The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-08-31
Boss Place to Build Up
nan Iuan Gounty q Mocea for Men
VITA ere COW and Heaps %
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Nerve.
Alontraz. Sac Juan county, New Mex
leo, August. loO0-Dear INDEx Know.
ing that you take a pride 10 the agricul-
tural. fruit raising and stock interests
Of the county and seldom seeing any.
thing from this part Of the county. 1
thought I would write something which
viii rrDbaoly and its way to the waste
basket, IL not, Il might be Of some help
20 the new conner who wants to cast his
lot with the farmers Of this comfy.
While the language or punctuation is
not equal to that Of Kipling. or a Ben
nett, nor Rs howory as the letter Of
"Bluebelr which appeared 10 The In
pEK Of one year ago, it may contain a
few plain facts that might be help to
some other new comer.
Ny home for twenty years had been
10 Lac Animas county. Colorado, com
ing from Sabine, Texas. to that place,
and at various times having read and
heard OF Farmington and San Juan
county, and not having much to keep
me there or to move away. il was an
sasy matter TO pull up stakes and emil
CRATE and the object Of tbis letter is to
tell what one man can do in a year in
San Juan county What have done
any other man can do under like cir
cumstances. One year ago came down
the bill to the San Juan river with my
COW tied behind the wagon; when l got
to Aztec We made rather poor appear
ancs. I met some men there that treat
cd me very clever and asked nae to stop
there but having Farmington on the
brain could not stop. After buying a
few things we pulled out and met a
party Of young folks on the road who
made the remark that is hard outfit.
We got 70 Pennington on Sunday after
noon and found Mr.. Shidler who lot me
turn NY horses 10 his pasture and LET
me stop 10 an old house that was very
comfortable, I found Mr. Shidler one
OF the cleverost Of men. On Monday
morning Mr. Shidler loaned me his bug.
gy aud started cut to find a place to
live, we entered Pennington, the most
lovely little town I ever saw and very
kind people; beautiful shade trees; pure
clear water 10 the bitches, fruit on
bveryhand. 10 say that felt good is
putting il mildly. Well drove down
below town and saW a man working on
hay rack, stopped to talk with him
and told him that I wasted TO lind q
small ranch to rent that was delighted
with the country and wanted to live in
i. He said he was 10 u hurry and did
not have time TO talk with me but un.
Ices I had money I would find this q
hard place to live, but directed me to 90
English gentleman who had two or three
f8rma but not being able 70 deal with
him 7 went across the river. bought some
melons found q shade, and had q picnic
In the afternoon 1 saw some more men
one man wanted me to grub some land
and another wanted ne to take out q
ditch, another wanted me to build g
hOuee after knocking around fow days
reluctanly left there and came back to
Astec.
1 will never forget the men who
held out the hand OF fellowship The
first man will mention is Judge Pendls
ton, who said, you stop here a few daye
and We will get you any kind OF a place
you want g. w. Mccoy took me out to
his fine home and even Invited thiu
scribe to come in aud eat at his table.
Met Col. Williams, who eaid 70 me, II
you work aud behave yourself you can
do we'll here. know Of no place that is
better tOF the hOnest farmer, you stop
here,he aaid,a aud prove worthy aud will
help you all can. Fred Bunker,
DR.. West and various others gave me
words OF encOuragement.a all OF those peO-
pie have soft place in my heart. Sub
sequently leased a large farm on the
San Juan river aud went to work.
did not bother my neighbors, no person
saw me Ut the Ba,oOns, Of which this
HS.ghborhOOd has had several, neither
did they see me at the dances here,
but when anybOdy passed the ranch
thsY saw Collins at work. The result
was when spring came all the bitches
were cleaned, the brush cut and burned.
the orchard cleared and plowed aud ir-
rigated. the fences repaired and today
think / have the finest crop pof com 10
the county. The second cutting OF at
falla is in the Btack.the ground irrigated
for the third crop, my wife has raised
two hundred chickens, from the old COW
that was tied to the wagon We had
plenty Of milk and butter. The orchard
il hanging full OF fruit. we have 3 good
garden. took thirty pounds Of honey
from Que stand Of bees this morning.
We get all the fish We want from the
river, have a fine patch OF melons aud
tomatoes. Who Eould not live in San
Juan county, Rsspiy,
WA. COLLGHs.