Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-03-08
HAPPY LAS VEGAS
Prosperity Beams Upon the Meadow
City--M Many Contracts for Build
ing Already Let.
NEW RAILROAD TO TAOS
Interesting Letter from the New Mexican's
Special Correspondent Concerning Con-
ditions in San Miguel County and
Contiguous Country.
Special Correspondence New Mexican.


Las Vegas, N. Milf any one i'm
AGNES that this city is not upwith the
procession so far as business and en-
terpriSe are concerned, he would bet.
ter disabuse his mind of that idea al
once or the loyal citizens will git him
sure on the next visit. Local pride is
one of the characteristics of the average
resident of the city of the Meadows, and
the visitor who fails to recognize that
trait is without friends in a strange
land.
AT the present time Las Vegas is in
that condition where men say ''the
future is assured, things are coming
our own way and the outside world must
recognize the fact at once" AS an
earnest of this statement it is only
necessary to state that the coming sea-
son will see the erection of about 80
dwellings,, contracts for the building of
which have been entered into. and the
building season has only begun. The
wholesale and retail business concerns
are enjoying q rush of business which is
almost unprecedented at this time of
the year, and the outlook for the com
ing season never was better. This con-
dition of affairs is somewhat difficult for
an entire stranger in the territory to
understand, but to anyone who has some
knowledge of the surrounding country
there is nothing strange about it.
Tributary to this place is an extensive
scope of country which takes in the
whole of San Miguel county, a large
portion of Mora, Taos, Union and Guada-
lupe counties and a trade which reaches
the Colorado line on the north. Then
the wool market, which is undoubtedly
the largest retail, or producers selling
point, in the United States, brings a
vast volume of business here which
would otherwise seek other points.
When all these advantages are under
stood the business activity of the town
is easily accounted for. The country
from which this trade is drawn is equal
In productiyeness and natural resources
of any other part of the southwestern
country, and in many respects Is far
ahead of other portions of the territory
in progreSSiveness: fortunate Las Vegas
rcaps the benefit.
And apparently only q beginning of
the natural outcome of such situation
has been realized. The next step in the
development of the commercial inter
ests which seem to center around San
Migucl's county seat is the building of a
railroad from here into the Mora coun-
try and over the divide into Taos coun-
ty to the town of Taos, n of the most
prosperous inland towns in New Mexico,
a distance of about 90 miles. A FEAST
BILE route has already been decided upon
from this place to Mora and Hon. f. A.
Manzanares, Colonel Altberger and Mr..
r. L. M. Ross are nov locating the line
of the road between Mora and Taos.
Since the organization of the Las Vegas,
Mora & Taos Railroad company many
have expressed serious doubts concern
ing the building of the road, but the
energetic in which the organi-
zers have been pushing preliminary
work the ''doubting Thomases" have been
more guarded In their predictions of
failure, and now begin to admit that
there is something in the movement
which promises success.
The construction of this line will give
Las Vegas the command of the trade of
the numerous settlements of the Mora
and Taos valleys and increase the wool
market in no imperceptible degree; will
result in the settlement of thousands of
acres of land and open up the great
mineral deposits in tho mountains in
that section of the country which are
known but not worked for lack
Of transportation facilities, True,
freighters are engaged in hauling pro-
1uce of all kinds out of that region but
for this day and age mule teams are
somewhat slow and entirely too expen-
The promoters of the road have
hit upon the proper caper for develop
ing that country and tho strange part
Of the whole business is that such a road
was not built long ago.
To come down to matters of a less
general nature, allow me to remark that
Chief Justice Mills seems to be the right
man in the right place. His appoint
ment of Mr.. SecundinO Romero as clerk
Of the Fourth district pleased everybody
concerned, and Mr.. Romero followed up
sensible act by committing another
when he appointed Charley" Shirk as
bis deputy. There is nothing in this
remark that has any bearing upon poll
les in the county, it is only a reflection
II the remarks heard ON every hand con-
the appointments. Just to
make a guess at the situation regarding
he courts l would say that the utter
nee of a prominent young Democrat of
he city covered the whole matter. Said
he person referred to: ''Judge Mills
;n0ws what he Is doing, and we have
kick coming. He is oil right" That
J not my opinion, for 1t Is the business
I a correspondent to have nothing Of
BIO kind loafing about him, but the can.
i'd expression OF a resident Of the city 1
nd Il man who expects to have deal