Las Vegas free press. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1891-1???, 1892-02-10

| PONCAdA OitiNchS VI Las VEGAS diO
in receipt from Mr.. and Mrs. j. l..
Dunning, of Lignneier, Ind, of a
very pretty souvenir Of the Northern
Indiana Editorial association excur-
sion to New Mexico, made last No
vember. II is in form, booklet, en-
titled, GA TRIP TO NEW MEX
ICO," and gives a general descrip-
ton of the various places visited by
the excursionists. Las Vegas comes
in for very complimentary men
ton, as follows:
Las Vegas, or "the city of the
meadows" is the county scat of San
Miguel county and claims a popula-
ton of at least 5000. 1t is the COM
mercial center of large tributary re-
gion in which stock raising, agri-
culture and mining is carried on to
great extent First-class building
stone lies at its very doors and other
naturul advantages are enjoyed that
can only lend prosperity and wealth.
A far-reaching water-works system,
street cars, electric lights and well
graded and paved streets are among
the internal improvements. The
public buildings are all built of ma
tive stone and present fine appear
ance. Elegant church buildings,
| first-class business blocks and many
fine dwellings of new and modern
styles of architecture stamp Las We
gas as a growing and subs tantial
community. The immense whole
sale establishments astonished us by
their proportion and the volume of
business transacted Three firms,
with mammoth concerns, control the
business of this part of the state, and
they buy and sell anything that the
producer may offer or the consumer
may wish. Tons of valuable furs,
millions of punds of wool and hides
are handled annually, while consid-
cradle grain is exported. In fact,
Las Vegas is the distributing point
for hundreds of miles of adjacent
territory and an enormous business
has been built up by the enterprising
merchants in all lines of the trade.
1t was indeed, an interesting and
novel sight to us to watch wagon af-
ter wagon loaded with wool, furs
and hides, drawn by six, eight and
sometimes ten yoke of oxen slowly |
vending their way through the
streets towards these competing
commission houses. Here their loads
were sold and their winters supply |
of groceries, canned goods, clothing,
etc, was purchased, and after spend
ing few hours and considerable
money in seeing the sights, all would
start out on their homeward journey
of two hundred miles or more. Las
Vegas is not unlike other cities in
New Mexico. The Mexican, or Span
sh speaking people, largely FREEDOM
mate, and the town is divided; the
new town is made up of the new
or Americans, as they are
,alled, and the population is grad
lally growing. Nearly all of the
inc dwellings are on this side Of the
liver, and a good share of the bust
ness is also transacted here. In the
Did town, the principal hotel and
many other substantial buildings
nave been erected, but the adobe
)redominates. The native people
ire of high order of intelligence,
however, and among them are many
If the leading and influential citi-
.ens. We all had special reasons to
appreciate favors at their hands, and
ound them courteous, kind and affa-
lie gentlemen. After our drive over
he city, the party congregated at
he rooms of the Montezuma club,
where an informal reception was
leld. The large and finely appointed
quarters of the club had been thrown
pen, many of the leading citizens
nd their ladies rendering us most
lappy and delightful reception.
----z.a4 z~sss------
President Gable, of the Rock Is
aud road, will start shortly for a :
ong western tour. 1t is believed
is journey means the Inauguration .