The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-07-10
NET MEyIC6 71In7TTNDrN sTonnv.
People at n Distance Learn ac lholr Doings
 by Ways or thc Eiycgs.

" "HSS ot lNc ilNtEH.
 "To Las Vegas. the MraIow City Of
 New Mexico" writes an ,yrrland tour Ist. 'an excellent pipe system brings pure water down from thc upper Gal. l!nas river, which you msy drink cooled with Ice frozen upon the same crystal stream. The reservoir sIX or seven miles above the town, is n large, shaded lake fraed by dam. ming the river. over and above the work of the water company. the river. during the present summer, has been the subject of vast deal of Individual damning. owing to it's liability to get both way up and 'r!led for TO cause obvious to a stranger.
 My first experience of the Gallinas' turning loose was on an afternoon In June. The town was bright with sun shine, with clear sky overhead, as sat on the hotel veranda enjoying the beautiful spectacle of constant lic htnine flashes in dense cloud that yelled the mountains to the northwest.
 Stepping indoors for a glass of water I discovered that where q clear stream was wont to flow, thick, muddy liquid was all that could be drawn from the faucets A few minutes later, eros 5, ing the bridge over the river that dl- vides the new from the old town, I perceived that the clear shallow stream that had seen rippling over its pebbles an hour before had become roaring, turbid torrent, which was rapidly rising, and already threatened the bridge. It came within a foot or two of the stringpieces, so that floating logs could barely pass underneath be- fore high water mark was reached.
 Las Vegans know precisely what to do in such an emergency, and, with fil- ters and settling tubs, had, before night, a suff1clency of water only slightly clouded for domestic use The river fell as rapidly as it had risen, and the waters next morning were only a trifie higher than usual The pipes before the end of the next day were flowing clear, and people seemed to give the matter of the flood but little thought and less comment.
 "The cause of the rivers going on such a bender was the thunder storm which had watched in the distance the day before, and which had fallen about the headwaters in the mountains, where it probably had attained the dignity of cloud-burst. 1t was learned later in town that the rain had washed things out considerably among the hills. Roads were 80 gullied as to be impossible, and in some places had dropped sheer into ravines which they skirted, 50 that new trails had to be made. In places much dead timber had been washed down mountain sides to be lodged in valley thickets or car Tied down stream in the river's flood.
 "But the unusual raihiness of this season, even with the drawbacks of oeeasioned high water and smashing hail, has been godsend to New Mexico, and has brought the country out in its best and most beautiful aspects. The sometimes arid mesas (table-land elcva- tions) and prairies hear the foothills are green with luxuriant grass, and lakes and water holes are flied to oyer flowing. Stock find good range about they choose to go, and the focks and herds grazing, widely scat tered, on vast emerald plains, present a charming pastoral picture to the traveller as he is borne through the territory along the path of the iron York Sun. I