Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-03-30
CAUGHT BY TROLLEY.
An Optic Reader Writes Up the
scenes Along the Line.

To the Editor OF The Optic.
K. Las Vegas, March ga ride
to the hot springs on the electro cars
had the effect today of bringing fOrci-
bly, before the writer many IDEAS OF
the great prestige this modern means
OF transportation will give to the city.
Boarding the car at the Santa Fe
depot, we collectively speaking there
were sixty on the carl hasned up
Lincoln avenue and Sixth, past the
San Miguel bank and the Crockett
block, turned down Douglas avenue,
and arrived at the Bridge street depot
in little more than half a minut
Here the car, with a whirl, after stop
ping only a moment, started up the
Springs track. On looking over the
heads of numerous passengers toward
the west, as the a spun along at a
twenty mile clip, the ripping CALI
mas, with its shimmering limped wa
tiers, close beside the track. brought
visions of speckleL beauties to be
reached via the electric motor, when
the summer comes, while the difei-
ent back grounds, a. the distance
was overcome, spur a web OF dreams
of greater Las Vegas. On the west
side next the hog back of rocks n
trees, where h boulevard wends its
way. was noticed the beautiful Ray
nolds and Spiess mansions, with the
numerous shaded homes OF lesser
grandeur. On past these we fitted,
passing the beautiful insane asylum
grounds backed with the mammoth
white stone and red brick structures
which harbor the Territory's unfor-
tunate, to the railroad hospital where
- c--&- ~ vr~nI ArnntrUnG
breathe the health giving air, while
recovering from some dire accident,
or are soothed to their last rest by
the pine laden breezes. Here a short
stop is made and shifting our position
we look to the east. Back OF us on
the outskirts OF the city, now left
well behind, looms the st. Anthony
s%anitarium which, under the careIul
nursing of the sisters of charity, has
nursed many unfortunate t~enderfoot
back to a life of usefulness to help
build the growing west. 1t is q fact.
once here and well the east loses its
charm and they become part OF tao
great mountain subdivision OF the
country.
A little further up is seen the huge
adobe outlines OF the old santa re
stage station, which harbored hardy
guests in the days before the railroad
Further up the country seats OF sever
al native Sheepmen whose f1eecy
herds enable them to live in ease ant
comfort, while directly opposite lie:
the town of Upper Las Vegas, where
dwelt the first settlers of the valley
long before the pushing American nae
come with his modern innovation ant
strenuous methods to disturb h at
ternoon siestas of the care free inhaD
itants. Here the beautiful home Q
Hon. Frank A. Manzanares was point
ed out, which, with its large expan
of orchard and shade tree, brOugn
dreams Of a medieval past, when Tn
I, word OF the don was law, and tn
shepherd tended his flock in peacefu
assurance that there was one near o.
who would look after all the care
and worries. Here also live the Bac
l family, whose hardy fo~refathers wer
the great men of the country, eve
: back to the time of Cortez.
I, On again we speed, through La
Vigiles. another outlaying suburb,p pas
: alfalfa field and orchard, until with
. whirl and grinding of wheels on Tn
steely rail we round the curV
through the huge cash cut by natur
!. in the great rocky hog back and Tn
Montezuma looks down from its hill
, eminence, and for a time exclude
all other dreams, in the contemplate
OF natures and mans handlwork, as
i lies here completedd for the 'oenel
: of the pleasure and health
On alighting from the car and wall
ing through the parks and up the cal
Won past h numerous steamln
I%springs of h~ealth-giving waters tn
! thought came that the advent OF tn
electric cars had advanced the us'
e fulness OF this beauty and health spe
e ten years over the old system
while the continuance of he line u
! the canon to the heart Of the moul
!, tains, will make Las Vegas the pee
of Manitou and Colorado Spring.
almost before we wake to the realiz'
tim of the fact.