railroad connections It has regular
stages east to Cabra Springs, Fort Bascom and Lber
| ty, and the Texas Panhandle southeast to Anton
Chico Fort Sumner and Roswell; north to Mora via
sapello and Rocada; northeast with Los Alamos, Go
londrinas and Fort Union. Telephone lines extend
Los Alamos IS miles distant, and to Mora, IS miles
| via Sapello and Rocada
| Water is supplied by gravity system Of water
works, the water being taken from the river seven
miles above the city. and has pressure Of 40 lbs
| While far there are no producing mines very
near Las Vegas the prospecting done has developed
the fact that there are some very good prospects here
that WILL with proper working, soon pay well. Ma
chnery has lately been purchased by some OF these,
and, undoubtedly. they will soon be making regular
output.
Five miles northwest of Las Vegas, where the Gal
llnas river breaks out of the mountains situated
the famous Hot Springs. The river here runs from
west to east and the springs on the south bank,
almost central in natural park, surroundedby pine
clad and picturesque mountains. The water of the
sprngsis clear crystal of high temperature and
the mineral constituents subtly dissolved and
blended to render It wonderfully beneficial to the
human system. In addition and supplementary to
the advantages possessed by the mineral water, the
climate is one of the finest In the world. The Mon
tezuma hotel there is very commOdious, splendldly
furnished and the management and tables are all that
can be desired and the accommodation for guests Is
unsurpassed anywhere The bath house is large and
very complete in all its appointments.
A branch line Of the Santa FerallToad runs from
Las Vegas to the Hot Springs connecting with all
trains At present round-trip tickets sold from
Kansas City and eastern points to the Hot Springs
good for ninety days at greatly reduced rates
About IS miles above the Hot Springs. at Hermits
Peak generally called Old Baldy, detached spur of
the Rocky Mountainsis some of the finest scenery in
New Mexico. The peak is broken abruptly of on It's
face rising almost straight up 0f feet, while on the
south side of the mountains the river cuts through,
coming from the top of the range in narrow
1000 feet deep, rising in some places with
out break the entire distance. Good fishing and
hunting be had in the mountains anywhere
from % to 80 miles Of Las Vegas
The average temperature for the year 1896 taken at
the Montezuma Hotel each day was as followsi Jan
uary 40 degrees; February, 5si March, 50; Aprl, 81
May, SO; June, 16 July, 10; August az September 20;
October. 62; November, so; December 80.
San Miguel is the empire county Of New Mexico.
1t is on the average, hundred and eighty miles
long by ninetyhve miles wide, and containing about
slO00O0 acres, embraces within Its boundaries rugged
and wooded mountains, extensive plains and fertile
valleys. Its elevation on the east Is about 400
feet and on the west 1900 The thirtyhfth parallel
"a
on the north by Mora County, the south by Berna
lilo and Chaves Counties1and extends from the sum
NIT of the main range Of mountains on the west to
the Texas Panhandle the east 1t is well watered
by the Canadian Pecos Gallinas, Sapello and Tecolo
te rivers and their tributaries. Between the Sape
10 and the GallInas s the divide which separates
the waters flowing into the Mississippi from those |
flowing into the Rio Grande The western portion of
the county is mountainous rising from the plains to
the highest raEge In the Territory capped with eter
nal SHOWS The elimination Of the mountains at
such great altitude twelve thousand feet, causes
great accumulation Of snow, which constantly feeds
the mountain streams with pure water, that passes
OF into and through the valleys below. The Mora.
sapello, Gallinas, Tecolote and Pccos streams all
have their sources in the same mountains and nearly
In the same locality The precipitation OF moisture
on the eastern slopes Of the mountains by rain and
is greater than in any other portion Of the Ter
rtory.
New Mexico is as large as all the New England
States together, with New York and New Jersey
thrown in 1t is about equally divided In grazing
agricultural and mining lands. Millions of acres,
rich In resources waiting to be occupied. lthas
the precious metals, COAL ron stock ranges agricul'
tural horticultural and grape lands splendid scenery,
more sunshine. more even temperature, more ex-
atmosphere, than any other country on
this continent low taxes and active home market
for all agricultural products.
New Mexico wants manufactures Of every de-
scrlption more farms, gardens, orchards Vineyards
miners took raisers, a million more industrious
people to develop its resOuces and make for them
selves comfortable homes. There Is no better field
for profitable investment Of capital.