Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-03-25

Of the Pecos-the finest fruit sections
Of the west.
There are eight large wholesale
houses, whose trade extends through
out the Territory, and into the adj
joining sections; while the volume nf
this trade. and the value OF the stocks
which they carry, cannot be duplicat-
ed wes- Of Kansas City and south OF
Beaver. Three merchants brokers
have selected the city as their dis
tributing center, the amount Of their
yearly sales exceeding, in the aggre-
gate, the combined sales Of all other
such brokers in New Mexico. The
retail merchants, of Las Vegas, are
more numerous, and carry larger n
better stocks of goods than do the =
tail merchants of n other town in
this Territory or Arizona.
The latitude is about the same as
that of central Tennessee, while the al
titude is nearly $500 feet. This com
bination gives a peculiar, but most
happy, result. In the winter, during
the day, the thermometer seldom falls,
in the shade, below forty degrees.
while it often runs IN the sunshine, to
sixty-five degrees-or even more. On
the other hand. in the summer, the
heat is never oppressive, in the shade,
and no night is too warm FOR cts,n-
Portable sleep, under n or Two
blankets. The sun will shine Ill
days out of eve ry ten. the year round.
This, with the extreme dryneSS or the
air, caused by the very slight precip-
itation OF moisture; the resinous aro-
ma, rolling down from the pine-clad
mountains; the large amount of elec-
tricity in the air, and the consequent
ozone resulting from the altitude; and
the location Of the town. land-lockei
by mountain and mesa--.hsse al con
spire to produce an atmosphere which
is a balm to all diseases of the respi-
ratory organs. The percentage Of
death from consumption is lower in
New Mexico than ir is anywhere else
in the United States; and 70 other
place in New Mexico excels Las Vegas
in the salubrity Of its climate. Asth-
mates experience Immediate ana per
manent relief. in this altitude.
a city hall, four public school build
ings, courthouse, Masonic temple, op-
era house, Territorial Normal school
and Territorial insane asylum and pub
lie buildings, constructed of red and
white sandstone, unsurpassed in beau
ty Iy similar ediices in any town, Of
equal size. in the states.
IN the way of health and pleasure
resorts, Las Vegas is unrivaled. In a
radius of twenty miles, in romantic
mountain glens and beside babbling
mountain brooks. are the Las Vegas
hot springs. Haryey's, FL Porvenir,
Blake's, Sparks Sapello, Rociada,
ard nfhnr r1ocoC fnn nnrpnrnnc fn
mention, where health can be recov-
the ennuye, the invalid. the over
worked business man.
Las Vegas has two daily and six
weekly papers. three banks. three
building and oar associations, six no.
tells. many boarding houses, nine
churches, a number Of clubs,
and all of the leading civic and
social societies; a roller -four mill,
capacity, fifty barrels per day;
five w~oll-scouring establishments,
cleaning 5000. 900 pounds OF wool an
nually; a well-ecuipped brewery ard
bottling establishment; 4 mandatory
of mineral and carbonated waters;
three wagon and carriage factories sad
die and harness factory; a foundry.
electric light plant, three planning
mills. and other enterprises of less i'm.
portance.
This Territory is rich in everything
iron, copper. coal. lead, silver, gold.
that constitutes the wealth of nations.
mica, limestone, sandstone. marbles,
gypsum, salt, soda in endless variety and.
exhaustless quantities. are among the
several products of the country which
Las Vegas commands. Sheep, cattle,
and lumber abound, SO hat In each
of these prime articles OF commerce
this city is the best market in New
Mexico. She handles more wool than
all the other towns in the Territory
combined. while her commerce in hides
is truly enormous In the same way.
she stands pre-eminent for her trade
in grains, hay, vegetables, and other
farm products; while her trade in ice.
gathered in the neighboring mountain
canyons, extends east into Kansas
west into Arizona, and south into Old
Mexico.