Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-02-20
OUR COUNTRY, IT'S OF THEE.
A Las Vegas Young Lady Pens a
Descriptive Letter About this
Vicinity.

it is called-that being the American
Interpretation Of Las Vegas-is located
IN a valley on the east side of what
miah almost be termed tho last OF the
Rocky mountains, for this spur, which
extends into and through New Mexico,
is indeed the last TO the south.
Our surroundings are rich with
events which make up the history Of
the great southwest. Here Kearney,
on his march to take the Spanish capt.
tai, first raised the flag Of our union.
Here the first oaths of allegiance TO
the United States were taken by the
s.alcalde" and militia officers OF the
Spanish government, and by SO doing
these men continued their Office under
the new order of things.
Our neigbboring towns are Tecolotc
and San Miguel, and these places were
brought under our flag by the same
commander ON his march from Las
Vegas to Santa Fe, which was then, as
it is now, the center OF government.
although it was then occupied by the
Spanish.
Santa Fe, known to all as one OF the
oldest, If not the oldest town In
America, lies Just west of US about
thirty miles, just on the opposite side
OF the mountains, where it sits In q
horse shoe-shnped valley, entirely sur
rounded by mountains, saw whore II
opens out to the south, and for miles
you look wei what appears 10 be an
uubroken plain. Although, as have
before said, only thirty miles from US,
to reach this "City OF Holy Faith" you
must travel something like eighty-ive
by rail, and on the trip you cross
the mountains at Glorieta, this pass
being the highest point on the Santa
Fe railroad.
Going south from Santa Fe across
the plains some twenty-five miles, you;
reach another small spur Of the noun
and here lies one Of the riciest
coal deposits in the west. This coal is
SAID by experts to be the best ia the
United States, IL not 10 the world, and
is wonderful for the reason that within
q radius OF six miles there are to be;
found all qualities of coal, from the
very finest of anthracite to the softest
of biuminous. These coal deposits
are not, or at least do not appear to
be, as extensive as those OF Pennsylva.
mia, but it is Of a much better quality
than that produced by that state.
While New Mexico cannot properly
be called an agricultural country, it
can and does produce some Of the fin.
est specimens from farm, orchard and
garden wei produced or placed on the
market by any state or Territory OF
this sisterhood. Its garden vegetables
cannot be excelled, and | doubt IL they
can be equaled Its farm productions
have earned the place | have represent
ed them as having, by = test that can
not be disputed for, as you doubtless
know, through the medium OF the press,
the New Mexico wheat took the worlds
irst premium, and its oats TOOK The
States first premium, At the
worlds fair OF 1893.
think when I say that its fruit has
no equal, either in fi,vor or the amount
produced, their is no danger. Of success.
'ul contradiction not that we supply o
arge market, for we do not, but
Ipesking ssfrom the standpoint OF the
Cf people there are employed
md the number Of vineyards and or
'hards to he found in the Territory.
We labor under the great disadvantage
i being compelled to use irrigation as
he means of raising cur crops and
Producing our fruit, therefore there. is
My a small portion Of our land that
an be util zed for agricultural pur
'oses with any degree Of success, the
part Of u level lands lying
ar above any water course, so that
here is no means OF ~irrigating them,
hus leaving only the lands along the
ew streams-they cannot be called
ivers-that can be used for the pur-
'oss Of farming, especially fruit rails
ng, as fruit must have water at the
lme 1t Is growing and most 10 need Of
/. Some crops are adapted to the
Innate to such an extent that they may
Q allowed to depend to some extent
q The rainy season, which co mes at
ny time of the year from May until
and usually lasts about six
'eeks or two months, but fruit cannot
. produced under these possibilities,
I~erefore we cannot produce fruit
here there is no water that can be
led for irrigation purposes. The few
neyards and orchards that we Can 8
last of, however, yield an amount OF :
mt that would simply be astounding !