Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-07-12

Jack a dull boy" was an accepted
saying long before penurious old Rus
sell Sage pretended to discover that
vacations are harmful. AT all events,
a little party of Las Vegans, acting
upon this old adage, on Saturday
morning shook the dust Of The Meadow
City from off their feet and headed
for Largo canyon toward the head of
the Gallinas, where the welcome
shade of the forest trees, the green
fresh foliage and the song of the rip
ling waters invite to rest.
The subscriber and his better half,
Mary Hoops, Irene Whitmore, Teresa
Long, Waldo Twitchell, Herbert Clark,
DO Long and Holman Hallett with Jim
Rivera for camp cook. made up the
party, with nor to come.
It will be observed that coming to-
gether for a weeks outing, not by any
order of material selection. but by a
general and common impulse, here is
a crowd, both grave and gay, youth
and old age, students, poets and phil
osophers, joining in a hunt for pleas
ure in the wilds OF the nearby Rock
mountains.
Many are the regrets expressed that
others are not with us, but il il could
be so, Las Vegas would be d~epopulat-
ed.
When | was a boy, they We're all
kids then, a prolific subject of dis
cussion in the boys debating socie-
ties, was where is the most pleas
ure. in possession or anticipation"
Applied to a camping trip it might
be changed and stated this way: IN
which is most pleasure, in preparation
or possession"
To some good coul, ! might men
tion my n~eighbor Whitmore as prom
inetn among them whose more real en-.
joyment is found in preparation. Di-
verting, I often think ii there is any
man on this big round world who en-
joys more than an other getting ready
for camp life, it is Major WhiImore.
It's a real luxury to see his method
ical preparation and when he is there
everything is in his mess chest. from
a ginger snap to snake bite medicine.
Speaking Of snake bite. there is not
an ounce Of prevention or cure in
this camp. but it may be the new
recruits, or the '~'neighbors." will
bring in a supply.
Mr.. Hallet, with the lines, Herbert
Clark at the brake, and Waldo Twitch-
ell commander in chief, started out
at half past six, en- the chuck wagon,
loaded with onions, a choice quality
of chilli, smoking tobacco, paragoric.
cold flcin Jacks. baled alfalfa and
"vittals" generally.
At 10 O'Clock the remainder uf the
crowd left for camp, and others to
come Tuesday.
The sun was intensely hot, and the
day clear, but the hope Of good things
beyond made the ride enjoyable.
The trip was over the great Scenic
Route. and 1t is a marvel Of engin
eering and workmanship.
In the structure genial Steve Pow
ers. for he was the engineer, has ar
enduring monument.
From its elevation, the scenery
along the winds and turns, will com
pare favorably with the finest IN
Switzerland, so | have heard exper
fenced travellers say.
Truly, In our Incompatible eli
mate, in our Scenic Route, the Pecos
park, in the pure water, and the hooks
and n Of the Rockies. Las Veg
as has an asset which. properly adver
tised, will lead on to fortune.
AT 4 o'clock. Just at our old camp
where Doc Olney has told more fish
and fishy stories, than any othei
young man in New Mexico. We found
the advance guard waiting.
Bo was our driver and he Was Sc
tender of the cabellos that the chucl
wagon went faster than We did.
We found our .'old camp ground
somewhat changed. Many of thu
large and fine %evergreens were gone
but II is noticeable that the whole
country is densely covered with fresi
young trees. rapidly coming on, OF al
sives and varieties.
There was a tine when the old sur
veyors supposed they knew, where thu
west line of the Las Vegas grant wal
located on the grant, and at that time
acting on their information. / bough'
a tract Of ground, beautifully locat
ed. for camping purpose, and addet
a house TO the one I bought. and fol
many years myself and family found
rest during the hot summer days a
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