Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-04-15
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Saturday last We ssssptsd IN invitation
70 visit our old lllinois friend. z. o. Blair.
Of The chroaieis- News. Trinidad. During
The tve ysars sinse The last Wait ws
found that this great coal mining center
had made rapid strides and would nov
show alasost boom activity but Tor he
Notable among the rsssns public i'm
peovsmsnts 10 . hns electric line reach
ing many parts Of the city and several Of
the adjacent mining esmps- The early
opening Of the line for business will mark
an important era in TFinidsd's growth.
The Colorado Tsisphons cs. has Just
erected and moved into . commodlous
and elegant three-story building. equipped
with the very latest apparatus for the
rapid handling of the business Of over
1000 phones. Il is worthy Of special
mention that the company have placed all
their wires under ground at their own
motion.
a drive over the city showed large
amount Of building In progress and much
more will be started as soon as the strike
troubles cease. Considering that the coal
strike has been In progress FIVE months,
during much OF which time Trinidad's
leading industry has been almost com
pls,ely paralyzsd. the city shows a re-
msfkabls business activity.
The prevalence Of martial law Is no
hindranee to any legitimate business.
Whatever restrictions Msl Hill has pro-
mulga,ed are only for the restraint Of
mischief makers and the lawless. When
arms were made by strikers Just before
the arrival OF the national guards. the
wisdom and necessity Of tho presence Of
tho troops Is unauestioned. Thsir pres
snes even In small numbers 10 having =
most salutayy effect
The prospect 10 not good for the early
removal Of Ill the troops. Thsss seems
10 b no possibility Of an adjustmsat with
the minsss union. Ths coal companies
posision 10 that al The minss would b
working IN full force but for ths threats
and intimidation Of the stxiking niness-
The business interests Of the city sustain
this view. The companies will not rseog-
niss the Wsstsrn Federation Of Miners
but will gradually wear out the strike.
Outside Of minsrs union circles the general
feeling 10 that the business and prosperity
Of the city 10 bsing hindsrsd solely BY the
intimidation Of the strikers. II men who
want to work were allowed 70 do %
without annoyance or danger every mine
and every coke oven would b running
full time. Such bsins the situation Il is
not matter Of wonder that all nsgotia-
ions have been broken Oh with The un-
ions.
Maj Hills hrst action closing the sa-
looms has been modified. They are now
allowed TO DO open from =. m. TO p.
m. and these hours arc strictly enforced.
Whom one man. commanding handful Of
boys In blue coats. can make the saloons
observe the law. what excuse can the
authorities Of many towns and eitiss have
for allowing the saloons TO do absolutely
as they plsass9 The only reason why
saloon regulation and prohibitsry laws
arc not enforced is because tho authori-
tics do not try TO do their duty.
The Chronicle News Office we found
full Of business. having y fno run Of Job
printing and constantly adding new ma
chinery.
On tho return trip we had as a scat
companion Frank Bloom. president Of tho
Bloom Cattle Co., ono Of tho oldest and
largest cattle companies in tho west. It
has ranches near Trinidad and also in
Now Mexico and Montana. During tho
busy season SO cowboys are employed.
Tho number Of cattle owned, largely
Herofords and grades. Is impossible 10
tell until the spring round-ups show. how
tho winter has dealt with the widely
scattered herds.
Mr.. Bloom had many interesting facts
and "reminiscences relative 70 tho cattle
business and the conditions in Colorado in
tho later SOS. As passing Hoehne he
was remined OF a new industry there.
started by ]. M. Johns. Mr.. Johns has
substituted the cactus for alfalfa for stock
feed. He steams the plants and thus
makes them edible for the cattle. He
claims highly nutritious properties for the
repulsive cacti. The experiment is also
being tried Of singeing off the cactus spikes
as the housewife does spring chicken pin
feathers, and thus make the stalks avail
able for cattle food. But we advise Otero
county farmers to stick to alfalfa.
Mr.. Bloom says that the Sunfower
Valley farmers made great mistake
when they forced L. W. Babeock to move
his creamery to Rocky Ford by failing to
furnish the requisite amount Of cream.
Mr.. Babcook was paying them from $500
to 5000 per month but they did not ap-
preciate the value of such steady cash
income and allowed most valuable in
dustry to remove. The farmers around
Rocky Ford have some little better ex-
cuse-but not wholly valid one-for not
supporting the creamery. Here several
special crops can be cultivated to greater
profit than dairying. Nevertheless. the