Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-12-08

occasional deer were seen In the near
by Mesa Apache,
Not yestige OF the costly iron
bridge which formerly spanned the
Pecos al Anton Chico Is to be seen,
the last remnant OF the structure hav-
ing been swept away by the tremen-
dous floods OF last September Ruin
by that unprecedented rise of the
river is seen ON al. sides in bitches
destroyed, fields covered with sand
and gravel and soil completely washed
away in many places. But the peo-
pie are already reconstructlny their
acequias and repairing damage as fan
as possible,
At Casaus We saw the foundations
laid with great care and cost by the
late Teodoro Casaus for the chape. ne
purposed building as a mausoleum and
memorial for himself and wife. The
end came 10 the respected old citi-
zen before he was ready and his bones
were carried 20 the church at Anton
Chico while the walls BE began to rear
vii remain in testimony OF the uucer-
tainty OF life and the plans oi men
After crossing the river at Bado
Juan Pals, (Ford OF Country John.
freely translated the road strikes out
upon the broad plain dotted at long in.
teryals by lakes Of considerable size
reminders of the great September
down-pour These lagoons vii con
tain water for a year 10 come and viii
render available much grazing area
which in a dry year cannot be utilized
because Of distance from watering
places
From this point the road rises grad.
ually to The Mesa Guadalupe bold
prominence IN the wide landscape.
whence had my last view ofThe Her.
mit and sunny Del Cico, seventy
miles away to the northwest Here a
flock of sheep was grazing and, from
a visit with tho herder, The mounted
mail carrier of Las Colonias on the
Pecos rode out to meet us and eX
change pouches He took his solitary
way down the long canyon toward the
river while we rolled on down the IN.
cline toward deep lagoon where the
next change Of horses was to be made.
The fiery steeds were standing, not
exactly champing their bits but with
long ropes around their necks await
ing our coming. One was a little
mare with a foal by her side, the ota
or a wid-eyed beast that had baeA
newly caught up from the prairie. She
made serious objection to harness.
bride or restraint of any sort Ent
by patient perseverance she was at
last hitched to the stage. was bade
to get up behind" and the drivers as
sistant stood ready for the next per-
formance still holding the long rope
that remained around the animals
neck. The driver mounted and gath
cred the reins and then at a signal
the assistant leaped to the seat ar
we were OF, the untamed beast rear.
ing and plunging wildly bur held we'll
to the road and urged ahead.
Thus we made the twenty miles 70
the verge Of the long descent at Santa
Rosa in gallop gaining all the time
lost In hitching up and more beside.
As darkness was descending we fori-
ed the Pecos and at the moment we
were entering the town the two pas
senger trains, one from the south over
the high bridge. the other out of tha
deep cut through the great hill on the
north rolled into the station with
the lights blazing from all the win
dows OF the many cars, passengers
crowding upon the platforms, train
men rushing here and there. supper
calls issuing from the dining room
where violin and piano were making
music for the diners---all producing
a scene Of animation and brilliancy
that formed a striking contrast to the
scene of wild solitude through which
the stage journey had been finished.
Here was taken in hand by Juan
Trujillo, superintendent of the Ilfeld
warehouse at this place, and made
warmly welcome TO the city OF Santa
Rosa and the best entertainment 1t af-
fords.