Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-12-19
SOLID SILVER CITY
Business Conditions so Per Cent
Better Than Last Year in
Every Respect.
RAILWAYS ARE PROSPEROUS
But Present Road, Mining and Cattle Laws
Need Remodelling, and Power of Re-
batting Taxes by County Commits
sioners Should Be Revoked,

Special correspondence New Mexican.
SILVER CITY, N. M, Dec. 1S.-Following
are few additional expressions from
trade conditions:
Colonel j. w. Carter, cashier Silver
city National bank: without goine
INTO details, | consider business condi.
tions fully so per cent better than last
year, in every respect. Silver City has
never experienced a business failure
and none of the merchants are now suf
fering in a financial way. 1t has al
ways been known that Grant county
containing great amount of low grade
ore, but there was no way for the Door
man to test the actual value of his prop-
erty until the smeter was built. Now
1t is possible for the man with limited
means to open his prospect and make a
living from the product while develop
ing. And, 50 long as a man is making
Il living, he is satisfied to work and in
crease the value of his property by de-
Veloplns. In this manner many of the
new properties partake the nature of a
pension. The volume of business for the
bank is constantly increasing but we
| can do all the business for Grant coun-
| the increase"
The Silver City National bank is the
| oldest banking institution in the south
west. 1t has successfully weathered all
financial nd S q
rock of Gibraltar. The last statement
of the bank showed $242, ,41402 in re-
sources, $25,s03.55 lawful money reserve
and $l63, 4.67 in individual deposits.
T. F. Conway, of Conway & Hawkins,
| attorneys atlaw: "Silver City is al
ways prosperous, and our people are do
ing well. The railway is doing a big
business and the mining outlook is espe-
cialy good. More mines are being open
ed now than ever before in the history
| of the county,
Mr.. Conway has been a subscriber to
! the New Mexican for the past 80 years
| and has paid out many $40 notes for
yearly subscriptions. He made Santa Fe
his home for number of years. Some
time afer becoming identified with Sill
Yer City he operated the smelter here
| and made it a success, finally disposing
| of it to Mrs. Hearst
| +. CosgroNe, hardware: "Our out
side trade is constantly increasing. We
supply Pinos Altos, Santa Rita, the Mo-
gOllons and all the tributary mining To-
calities with powder, fuse caps, steel,
the road between here and Dry Creek
hauling supplies for us. We can't get
teams fast enough to fill our ORDERS
o. C. Hinman, house furnishings:
My business is always good and has
been so for the past 16 years. 1t is as
good as ever during this season of the
year. My stock is worth about $12, 900
and is probably the largest in the ter
ritory."
M. X. White, hay, grain and feed:
Business is a little better than last
year. You see, we have a floor space of
so by 70 feet in this building, and it is
crowded to the ceiling"
J. j. Kelley, of Kelley & Harston,
harness, saddles, etc: Last year our
business was rather limited, because we
We're not able to secure employees. When
the spring trade opens we will do a
larger business than ever before. We
are now employing four men in our sad
dlery and will have more when we can
get them. We are making the best sad
dies sold in the southwest and are rap
idly extending our trade. We sell con-
localities. Silver City is the best town
in the territory"
REPRESENTATIVE BARNES IN
TERVIEWED.
"Mr. Barnes, what do you propose to
do for Grant county when you get up to
Santa Fe?" asked the New Mexican re-
porter, of the newly elected representa-
tive.
Il have been in attendance on term
of court and have been closing up my
business so that I could get away in
time for the legislature, and have really
been too busy to think much about what
I shall do. However, I can tell you of
some of the things that Grant county
needs.
1.-THE people of the equity are vitality
interested in the subject of good roads
and the present road law needs fixing.
For the past two years no work has
been done on the roads except by indl-
viduals and large corporations, at their
own expense.
IT have observed, during my career as
lawyer, that the code of civil proceed
ure needs amending. The feature of our
financial law known as the Bateman bill
should be sent back to Mr. Bateman for
satisfactory explanation, or something
substituted which is clearer and more
concise.
The power of promiscuously rebating
taxes now exercised by the board of
county commissioners, should be re-
voked The boards supervision of tax
matters terminates with the exercise Of
their duties as board of equalization.
Nevertheless, they have been in the
habit of usurping the power Of rebating
taxes and the above should be stopped.
Errors in tax levies should be corrected
only through proceedings in the district
court. In some Of the northern counties
the railway pays from 75 to 80 per cent
of the taxes and stock men and others
have their taxes rebated, while in Grant
county the stock men and all others pay
their taxes. The present scheme in an
injustice.
Some legislation is needed on the cat
tie sanitary laws. The present laws are