Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-04-17

Special Correspondence New Mexican.
Tucumcari, April 13.-The trip from
Torrance to Tucumcari Is not as monot
.onous as might be anticipated. While
the Rock Island roadbed in New Mexico
is almost perfectly level there being M
grade at any ps u aboNst one-half pc
cent and no curve greater than four de
grees, yet, on one side or the other or a
times on both sides of the train there
are mountains in sight and the view
from the railway is sufficiently varied
to hold the attention. It is true, that
between Torrance and Tucumcari, the
country is altogether grazing range
tural patch or a little stream in sight
yet it does not give the impression of a
desert or of even being a very arid re-
gion. Cattle and sheep look well and a
number Of new settlements are spring
ing into existence.
At Pastura oil Is being drilled for and
at other points the Rock Island has well
drilling outfits at work and the water
question has been practically settled by
the finding Of good water at every point
excepting Santa Rosa or Torrance The
traffic over the New Mexico division Of
inc, Rock Island is extraordinarily hea-
Wy. The traveller is especially Impress
ed by the long string of big gondo1a
cars loaded with coal from the Dawson
coal fields. The coal appears to be Of an
especially fine quality, passenger trav-
ell is also very heavy and it is no won-
der, for the trains are finely equipped,
the service is good, extra powerful en-
gines are used and the trains go spin
ming over the level and solid roadbed at
a greater speed than the trains on any
other railroad in the southwest. Tn or
der to secure good grade there are
many heavy rock and sand cuts and
high bridges. @
TOWN OF SANTA ROSA.
The only town Of Importance be-
tween Torrance and Tucumcari is San
ia Rosa, which is picturesquely and
prettily situated in a gulch whose
banks lead down to the Pecos river in
which at present there is a good vol.-
ume of water. An imposing railroad
bridge crosses the stream here high
above its level. The fine depot, an eat
ing house and round house are among
the improvements erected by the rail-
way company at Santa Rosa. Unfor-
tunately, thus far, the search for good
engine water has been futile. There Is
any amount of water in and around
Santa Rosa, but it is all tainted with
gypsum. At the ranch of Celso Baca, a
short distance from Santa Rosa, is
most beautiful crystal like, but it's wa
ter too, is impregnated with alkah.
There is no doubt that good water Will
be eventually found,at Santa Rosa, but
the formation Is so broken that thus far
every attempt to drill for it has been
a failure, the drill slipping on the tilt
ed rock strata. With the erection OF a
court house and the establishment OF
the county offices at Santa Rosa, the
town will make substantial gain that
will place it among the big towns of
the territory.
TUCUMCARI.
Everyone who writes of Tucumcari
naturally speaks of the peculiarly shap-
ed hill that gave its name to the town.
Tucumcari means "squatty mountain"
and the hill is round mesa high above
the surrounding plains and hills with
massive talus on all Sides The town
site is at the foot of the hill. The town
has been laid out with wide streets and
on good grade, the lots being sold by
the Tucumcari Townsite and Invest
ment Company, of which Colonel I. W..
Heman, the old veteran, although he by
no means looks old, is the hustling rep
resentative, he having sold $50 lots In a
very short time. When 1t is considered
that Tucumcari is only Is months old,
founded on a plain, no better or no
worse than the vast area of land around
it. 1t is indeed remarkable that it Is
now substantial settlement Of 1,100
people and still growing. New houses
are going up on every side and any
town could be proud Of the fine busi-
ness blocks now under construction, one
Of these a two story brick building
trimmed with stone, the stone coming
from a big quarry on Mount Tucumcari,
and the brick having been burned near
tho town. is the one owned by the First
National bank
Among other stone buildings
going IN is a large store for the Gold
enburg Mercantile Company: The con-
tract for a two story brick business
block to >adjoin the bank building has
been let. Tucumcari has an excellent
telephone system. Although the tele-
phone company was only recently or
ganized by Colonel Heman, there are
already 66 telephones in use.
WATER AND ELECTRIC LIGHTS.
Colonel Heman has also organized a
water and electric light company and
. to his efforts 1t Is due that the town has
solved the vexatious water problem
successfully. The Rock Island Railroad
Company had drilled at three differen,
places and while 1t found good waterit
was all In quick sand. It was a criti.