Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1902-03-29
SHOPS At SANTA ROSA.
Rock Island viii Greatly Aid the
Growth OF Santa Rosa.

Growth OF Santa Rosa.
From the Topeka Journal.
Santa Rosa. y NJ. is sure TO grow
into substantial little city of the
plains II has been made the division
point of the Rock Island railroad II be.
ing the point whore the Rock Island
made connection with the III Paso 4
Northeastern railroad
The present townsitc of Santa Rosa
is about throc-quarters of a mile from
the old town of Santa Rosa. where
stands the old Catholic church and the
few adobe houses that comprised the
town while il was only station ON the
irDigl ting trail from Las Vegas TO Fort
Sumner.
1t is at the old town of Santa Rosa
near the old church, whore stands the
adobe house of Cclso BuCa. the wealth
TEST land owner of that section. Years
ago BaCa secured a land grant Of sew
cral thousand acres for which he still
holds tho patent. The land for the
toWnsitc was purchased from him 10y
the Alamogordo Improvement com
pany. and divided into town lots.
The population of the town is now
estimated at about GOO. II Is "A very
new town and tho depot has not been
completed. The place will probably
grow within a year TO tvicc its present
size and its possibilities in the future
are hard TO guess. Santa Rosa viii Ice
pushed 10 the front by the Rock Island
perhaps more than any other town
alun. the line with the exception of
Cloudcroft II is at this point that the
Rock Island viii estahlishe its car re-
pairing and erecting shops for the ter
ritory south OF Dalhart. Texas.
III. Ir.ithf Fanet has I,4p prtGG sl
+ into use as the passenger station.
pending the completion of the station.
and the telegraph office has been main.
/ tanned In a couple of box cars standing
/ on q siding near the freight depot
\ great many of the wOrkmcn en-
/ ployed in the railroad work AT this
point are Topeka people.
The new round house has not vet
/ been completed. II is being built oil a
fine grade OF white stone and viii
. have ten stalls.
The matter of securing desirable
water has proven a great annoyance AT
Santa Rosa Pure water is found in
abundance few miles from the town,
but until the present time the drills
nave failed TO get good water.
Only short time ago oil was struck
IN the hole bored on the Rock Island
right of way. The oil only showed a
trace but il was enough To spoil the
water The drill is being pushed farth.
or down at the same place in the hopes
that good water will hc found AT n
greater depth. and that the well may
he cased To get rid of the oil.
one of the natural curiosities of the
place is the apparently bottomless lake
at the summit of rugged hill half
mile from the passenger station The
water in the lake. although alkali, is as
clear as crystal. and rock thrown
into the water may he seen for over a
minute of time as il sinks to the bot
tom.
Standing on a high promontory
above the hill where the lake is stuat
ed "A pretty view is had of the valley
between the two rows OF peaks tha'
comprise the paiarita mountains. a
little stream of water winds around
and leads to the lake. And from the
lower portion It runs over and on dow
b the hillside. watering the fields be
= meath.
b rho and is more fertile about Santa
, Rose than II Is AT many poii,ts alonl
the new Rock Island snort line. The
p hillsides are covered TO "A certain eN
! tent with a short brush and shrubbery
II is claimed oil In paying quantitie'
has been discovered about five miles
; from the town of Santa Rosa, and PEG
ple owning land theEeahouts are great
2 iy worked mp over the discovery. Ma
! chinery has been ordered from the cas-
and great preparations are being mad'
) to develop the oil industry.
p Northeast of Santa Rosa about
mile is where the Rock Island encoun
.. tered the heaviest work IN blastnl
5 through the solid rock To bring tn
! roadhed down TO a level grade. For
2 distance of nearly mile the conhic'
: ing projections were blasted away 10
y a depth of from 20 To 81 feet.
r Santa Rosa has one main huslnes
r street nearly half a mile long. Seal
; tered over the prairie on either side O
I the main street are the residences q
> the people who form the permanent II
/. habitants.
1 Hotel accommodations at Sant
: Rosa are limited, as is the condition /
!. most of the new towns. In many "
. stances II costs a dollar to get co
: Oftentimes these are used under yer
unfavorable circumstances.