Milford chronicle., 1905-11-17
4 FAMOUS BUILDING.
where General Lew wallace Wrote
Part of ssHen-Hur.v


Where General Lew Wallace Wrote
Part of "Ben-Hur.v
Associated with the name of Genera
Lew Wallace and with that of his mos
famous book is the name Of the Oldest
building on the continent, which has
been continuously occupied as a seat
of government since its erection. This
IS the governors palace, which bounds
one side Of the plaza in the center of
the city Of Santa Fe. Unlike the Old
South church. Mount Vernon, and 9th
er historic buildings which have been
saved from destruction only by con-
version into museums, the palace has
never once ceased to be the seat of
authority since New Mexico was a
crown colony of Spain. Spanish vice
roys, Mexican governors and territorial
governors sent from Washington have
all lived there
1t was as governor Of the territory
that General Wallace occupied the
house in 1S79-S0, and in the great, ram
bling old adobe structure there is one
room called the "Ben-Hur' room. The
author was known to have written a
part of the book there, and when the
novel became famous former Governor
Bradford Prince, who has had a life
long interest in the historic features Of
New Mexico, wrote to General Wallace
for confirmation of the fact General
Wallace's reply, which has been pre-
served in Santa Fe, said:
when in the city my habit was to |
shut myself up in the bedroom back Of |
the executive Office proper and write
till after u o'clock. The sixth. seventh
and eighth books were the result and
the room has ever since been associ-
ated in my mind with the cruciaxion.
The retirement, impenetrable to sound,
was as profound as a cavern's."
The force Of the reference can be un-
derstOOd when one observes the thick
ness of the mighty adobe walls which
have lasted so many generations. 1t is
a perfectly unpretentious building,
very long and only one story high. The
visitor is astounded at the spacious I
ness of the interior 1t has scores of
immense rooms, each warmed by the t
quaint three cornered fireplace copied {
from the Pueblo Indians, and fired.
like theirs, with the resinous pinon u
boughs, which make the brightest and
most beautiful Of flames. e
Vast loads of these pinon bOughs go Il
about the streets of San W
"a Fe, apparently without any motor 3,
lower. But if one looks closely he may
discover the legs and nose of a sad lit Iii
lie Mexican burro protruding from IN
he mass. And in making his bargain ye
With the bright eyed Indian boy who w
companies it he will decide that the ha
uel trade in Santa Fe has picturesque 20
eatures denied TO a load of coal dump I'll
d through hole in the sidewalk. a
A skylight in the roof of the building on
t one point has a curious history. In raj
$50 the Pueblo Indians rose against erl
le Spanish invaders and drove them VIC
mporarily from the country. The as
Danish garrison was massed in the ma
palace which they evacuat- Out
on Aug. 20 of that year. Great was A
e triumph of the Pueblo chieftains for
hen they gained possession of the No
Hiding from which the commands for wo
cir government had so long emanat- for
They burned the Spanish archives CHI
vast bonfire, but preserved the pal for
e to be the residence of their chiefs pra
It the Pueblo Indian from time i'm kin
,morial has entered his house from all
roof, drawing the ladder up after por
n when there are enemies without. MOI
e may see such houses today in the mac
noter PueblOs Of New Mexico. So be
conquering Indians Of 1860 closed the
the doors Of the palace, reared lad the
$ outside and cut hole in the roof
IL preserved as a skylighD for their
is and entrances.-New York Press. A,