Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-08-17

Excepting one green valley away tt
the southwark, adown which pleasan
vistas open, Ration looks most un
promising from an agricultural stand
point. Heavy.foliaged trees, there are
In abundance in the city, and occasion
ally a lawn and an attempt at q gar
den, evergreens dot the hillsides, but
Of farm lands there is the merest trace
The man who passes through Ration
depending for bis impressions upon
what his eyes can see fron the train
Is ant to give erroneous impressions OF
the agricultural conditions. Within q
short distance Of Ration are many OF
the finest and most fruitful farms OF
New Mexico.
Gazing eastward and northward
the Barela and Johnson's mesas rise
steeply for 5000 and 10000 feet
Scraggly brush, with here and there
a patch of grass. clings TO their pre-
cipitious sides. "No chance for farm
ing there" says the observer. Sc
thought the early settlers of Ration
But could the eye carry over the sum
nit to the broad beautiful lands
stretching away for miles, what a
sight would meet the eve. Great
fields of wheat and oats orchards and
meadows and wide patches of pota.
toes and other vegetables. 1t is fair.
ly the roof of the world but it Is a
roof garden.
And these prolific crops are grown
without irrigation. For heavy rains
fall on these high broad mesas and
the ground is moist and rich and deep.
Cosy homes are scattered over the
plains--the homes Of peace and plenty
and contentment
] was told that the pioneers of this
mesa were laughed at by the knowing
ones. who tried to ridicule them out
of their fanatical idea of attempting
to wrest living from barren plains
10000 feet above the sea level How
ever. the success of the fanatics has
become the wonder and the admiration
Of the city The financial condition of
both the county of Colfax and the
city of Ration is excellent. The bond
ed Indebtedness is small and inflicts
no burden upon the people. The Col~
fax county court house is one OF the
prettiest and best arranged in the
territory and is located at a central
point. The school houses are sub
stantial brick structures and many OF
the homes are beautiful and commo-
dious.
| was trifle surprised to find that
many of the people Of Ration are real
ly attached to the name Goat Hill''
which by process of evolution came
to be given to the slightly eminence
that rises sharply to height of sew
eral hundred feet Immediately behind
the town. l have already referred to
the magnificent view to be obtained
from this eminence.
It is doubtless true that at an ear-
lier day goats strayed over the pre-
cipitous sides of the hill and gazed
at the scenery from the summit. II is
also true that until the citizens built
roads to the top the human biped
needed to be endowed with some o.
the climbing powers q the goat In
order to get to the top. But 1t is dif-
ficult to understand the reverence in
which the name Is held by the old
timers. The day Of the goat In Ration
must have been linked with the fond.
est of associations, which II would
be sacrilege to disturb.
II hear some one down In Las Vegas
wants us to change the name of Goat
HILL said j. van Houten. Nov
don't you ever think wei. do 1t That
name fixed itself to the hill in the
days Of our hardest struggles. It is
connected by ties that will never be
broken with our best endeavors, with
the laying Of the solid foundation on
which the solid superstructure is now
rising"
IAN attempt was made" said At
torney Hugo Seaberg. ito change the
name from Goat Hill to Park Hill
II failed because when anyone said
Park Hill' someone was sure to say
Park Hill. where's that?' When the
speaker pointed it out the response
was sure to come. oh, Goat HILL"
However. there Is serious talk Of q
change in the nomenclature. The new
conners are not moved by the sweet
sentiments that linger about Goa,
Hill ard shey realize that to strang
efS the name has unwarranted sugges
ss9n and somewhat ridiculous sound
The eminence is an asset of which an!
city might be proud, and in one way Of
another the Ratonites are proud of 1t
They are fitting up a park there, have
built band stand half way to the tol
and have completed a road upon which
a carriage or an auto may be driven t.
the very summit.
Ration has three good newspapers
all Of which look prosperous. Th'
Range has lately become twice-a
week paper and. hear, may sccn %
come a daily. However. there Wi
always be q good weekly field IA farm
ers and sanchmen who receive ma
only ons:e or twice a week are thickl
distributed over the county.
The people of Ration appear to hav
the proper spirit. They are progre'
sive, energetic. Industrious, and loyi
to a degree. They believe in III
town. was Unable TO find 'fknocl