The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1899-06-21
THE REDWOOD GAZETTE.
BY AIKEN E. SCHMAHL.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE Il, 1899.
NEED SOME OF OUR RAIN.
New Mexico Is as Dry as Puff
Ball-Corpus Christi Feast.


Ball-Corpus Christi Feast.
To THE EDITOR: With your per
EMISSION | will again remember thu
readers of your very interesting
paper with a short sketch descrip
tive of life and conditions as l view
them IN New Mexico-the land O
gold fOcks, fruit and sunshine
We have had no rain since about
the last days of March. Think o.
three months without rain during
spring time! The country is as
dry as a puff ball, and great forest
fires are raging in the mountains
around us. At first sight one would
suppose that there is not enough
timber in the mountains to feed a
forest fire, but the mountain canons
are filed with timber which burns
.Tesy readily in a dry time.
People in New Mexico wonder
why men venture into the far, far
north where the cold and storms
make life almost unbearable, in
quest of gold; when one of the finest
'mnerallzed portions of the globe, in
a land ofsunshine and genial warmth
lies practically untouched. 1t is
true that placer gold-the Door
man $ boon is not found here to
any extent, and that New Mexico's
mineral is found in the two sides
<of her rock ribbed mountains, re-
quiring much labor capital to get
them, but a great deal more could
be accomplished at mining in New
Mexico than is being accomplished
at g3Gescnt. Much of the territory
IS yet virgin and untouched by the
> hand Of civilized man. l think our
population of Spanish descent is,
IN measure, responsible for the
tack OF enterprise, but Americans
who have been here for some time
are lacking in energy and the quail
ties that go for the upbuilding and
elevation of community They ex-
cuse themselves on the ground that
ehey are SO outnumbered by the
natives that it is impossible to move
faster in the march of progress.
The Mexicano has a vague idea of
a free government, but the great
principle for which our forefathers
pledged their lives, their fortunes,
and their sacred HONOR has nc
meaning to the average Mexicano.
Many of the better educated, wealthy
and prosperous natives realize tC
the fullest extent the blessings Of
aour government and are an honor tc
the nation, but they are sadly in the
minority Our delegate to congress
Hon. Pedro Perea, is an able, ener
getic man, and also an incorruptiblt
patriot. When you read his name
1t is scarcely necessary for me t
add that he is native.
To-day the celebration of Corpu.
Christi Sunday is begun and will
continue for some weeks in SAINT;
Fe This. in the mind of the native
sahes precedence oyer the Fourth
of July and rivals Christmas ant
Easter Sunday. During this cele
bration the Mexicano prays 10
rain and is real good The Mexica
40 clings to the superstitious no
lions of his ancestors with as mucl
zeal as the Irishman clings to St
Patrick's Day. For instance,
wanted water with which to irrigat
my lot on the day proceeding thi
celebration. The major domo re
fused to turn the water into tn
esaquia, and in his simple hearte'
manner assured me that it woul,
rain the next day. | insisted on m.
right to the water and he gave me
look sufficient to melt the stoutes
Eaeart, and with the faith of Elijal
refused to give me the water. |
has not rained yet and to all ap
pearances never will. The majo
uomo continues to exercise hi!
faith and says that it must rain