Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-10-28
OFFICIAL PAPER OF THE CITY.
THE TAOS COUNTRY.

DIR. T. P. Martin, the favorite physician
OF Taos county, dropped in yesterday *
fraternize with his friends of the New
Mexican a few moments before going
home.
The doctor Is clearly an optimist, blu
fortunately his faith ia we'll founded. He
declares without equivocation that Tao
county Is now more prosperous than eyel
before in its history. He ia satis1ed that
in spite OF all the large shipments Of th,
fieecy fellows, there are still 175, 900 sheer
on the ranges in Taos county, and nearly
all of these are of improved wool varieties
each one of which will easily shear -four
pounds of the stuff that keeps people warm
in mic winter.
The doctor adds that there are still
many fat cattle on the ranges of his coun-
ty and that the owuers behold them with
good deal of quiet satisfaction, KNOWN
that they are cashable at the rate of from
$40 to $50 per head.
II have lived in Taos county for eight
years." continued the doctor, land I have
never seen such a prolific yield Of fruits
and cereals as this year in our county.
Notably Juan Santistevan aud Alex. Gus
dorf have immense crops of choice winter
apples. Our merchants all seem to bs do
ing we'll and our people all approach win
Ter with barns bursting with plenty, cell
lars filled with fruits and vegetables, and
enough coin of the country on hand to pro-
tect them against emergencies .n-Santa Fe
NeU Mexican.
The majority of our people here no
doubt think that Taos and the Taos
valley are SO remote places, because
situated out of sight and without close
connections, and on the further side OF
q mountain range, that, perhaps, they
do not amount to much as desirable
neighbours, from the commercial view
point, or those with whom we should
strive, by every means at command, to
cultivate a most intimate acquaintance,
with the view to extending the trading
territory of our wholesale merchants
and j%obbers, and bringing into direct
touch with Las Vegas a rich and pop
Nous district. That, however, is a
g~rievous error to fall into, as The
OPTIC will now show, by the following
few facts and figures as examples of
the rich resources there, and the capa-
bilities of Taos and the Taos valley to
resume their former prestige as a com
mercial district second to none in i'm
p%ortance and volume of trade In all of
New Mexico, which was c the proud
position they occupied, as will be re-
membered by several citizens of Las
Vegas, and to which they can again be
restored by well-directed efforts; all of
which will rebound to her credit and
benefit, il Las Vegas does her duty.
Tho only thing lacking is cheap and
rapid transportation, which alone can
be had by means of railroad connec.
ton.
The present population of these
places is moi less than 10, % The
area OF agricultural land that can be
successfully irrigated is about $50, 600
acres, capable of supporting not less
than 10000 people. There is an ample
supply of water in the eleven living
streams that issue from the mountains
and course through the Taos valley to
fully supply and irrigate all these lands,
which can be made as rich aud pro-
ductive farms, orchards and gardens
% any in New Mexico. The large