Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-06-24
800 YEARS AGO
New Mexico Will Celebrate The
Founding Of the First Settlement
Of White Men.
Governors Adams and 0tero, With Many
Other Prominent Men, Will Be Present,
and Special Trains Will Run From
Santa Fe.
Denver Daily News,

Governor Adams has accepted the in
vitation of the Historical society of New
Mexico to be present at the commemora-
ton of the Booth anniversary of the
founding of the first settlement of white
men in New Mexico. The celebration
will Jake place July 10 on a spot in the
valley of the Rio Grande river, where in
1898, Onate stopped on his long journey
from the Spanish province of Mexico.
The northward march of the adven-
turer was brought to an end at the
mouth of the Chama river and there he
founded a town which he named San
Gabriel. The settlement flourished for
| a few wears, but Santa Fe was more
| favorably located as the principal town
| of the territory, and San Gabriel became
a heap of ruins. The little railway sta
ton of Chamita, on the Denver ~ Rio
Grande road, marks the spot OF the flrst
settlement of the territory.
Few men take a more lively interest
in the historical development OF the
west than Governor Adams, and it is ex-
pected that he will deliver one of his
Characteristic historical addresses at the
time of the celebration. Governor Otero,
of New Mexico, will assist in the pro-
cram. Colonel J.. Francisco Chaves will
speak in behalf of the pioneers, who
first carried civilization into the south
west. Judge w. f. Stone, of the court
of private land claims, will present one
of the interesting phases of the subject,
and Hon. L. Bradford Prince will have
general charge of the program. Special
trains will be run from Santa Fc, 30
miles distant, and a large attendance
from different parts of the territory is
expected.
Cradle of Human Race.
1t has been said that New Mexico con-
tains more romance than all the remain
der of the west put together. An inyes-
tigator of Albuquerque has found what
he considers indisputable proofs that
New Mexico was the cradle of the hui
man race. Beneath the volcanic flow
he has found evidence of human occupa-
ton antedating by thousands or perhaps
millions of years the ruins which chal-
lenge the traveller in the numberlesS
| valleys and mountain canons of the
southwest. The first authentic account
| of the great region which has witnessed
the development and decay of prehis-
| toric races was that written by the his
torian of Coronado's celebrated march.
Coronado set out on his expedition in
1912, and although the trip was a fail
ure, it was one of the most interesting
and romantic exploits ever attempted on
the western continent. The location of
the city of Quivira. which Coronado
claims to have discovered far to the east
of the mountains, may even remain an
enigma to the student. Governor Prince
is perhaps better informed than any
other man upon this subject, and in his
history of New Mexico he graphically
describes the march of Coronado and the
wonderful city which many writers have
located on the Missouri river at Council
Bluffs.
Onate was q wealty citizen of Zacatc-
cas-, Mexico. He became deeply inter
estcd in the vast region to the north and
in stories of gold which were related by
returning adventures. Under permits;
sluI VI uie VcerOy OF MEXICO ne Started
at the head of u command of 700 soldiers
and 1870 families to explore the terra
incognita and establish u permanent
settlement. The party travelled up the
valley of the Rio Grande, stopping at
many Of the pueblos to give the priests
an opportunity to instill into the idol
worshiping natives the fundamentals of
Christianity.
Treaty With Quivirans.
.