Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-04
CHARM OF THE CITY
SCENERY, SUNSHINE, EoUABLE
CLIMATE AND GOOD WATER.
What Has Been Done by the Women
Collections of Antiquities-Career
of Manuel Reavis.
BY WILLIAM Z. CURTIS.

Fe in time to witness the celebration OF the
anniversary of La Sonora de Conquista-
dora. the oldest and the most strictly OBJ
served of all the feast days of The New
Mexicans; for 1t has a political and pa
triotic as well as religious significance,
and ii very interesting story is attached
Marcos de Mia, a Franciscan friar ex-
plored this country in 1888 and went TO
Zuni. In 1910 Coronado led his great expe-
dition as far as the Missouri river and oc-
cupied the country Santa Fe was then an
Indian pueblo called Tequayo, and in 1891
II was occupied by the Spaniards as seat
of government. under Juan de Onata. In
1900 Pedro de Peralta became the hrst gov
ernor Everything went on well until looo'
when the patient and peaceful Pueolos' eN-
asperated by the cruelty of the Spanlarus'
arose In a successful rebellion unoer tne
leadership of an Indian named flVa' 9uaa
Diego of Taos, another ln1ian' w"s -, , a
governor, The Indian had peen n',ue "
slave He had been driven from ms noiie
into the mines and compelled 10 90 S Iaool
that killed him in a few years. ne span
lard invaded his home. debaucheu MS lam
iIv and robbed him of everything he pos
sessed as we'll his liberty inns Mas
done under the liberation OF the cnu ~,
as well as by permission OF the eptii'"
throne. :. - .ar
When the revolution did occur 1t was ter
rible Thousands of men, women ana cli!i-
dren were masSacred. ChurcheS ana eoh
vents were burned down; the hoiy He'9 d
tbe yestments belonging to the church, ana
the records and archives of the govern,
ment.we destroyed, and the inoiahs VIZ, -
to obliterate every trace OF opaiIis S IA
and religion. Even the chlldreh WIN ma,
been baptized were taken to the river ana
thoroughly washed in order to remove al
traces of contamination. .,
Twelve years later, in 1872, the NlceroS
ar the CIV of Mexico sent Don Diego de
vargas. IA bold and crafty warrior, with
about three hundred mounted men, 10 re
cover authority. Don Dieso was ~ q '. a1
NOUS man and he brought with MIN AN
image of the Holy Virgin, about the size
of a three-year-oid child, and the images
of seven saints. When he reached the out
skirts Of the city of Santa Fe ne SCI up dii
altar on the sands, called all of his men
TO prayer, and. after high mass had been
celebrated he made vow, which was con-
that II the Holy Virgin would go with them
into the battle the next day and permit
them to recapture the city, they wouid
erect a chapel in her honor where the aitar
stood and they and their children ana theiT
children's children, so long one should
live would celebrate the anniversary with
proper formallt1es
Establishment of the Feast
Don Diego won the fight He captured
the city and slaughtered the Indians with
out mercy Then he kept his vow, and 1t
has been kept by his descendants and the
people of Santa Fe ever since. 1t Is called
1.-THE Feast of La Sonora de Conquista-
dora'-the Virgin of the Victory-and the
chapel was called La Rosario, IN recos-
milton of the vow.
About a hundred years ago the chapel
was burned. The image was saved. but
lost its head in the fire 1t was afterward
provided with new one, brought from
France. 1t is made of wax, with pink
cheeks, bright blue eyes and f1axen hair
like a pretty doll. Since the fire it has been
ken cathedral
which Don Diego de Vargas is buried. HIS
coffin is sealed up In the ancient walls be-
hind the altar: You can decipher the In
scription. So the soldier and the Image he
adored are under the same roof. The other
images scattered. Mrs. Prince wife of
the former chief justice, has two of them
IN her historical cabinet and the cloth
which spread upon the altar erected in
the desert-a beautiful piece of brown and
gold embroidery-hangs over her drawing
room door.
Ever since the chapel of La Rosario was
burned and rebuilt the image has been car
ried there from the cathedral on the ami
versary day, attended by all of the priests
and Catholic population of the city. 1t is
allowed TO remain at La Rosario for
week, and the next Sunday is carried back
again, attended by similar escort. to the
cathedral While the image is at La Ro-
sario the church is kept open every night
so that pious souls may go there to pray
and make vows
The Procession.
We saw the procession yesterday. Nearly
every one OF the Catholic population of
Santa Fe participated-men, women and
children. marshaied in battalions according
to the parishes to which they belong
band of music led, playing spirited airs the
children sang hymns and the priests read
from their prayer books as they marched
along through the dust, Little girls,
dressed In white, had baskets of flowers
which they scattered in the roadway in
front of the virgin, which was carried on
the shoulders of four men, The image was
dressed ike bride and wore costly Jewels
AT one time ii is said to have been very
rich and to have had lands and herds and
hocHs, and much treasure and jewels; but
the money has been. diSsipated and il has
little left but the love and reverence of
the people.
One of the most attractive features of
Santa Fe is the contrast between the old
and the new. In some respects ii is a very
modern city. Its educational facilities are
particularly good. The Catholics have n
number or notable institutions here. both
Tor young men and for young women and
Miss Katherine DreXel-'Mother RATHER
me has founded an industrial school for
girls There Is college for young men.
with high reputation, under the imme-
date care of the archbishop, who resides
here.
Santa Fe has greater social advantages
perhaps. than any other city in the terri
tory, although the removal of the military
headquarters was great loss in this re-
spect- The American colony numbers about
1000. while the rest of the population
about I00o-are Mexicans. The climate is
the great attraction. There is very little
difference In temperature during the entire
twelve months. II is summer as well as
winter resort, and the sunshine never
fails
Santa Fe needs a new hotel however
and some method OF laying the dust II
there were golf links and other means of
amusement more strangers would be apt TO
come here Invaids have found the ell
mate the best sort of medicine and in the
foothills of the neighboring mountains at
an altitude OF 1000 feet, an outdoor hos
pital has been founded for sufferers from
tuberculosis IL is a city of tents called
t"Sunmount." The scenery, sunshine, pure
water and other essentials are all there In
abundance, and the patients have nothing
TO do but eat and sleep and breahte the
remedies which nature has provided
New Mexico has a wel-organized immi-
grafton bureau with Mr.. Max Frost of this
city. editor of the New Mexican, as secre
tary. 1t has published great deal of in
teresting literature, descriptive of the re-
sources. climate, industries and conditions