Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-05-16
n {. '''E0CA|ILIFY
Las Vegas, the Chief City
of New Mexico Some
of Her Resources,
Attractions and
Advantages.


LAS VEGAS, meaning "The Meadows,
Is the county sent Of San Miguel county
lies ON both sides Of tho Galllnas river
and, with Its suburbs, has about 1000
inhabitants. is az
1t has water works, street cars, arc an,
lincandescent electric light plant, telephon
exchanges, Territorial agricultural expert
ment station, headquarters OF the Atchi
son railway system, New Mexico division
together with railroad machine shops an,
tie -preserving works. stock yards, and tb
largest sheep shearing and dipping plan
In the United States.
West Of the river, the old town has tn,
quaint and picturesque Mexican appear
ance - adobe houses, narrow, crooked
streets, native people and customs, handi-
crafts and occupations; but the plaza and
all Of the new town, east Of the river, con
s%titute a distinctive American city. The
streets are wide and we'll graded. while
sidewalks abound. shaded with growing
trees. Three parks, filled with grass and
trees, add to the beauty and healthfulness
Of the place. Handsome and we'll filled
stores, beautiful residences, and innumera-
BILE lawns, set in grass and adorned with
shrubbery and flowers, combine to pro-
| claim a cultured. community, possessed OF
| all modern comforts and conveniences.
A city hall, three public school buildings,
court. house, Masonic temple, opera house.
Territorial Normal school and Territorial
Insane asylum are public buildings, con-
structed Of red and white cut sandstone,
unsurpassed in beauty by similar edifces
many town, of equal size, in the States
An Academy, Seminary, Jesuit college,
Convent school, Presbyterian Mission
school, Methodist manual training school,
Christian Brothers institute, City high
school, three graded public schools, akin
dergarten, a commercial school aud two
music schools, besides several private teach
ers, are among the educational advantages
and facilities.
LAS VEGAS is the natural sanatorium of
the United States, combining more nat
ural advantages than any other place in,
America. Her thermsl wat. RS are the
equal of the Hot Springs of Arkansas,
while her climate is infinitely superior.
There is no malaria, no excessive heat or
cold, no gnats, rats or mosquitoes. The
air Is pure, dry, r%ariied, and highly cleo
trified-a certain cure for consumption, II
the disease be taken In time. The hot
waters are a specific for liver, skin, rheu-
matte and blood disorders. Her Montezu-
ma hotel is the. finest hostelry between
Chicago and California, and is situated in
a beautiful canyon, five miles from town,
where the Hot Springs, forty Ia number,
come boiling to the surface.
The latitude IS about the same as that OF
central Tennessee, while the altitude is
nearly $500 feet. This combination gives
a peculiar, but most happy, result. In the
winter, during the day, the thermometer
seldom fslls, In the shade, below forty de-
grees, while 1t often runs, In the sunshine,
to sixty-ive degrees-or even more. On
the other hand, in the GUNNER, the heat is
never oppressive, In the shade, and no
night is too warm for comfortable sleep,
under oge or two blankets. The sun will
shine nine days ont Of every ten, the year
round. This, with the extreme dryness of
the air, caused by the very slight precipi.
tation OF moisture; the resinous aroma,
rolling down from the pine-clad noun
tains; the large amount Of electricity in
the air, and the consequent ozone, result
ing from thealtitude; and the location of the
town, ndzlocked by mountain and mesa
these all conspire TO produce an atmos-
pneye WHICH ID q balm to all diseases OF the
respiratory organs. The percentage of
death from consumption is lower In New
Mexico than IL is anywhere else in tia
United States; and NO other place in New
Mexico excels Las vegss in the salubrlty
of It's climate, Asthmatlos experience
Immediate and permanent relief, in this
altitude,
In the way OF health and pleasure re-
sorts, Las Vegas IL unrivaled, In a radius
Of twenty miles, in romantic mountain !
glens and beside babhling mountain brooks,
are the Las Vegas Hot Springs. Harvey's,
Nl Porvenir, G~andoval's Mineral Hill, Ro-
nero. Ranch, Blake's, Sparks, Sapello,
to mention, where health can be recovered, |
and life becomes a pleasure to the ennuye,
the invalid, the over-worked business man.
LAS VEGAS has two daily and i've weakly
papers, three banks. two building and loan
sboiatioAs, threa hotels, many boarding |
houses, nine churches, q number OF clubs, |
and all the Leading civic and social socie,
ties; g roller -four mill, capacity, fifty bar
cleaning | 800, 600 pounds of WOOL
annnailyi a wel-equipped brewery and
bottling tahlishment, a ma%nufaotory of
mineral and c~arbonated waters; two wag- !
on and carriage factories; a saddle and
harness factory; a foundIJ. cleo
trio light plant, three planning mills.
and other enterprises of less Importance.
There are eight large Wholesale houses,
whose trade extends throughout ;ths Tsr-
and into the sdioiniRg sections;
whi.e the volume d this trade, ana the
value OF the stocks which they carry, can
not be duplicated, west Of Kansas CITY and
south of Denver. Three merchants bFok.
ers have selestad the city as their distrib-
Hslng center, the amount Of their yearly
sales exceeding, in the aggregate, the DOM.
biped sales OF oil other suoh brokers In
New Mexico. The retail merchants, Of
Las Vegas, are more numerous, and carry
and better stocks Of goods than do
the retail merchants or any other town in
this Territory OF, Arizona.
LAS VEGAS Is the distributing point for
nearly all New Mexico. Hy the Atchlson
she has connection with Kansas
on the east, Colorado on the north, Ariso-
and California on the weat, and Texas
and Old Mexico on the south. Besides
these. che baR more stage lines,~ connecting
Der with tributary territory, than has any
town In New Mexico. This Territory /