Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-05-25
This LOCALITY
Las Vegas, the Chief City
of New Mexic0--Some
of Her Resources,
Attractions and
Advantages.

lies on both sides OF the Gallinas river,
and, with its suburbs, has about 10000
inhabitants.
1t has water works, street cars, arc and
electric light plant, telephone
exchanges, Territorial agricultural expert
ment station, headquarters of the Atchi-
son railway system, New Mexico division,
together with railroad machine shops and
tie preserving works, stock yards, and the
largest sheep shearing and dipping plant
In the United States.
West of the river, the old tow has the
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-
stitute q distinctive American city. The
streets are wide and we'll graded, while
sidewalks abound. shaded with growing
trees. Three parks, filed with grass and
trees, add to the beauty and healthfulness
Of the place. Handsome and well-flled
stores, beautiful residences, and innumera
BILE la W set in grass and adorned with
~B0TuUUeIy huu nOWOio, Ohaohh w 49,
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 asy lum are public buildings, CON
structed of red and white cut sandstone,
unsurpassed in beauty by similar edifces
in any 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, a kin
dergarten, a commercial school and 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 thermal waters 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, rarified, and highiy eiec-
LTlnbu-a CtI Adln CutO NOhGuRsOot
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 In 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 falls, 10 the shade, below forty de-
grees, while it often runs, In the sunshine,
to sixty-fve degrees-or even more. On
the other hand, in the summer the heat ls
never oppressive, In the shade, nc
night is too warm for comfortable sleep
under one or two blankets. The sun VIII
shine nine days out Of every ten, the yeai
round. This, with the extreme drynes OF
the air, caused by the very slight precipl-
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 theaititude and the location OF the
town, land looked by mountain and mesa
these all conspire to produce an atmos-
mere which is q balm to all diseases OF the
respiratory organs. The percentage OF
death from consumption is lower In New
Mexico than 1t is any where else in the
| United 6taL0Ss huu uO OtnCi pinSo
Mexico excels Las Vegas in the salubrity
Of its climate, Asthmatics experience
immediate and permanent relief, in this
altitude.
In the way OF nealth and pleasure re-
sorts, Las Vegas il unrivaled. In a radius
of twenty miles, 10 romantic mountain
slens and beside babbliug mountain brooks,
are the Las Vegas Hot Springs. Harvey's,
Fl Porvenir, Sandoval's Mineral Hill, Ro-
nero Ranch, Blake's, Sparks, Sapello,
Rociada, and other places, too numerous
Id mention, where health can be recovered,
and life becomes a pleasure to the ennuyel
the invalid, tue over-worked business nan'
LAS VRGAs has two daily and ave weekly
pauers. three banks, two building and loan
ASSOCIATIONS, three hotels. many boarding
houses, nine churches, q number OF clubs
and ali the leading civic and social socie'
tias: a roller -four mill, capacity, fifty bar
rels per day two wool-scouring establish
meuts. cleaning 500, 900 pounds OF WOO
annually; a well -equipped brewery ano
bottling establishment; q manutactory o.
mineral and carbonated waters; TWO wag.
on and carriage factoriesi q saddle ane
harness factory; a foundry. cleo
tric light plant, three planning mile
and other enterprises Of less Importance.
There are eight large wholesale houses
whose trade extends throughout the Ter
ritory. and into the adjoining sections
l w h1tA Inc VOLUME VI bhlo tAo0
value of the stocks which they carry, cal
not be duplicated west of Kansas City ant
uonib of Denver. Three merchants brok
ara have selected the city as their distriD
ntinp center, the amount of their yearl.
sales exceeding, in the aggregate, the com
bined sales OF all other such brokers II
New Mexico. The retail merchants, Q
Las Vegas. are more numerous, ana carr.
larger and better stocks Of goods than q
the retail merchants OF any other town Il
this Territory or Arizona:
Las VFGAs Is the distributing point 10
nearly all New Mexico. BY the Atchlsol
system, she has connection WITH kansa
on the east, Colorado ON the north, Arlxo
ma and California on the west, and Iexa
AMI Old Mexico on the south. Beside
these. she has more stage lines, connectln
her with tributary territory, than mas an
other town in New Mexico. This territor
Includes the entire section east and sout
of the mountains, and comprises the coun
ties CT Colfax, Mora, Taos, San M,gue
Chavez. Lincoln and Eddy, with parts {
Valencia and Bernalillo-a country largt
than ali New England. This takes in tn
lannon's valley ofthe Rio GraDde, and II
less famous, but not less excellent, Vaile
n the Pecos-the finest fruit sections
the west. ~ ..u
,orst,tntes the Wealth of Nations. IroI
coal, lead, silver, gold, mica, limeston
sandstone. marbles, gypsum, soda IN en-
n ess variety and ~exhaustiess quann'ie
e are among the several products OF :,
A. country which Las Vegas command
n sheep, cattle and unlber abound, SO 70
n IL zach of these prime articles OF CONNER
!. This city is the best market 10 New Mex,c
L she handles more wool than all the otn
towns ia the Territory combined, viii
her In hides is truly enoImo'
Ia the same way, she stands pre-emine
for her trace 10 grains, nay, vege.apl'
~-d othar farm products: while her ira