The Columbus weekly dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1902-1905, 1903-10-15
From Wednesdays Paper.
From the Far West.
RUDoso, n. NJ,
October B, 1903.
EDITOR OF THE DISPATCH.
Col14rr1 Inns Miss


DEAR SIR-Thinking perhaps
letter from me would be OF
some little interest to you, I will
attempt to describe some Of my
travels since [ left Colum bus.
Being advised that d trip out
West would benefit my health I
left Columbus July 4th, going to
Birmingham, thence to Mem
phis, from there to Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma, via Springfield,
Mo-, and went through some OF
the finest far ming country l eyer
saw, from Oklahoma City to
Captain, n. NJ, the end of my
travels by rail. I took a private
conveyance to Ruidoso, some
twenty five miles south, at which
place | have spent most of my
time since being in Mexico.
This postoffice and store, the
home of my relative, is situated
in Lincoln county near the Rui-
dose river at the base of the
White Mountains, the highest
mountains in New Mexico and
among the highest in the United
States, being $4,000 feet above
sea level. The forests by which
we are surrounded abound in
game, such as turkeys, deer, of
the black and white tail species,
bear, as we'll as small game of all
kinds. The streams abound ia
speckled and mountain trout in
their pure and original state.
The Mexican Apache Indian
reservation begins a half mile
from here. This reservation was
created and set aside by procla-
nation of President Grant in
1872 for the Mescalew, Apache
and other friendly Indians that
might from time to time be plac.
ed there. 1t consists of 475, 900
acres of Ontero county. The
tribes mum Der about $50 men,
women and children, who were
formerly a very war-like and an
civilized people, and were last of
all the tribes to surrender. They
are friendly and peaceable now,
realizing their helpless condition
to fight the government. But
they realize, know and claim
their God given rights to the
country and speak of it in very
sensible way. They say You
have conquered us and subdued
us, but we are not afraid. " I'm
der the management of the pres
ent agent, Mr.. Jas. A. Carroll,
they have made wonderful prog
ress in farming and other lines.
Their children are being educat-
ed and kept at the Agency and
we'll fed, clothed and looked after
by the matron and teachers in
charge.
Mr.. J. w. Prude, my cousin,
is United States licensed trader
for the Indians there, so / visit
ed there quite often and mingled
among them talking with many
of the old ex-warriOrs, their
children and grand children, rid
ing over the mountains and learn
ing their habits and customs,
which are fast fading away I'M
der the light of civilization, and
so different from anything in my
far away Southland.
I have visited several towns in
the surrounding country. Ala
magordo, Tularosa, Cloud Craft,
and others, and although my
letter is little lengthy will tell
you something of this beautiful
place. Cloud Craft is a beautiful
scenic summer resort in the
heart of the Sacramento Noun
tains with an elevation of 5000
feet, surrounded by forests of
fine fir and native growths. Here
you find the most beautiful varie-
ties of ferns and wild flowers
that has ever been my pleasure
TO see. In fact, the tim bered
portion of New Mexico seems to
be one immense flower garden.
One collector of flowers gather
ed over 500 varieties. Cloud
Craft is appropriately called
THE breathing spot of the
Southwest. THE roof garden of
the desert.
/ would like to tell you of the
other town, Alamagordo, which
is a wonderful little town of 4, 900
inhabitants, laid off and built in
1898 in desert, inhabited by
cayotes, wolves, rattle snakes, as
well as jack rabbits and tarantu-
las, but I must hurry on.
Tularosa is a typical Mexican
town, fifteen miles north of Ala
magordo tbs an old town or
plaza with buildings of adobe or
mud brick but beautifully laid
OF. having been surveyed by
Maj. Murphy ofthe United States
army.
This country is without ques-
ton the healtbiest in the world.
The United States government
has certainly taken this view of
the matter when FIT. Stanton, an
abandoned army most was ron