The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-02-24
A New Mexico Resort.
correspondence of The Journal

embarks on the California Limited of the
Santa Fe route, which leaves Chicago
each Wednesday and Saturday. A solid
vestibuled train of Pullman sleepers,
library car and dining car, provide even
more comfort than you will find in some
hotels, aud the great reputation for ex-
cellent meals on the European plan is
Justly deserved. The trip across the
Middle States begins to be interesting in
Colorado and when you cross the Ration
range and enter New Mexico you seem to
see foreign country. The queer Mexican
huts give picturesque appearance to the
landscape, and the tenderfoot will gaze
with wide, open interest. Last year |
went directly through to the coast This
and l regret that more people are ignorant
of the existence of such delightful place
as Las Vegas Hot Springs. One is apt to
think of New Mexico as a land of deserts,
burros, sheep, cattle and Indians; but that
is such mistaken impression. Six miles
from the town of Vegas, as you round
bend in the canon, you see magnificent
stone structure perched on the side of
foot hill. 1t is the Montezuma Hotel, and
in its stately beauty and commanding
location it seems to feel the pride of that
das with glass screens to keep off occa-
sional brisk winds, run all round it, and
on the terraces below fountains send their
splashing waters into artificial lakes. The
grounds are splendidly laid out, and walks
of easy grade lead up to the house. The
Hot Springs is an incorporated town with
and stores. A good school gives free
education to the young guests of the
place, and one is thoroughly in touch with
all the news of the world though you are
isolated from it's care and turmoil. 1t is
charming place, where the well can find
rest and recreation, and those who are in
disposed can regain health and strength
There is a sanatorium in connection with
the hotel, in which one gets a delightful
home, with medical direction and care.
No seriously i'll people are admitted here,
but for those a gem of a hospital is pro
vided, in which all that modern science
knows has been introduced for health and
comfort.
The disease which is most fatal to man
kind is commonly known as ''consump-
tion.'' and the greatest enemy to the
tuberculosis bacilli is high, dry, cool
atmosphere. The latitude here is the
same as the burning deserts of Sahara,
but the altitude is nearly seven thousand
feet above sea level, and that is what pre-
vents the great heat. But on the other
hand there are no extremes of tempera-
ture; the summer is not excessively warm,
and the nights are always cool enough to
make blankets necessary; while the winter
days are mild enough to make it very
agreeable to sit out of doors with wraps
on. The scientific explanation of the arid
belt of the west, is that it lies between the
two great storm centers of the country
and gets only a short visit from the eastern
storm center, as it moves west. The rainy
season here is in June and July, but the
total precipitation for the year is only
twelve and one half inches, totally made
quate for the production of crops. But
with irrigation, agriculture is Il success,
and the hotel has fine ranch and dairy
which supplies the table with vegetables,
milk and butter. The Gallinas river
flowing through the canon, supplies
very pure and large supply of water, which
is pumped into a large rock reservoir on
a hill back of the hotel, but the drink
ing water comes from the spring. The
plumbing is perfect and the sewage is dis
posed of by the Berlin system of irrgat-
ing the ranch with it. The soil purifies
the sewage, which finally escapes, clear,
into the river some miles away.
Very little medicine is given to those
who come to be cured of consumption,
but they are kept out of doors as much as
possible and given a plenty of good and
appetizing food. The table here is SPLEEN
did, and people are encouraged to eat not
only at meal time, but with lunches be-
tween. Quite a number of people sleep
on the veranda all the winter, with very
beneficial results, and not one of them
catches cold. Colds are caught by people
living in overheated rooms, and then going
to the cold atmosphere. We Americans,
as rule, have our houses too warm.
This particular portion of New Mexico
is peculiarly favored, climatically, being
sheltered on three sides by mountain
spurs, which protect it from the cold,
north winds. The temperature for the
winter will average twenty degrees warmer
than in Colorado. Then the Hot Springs
are sheltered by the foot hills and sand
storms never occur The summer tenn
perature averages So F.
A splendid casino adjoins the hotel and
hops are given there. Then there are
bowling alleys and "a billiard hall. The
waters of the Hot Springs are particularly
beneficial for skin and blood disorders and
rheumatism.