Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-08-01
MUCH BUILDING AT pAoosA.
But Real Estate is Being Held Higher
Than k,fe

| way VI announcements una improve
ments. The year 1901 will note the
erection of goodly number of new
residences and two or three busi-
ness houses, but it is in the residence
line where the most activity prevails
A half dozen new homes are going
mp at the present time, three or four
of them handsome cottages. and CON
tractors inform us that 1t is difficult to
secure sufficient carpenters to do the
work The owners of real estate
however. appear To be doing much to
| retard the growth of the town. They
are holding real estate almost out Of
| reach. gentleman from New Mex
| leo. spending a few weeks here, had
an idea of making Investments and
erecting several residences for rent
ng purposes. but when II came to pur-
chasing lots he found them really out
OF sight. 1t may be that lot owners
may be able to reap benefits In the fu.
ture by holding on for big money, at
the same time 1t retards the growth of
the town as above stated. Resi-.
dence lots with similar location are
almost on n par with Durango.
AS indicated In former letter. the
county of Archuleta is forging to the
front and property owners evidently
count on rapid strides in the town,
many predicting population OF 1000
within the next eighteen months.
That this realization may prove true
we all hope. 1t is well to be san
guine, and the average Pagosaite is
full of this material. at any rate.
The one thing that retards the
growth of Pagosa more than anything
else is the policy of the company who
own the hot springs The owners re
side In Kansas City and are not push
ed for cash. hence they are holding
the property for big money. Local
capitalists met a short time since and
agreed to offer the company $C00O0
for the hot springs. Had the offer
been accepted, 1t was the intention of
organizing u company and improving
the property by the erection of suita-
BILE hotel accommodations and improv-
ed bath facilities. But the eastern
owners declined the offer with much
haste. The offer was not even given
a moments consideration. II is said
the rent of the present buildings more
| than pays taxes and insurance, with
small sum TO apply to interest ac-
count. and the owners are laboring
under the belief that in few years
the springs will he worth at least
$150.000. and probably sell for more
money. 1t would not he so bad. tr
no objection to ownership would be
made If the owners would only go
ahead and erect fine hotel which, no
doubt would prove paying invest
ment, as 1t would mean large tour
| st travel the year round, in order to
secure the benefits from taking the
baths. But there seems no likelihood
of anything of this kind from the pres
| ent owners. Landlord Patrick is now
making the most of what he has to do
with and is giving good satisfaction
| but he lacks room good deal of the
time and this fact is known to east
| erners. as those visiting Denver Col
orado Springs and Manitou always in
stitute inquiries concerning accommo-
dations before visiting an out-of-the
| way place. Mr. Patrick tries to and
does make it pleasant for all who
come this way and is deserving of
praise so far as he is concerned.
1t is said that years ago hot water
side of the river where the bridge
crosses the San Juan. This has now
| ceased to flow, probably owing to cor
osion. Cashier Collins of the Pagosa
bank, however. believes that the flow
of water passes under the ledge of
rocks, and to this end has received
concession from the city for the space
of twenty years for ground sufficient
to erect a large hotel in case the hot
water is discovered by the artesiaR
well which he is sinking. The par.
aphernalia is already in place and the
work of sinking will commence this
week. Some predict the hot water
flow will be encountered within 80
feet. at any rate inside of 200 or 500.
n distance Mr.. Collins is prepared U
sink in search Of the article. The
city gives him the ground free of rent.
al for the first three years. and then
at nominal rent of 800 year. the
contract being void If water is not
tapped In case water Is tapped it is
the intention to erect modern hotel
on the spot with tub and plunge baths
in the building. A hotel would be
erected now without the hot water but
it is regarded as losing proposition.
as il would have to compete against
the hot springs and a new hotel the
present company might erect. Thus
! il will be observed that an attempt is
| going to be made to improve the hotel
situation.
While there are quite a number Of
campers In the park, this class of tour
| st travel Is not as extensive AS II was
last year and years previous. This
is accounted for by many who al.ege
that those who camp come from the
surrounding country, embracing the
| Durango and San Juan county. n. M.
district, and that those who would
like to come here are busy with their
crops and cannot get away. But the
| hotel tourists are not as thick as last