Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-10-12
FIRST SAW GREAT
WEST IN 1847
Followed the Tide Of Ciyiliza-
tiOn as the Railroads Pence
trated the Empire Of
the Southwest.

Perhaps the most interesting per-
son who has visited Las Vegas in
many years Is William Bernard, Of
what he still refers to as Westport,
and which formed the nucleus out
Of which sprang the great city at the
mouth of the Kaw. now Familiarity
known the world round as Kansas
City. even II 1t is in Missouri.
Mr.. Bernard Is here on visit to
relatives and is the guest while In
the city OF Mr.. and Mrs. Secundino
Romero. MRS. Romero Is his niece,
as are also Mrs. Cleofes Romero,
Mrs. Pablo Jaramillo and Misses Stel.
la, Fannie, Ella and Maggie Bernard,
of this city VIM. Bernard. who was
named for him, is nephew. TO say
that the old, or rather young-old gem
tleman, Is enjoying himself is putting
IL lightly, as he is in such vigorous
health. In spite Of his four score and
. one years that he cannot help finding
, much to interest him In the many
forms of entertainment provided by
his charming nieces In referring
| to his age, Mr.. Bernard jocularly re-
marked that he was only eighty.one."
He Is such man as one would Judge
was very much like the venerable, but
/ hale, hearty and vigorous nominee of
the Democrats for vice president must
| be.
Dominion state. where he was born
In the Shenandoah valley In 1928. He
received n good education and learn
ed the profession of civil engineering
| and later utilized his knowledge In
assisting to run the boundary line be-
/ tween Michigan and Wisconsin.
From the surveying field he was
attracted by the golden opportunity
/ offered TO engage In supplying the
| great western trade and In lS47 went
to Westport and that year, with an
other noted western pioneer, Col. Al
bert Boone, established large Indian
trading post which after the close Of
the Mexican war began to do a large
part Of the business which for years
passed over the Santa Fe trail. He
was also later associated with f. x.
Aubrey, one of the men who laid out
the route for the Union Pacific road
to and over the Rocky mountains, and
was well acquainted with that great
western developer, Senator Thomas
Benton, who. Mr.. Bernard says, pos
sessed one OF the most remarkable
memories and the greatest store Of
knowledge pertaining to things bear.
Ing on the west a. well 81 generally,
OF any man he ever met. Mr.. Ber-
nard's partner, Boone, was one Of
the early settlers and founders Of
Pueblo. Colorado and the man who
pointed the way for the Denver l.
Rio Grande railroad through the
mountains. whose many intricate pas
ses had been made familiar TO him
through many years Of constant trav-
el to far western places where the
firm did business. AT the time Of
! the starting OF the business at West.
port the late Joab B. Bernard, father
, OF the Bernard's OF this city, was q
boy. but found his way west in the
, promotion Of the business, and came
here shortly after the civil war.
Mr.. Bernard, after the building Of
the railroad west of Westport, fol-
lowed the road and continued the
conduct OF the business for many
years. From the time of the estab-
lishment Of the business at Westport
the firm supplied in part almost all
{ OF the prominent families and mer-
camille dealers OF the Territ0ry-the
) Romero's, Otero's, Perea's, Armijos,
: Baca's and others, as many as sixty
: different Baca's being counted on the
+ books Of the company as customers at
one time and as high as 2.o00 &C
counts with western families and
firms appearing thereon.
} Sometime after the building Of the
fContinued m pn1n gl