Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-05-13
the Pueblos fear as much as they rev

sAS L lCdl 10 lIluCIl DIS luey rev
erence their mythical messiah.
The old town of Pecos was no doubt a
fortified pueblo of the Aztecs, and
stands to-day, as it stood for many CEN
turtles, upon a great rock, which bears
the shape Of a human foot. 1t was
founded, no one knows when, as there
are no records. 1t can be seen at the
left of the track, and farther down on
the right, 1000 feet from the car win
dow, a heap of adobe ruins which mark
he spot where Montezuma's church
stood. 1t can be plainly seen, but has
been stripped by the hands Of vandals
of everything except it's sacred memo
ries.
1t would be difficult to imagine a more
picturesque valley than that which
bears the Pecos village in it's bosom. 1t
is not only beautiful, but the soil is
rich, the grass superb, and there is
plenty of water for cattle and irrigation
purposes; the mountains are full of pre-
clous metals, and there are inexhaust-
IDLE mines, which need only capital and
energy to develop them. In the control
of men less indolent than the Mexicans
this valley would have been an Eden
hundreds of years ago, but it stands to-
day for a great part what it was when
it left the hand of the Creator, await
ing Yankee enterprise to awaken it to
life and develop it's richness.
1t is remarkable hal these Indian
villages are not visited more frequently
than they are by u own people, for
they contain more of interest than any
town in Egypt or Africa, where thou
sands are going Every year at great ex-
pense of time and money. Several of
the pueblos are conveniently located
with reference to the railroad, the cars
passing in sight of them, while others
are at a considerable distance, but ar
rangements can easily be made to reach
them by applying to the conductor of
the train.
The humor of the saloon-keepers
down this way finds expression in novel
signboards. "A gentleman's thirst par
Tor" is the latest and most remarkable
we have seen; but another and more
candid saloon-keeper advertises Nose
paint for sale" Suction s~ocials" are
held every evening at a certain mining
camp and 'larynx fabrication" is a new
term for taking a drink.
You've all heard of the inscription
that was found in an abandoned dugout
in North Dakota some years ago, but it
has been somewhat improved upon by
a New Mexican prospector who left in
his cabin the following inventory of his
situation:
Forty miles from a railroad.
Thirty miles from a post office.
Nearest neighbor, % miles.
Nearest wood twenty-three miles.
Nearest water foul miles.
Hell one-half mile.
God bless our home"
The railroads are making prepara-
tions for a large tourist business this
year. The National Educational Socie-
ty, which met last yea in Washington
and called together several thousand
! school teachers from different parts of
the country, will meet in July at Los
Angeles, and several other important
! associations will gather at different
points in California during the sum-
liner. In addition to these an unusual
amount Of pleasure travel is expected,
which is a direct result of the prosper
ity revival. The visitors to the far west
have been comparatively few for sever
al years, for pleasure travel is a luxury
which the majority Of people were not
able to indulge in.
To meet the demands Of this travel
boom, extensive preparations are being
made by the Santa Fe company. A
beautiful new hotel has recently been
| completed in connection with the rail-
way station at Fort Dodge, and anoth-
er even more extensive at Las Vegas.
The latter is a beautiful example of
the mission style of architecture, with
long, cool cloisters and Moorish arches.
1t is by far the prettiest hotel between
St. Louis and the Pacific.
A novel improvement recently adopt
ed by the Santa Fee company would be
a grateful boon to the patrons Of all
other railroads, east and west. Electric
fans have been fitted to the ceilings OF
the passenger coaches, dining cars and
Pullman sleepers. The motive power is
derived from an apparatus attached to
the axles and the electricity is gener-
ated and stored by the revolution of the
wheels. In this way summer travellers
will be furnished with fresh air when
and where 1t is most needed.
WILLIAM r. CURTIS.