Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1894-07-31

silver ciy ga . is
TIE foregoing figures are valua-
bic to the physician inasmuch as
they illustrate the general climate
of New Mexico, and because they
enable him to point out the most
desirable resorts for the different
seasons of the year. For example,
it would be exceedingly unwise to
send during the winter months a
patient from the Gulf states to any
place colder than Silver City or
Los Cruces, and equally so to have
him 20 during the summer months
to Las Cruces, Socorro or Albu-
querque.
The ideal winter resort of New
Mexico is Las Cruces, which, with
its twin city, La MesiIla, is located
in tho famed and fertile Mesilla
Valley, about twenty miles above
the Texas line. 1t is located
directly on the Rio Grande west
of the Organ mountains, which, in
the clear atmosphere, look like
hills three or four miles away,
but which are really great
mountain peaks fourteen miles
distant and 5000 feet in height.
These mountainsa are perforated by
valuable lead and silver mines.
Las Cruces is a quiet little town
of 1000 people, a large proportion
of whom are Mexican. A good
hotel built upon the mesa
or high land on the edge of this
town would be deserving of a large
winter patronage, as Las Cruces is
quite accessible, being about two
hours ride from Eel Paso, Texas.
With two or three exceptions the
accommodations are poor. A plan
for a cottage sanitarium twenty
four miles east of the town is still
in embryo. In summer a few
invalids have found it beneficial to
camp out on the higher ground at
the foot Of the Organ mountains.
After the first Of April the heat at
Las Cruces becomes very disagree
able, the temperature in the un-
clouded sun running far above 100
deg. Fair. 1t is not a summer
resort.
On the other hand, We find the
cities of Las Vegas and Santa Fe
presenting most of the require
ments of the patient with weak
lungs who seek a summer resid-
ence. Being in mountainous dis
tricts the summer rainfall is
greater than in the cities Of the
valley, and this, together with
their higher altitude and latitude.
causes the temperature to be much
lower than that of other cities in
the Territory. These rains would
be very Objectionable to the in
valid were it not that they are Of
short duration, and that the slope
of the ground and porosity of the
soil cause the water to flow off and
disappear at a very rapid rate,
leaving the atmosphere quite dry
and free from impurities. As a
consequence there are very few
days during the rainy months in
which a patient may not find a
few hours, morning or evening, to
venture out.
The mean temperature of these
two cities is about that Of New
York City, st. Louis and Salt Lake
City, while their summer temper
ature is about that of Detroit and
Chicago, but experience has shown
that here as in other high, dry alti-
tudes the cold is felt to be less
penetrating in winter and the heat
far less oppressive in summer.
A residence in this Territory
during both winter and summer
has convinced the writer that for
equal temperatures the winters
cold and summers heat are far
more easily borne and less intense
ly felt than in the eastern and
southern states-a difference due
to the great dryness of the
climate.
A few miles from the town Of
that name are the famous Las We.
gas Hot Springs, which have be-
come a delightful summer resort,
and are deserving Of a greater rep
utatlon than they now enjoy.
They have been found to be very
useful in rheumatism and govt, as
we'll as many cutaneous and syph-
little diseases. In the treatment
of the latter the bath is soft, hot
mud is a conspicuous and adyan-
tngeous feature. The waters are
strong in lithia.
Before passing on to Silver City,
which we believe TO be the best
all-the-year-round health resort, it
may be well to say a word or two
about Albuquerque and Socorro.
These, like other New Mexican
towns, have great advantages of
climate. They are both situated
on the Rio Grande, and the latter
town is, commercially speaking,
but a small edition of the former.
Albuquerque is perhaps the most
important, as IL is undoubtedly the
most progressive city Of the terri
tory. The position held by these