Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-01-25
LETTER FROM NEW MEXICO.
LAS VEGAS, New MEXICO.
Tapnarv 10 1Q0f

DEAR EDITOR :-Thinking perhaps it
might interest some of the REGISTERS
readers, will give you brief descrip-
ton of New Mexico and>a wonderful
climate. Las Vegas is situated on the
Santa Fe Railroad about 400 miles
south of Denver, Colorado. The Gal
linas river runs through the city, divid-
ing it into the new and old town. The
new town is building up very rapidly
but the old town is fast going down
hill. Each has mayor and council
and quite bit of jealousy exists be-
tween the two places. The postoftice
was moved from the old town to east
Las Vegas las 1t used to be called which
has caused no end of hard feelings,
which has finally resulted in the old
town authorities bringing suit against
the Postmaster-Gener for removing
the postoflice. as the courthouse is on
the west side. The court decided
against the Postmaster-General and he
has carried it up TO the Supreme Court.
The railway station is in east Las
Vegas, which helps il to build up more
RAPIDLY. The founder of this city could
not have picked out a more picturesque
spot in all New Mexico for the founda-
ton of so great city which it is des-
tined to become. The Fraternsl SAM
tarium, which cost six million and
which IS to be opened the first OF March,
will boom the place and make it one
of the most important health resorts
in the southwest
Health seekers are already pouring
into Las Vegas at such rapid rate that
houses cannot be gotten up fast enough
and tent city is growing rapidly. PeO-
ole from all over the known world are
here seeking health in this wonderful
climate, that is unequaled anywhere
and where the ozone laden atmosphere
deals death blow TO tuberculosis germs
and heals the lung tissues in a remark
ably short time in nearly every instance.
OF course, a patient in the last stage Of
the disease should shun this climate,
as it is so dry and the altitude being
600 feet, which generally terminates
fatally, although some come here who
are scarcely able to lift finger and
get well, but the per cent is small.
The Fraternal Sanitarium is situated
six miles from Vegas on the Hot Springs
electric line Twelve hundred acres Of
land also belongs TO it, most OF which is
under irrigation, which will give en-
ployment to a number of the patients
who are able to work, and also supply
all the food stutfs required to supply
the table They expect to open with
500 patients and within twelve months
be able to accommodate ten tn ,usand.
Las Vegas claims ten thousand popula-
ton now, and when the Fraternal SAM
tarium gets under Roadway the place
can scarcely do any thing else but grow.
The town is provided with numerous
large business houses, both wholesale
and retail, and apartment stores, severa
hish school buildings, one public libra
nv, one territorial normal, two Roman
Catholic cathredrals, one Jewish syna-
gogue, six Protestant churches, water
works of pure mountain spring water,
two electric railways, one steam rail
way with two more in sight, saloons and
licensed gambling dens too numerous TO
count, one electric light plant, one gas
plant in course of erection and many
other things that go to make town
pleasant and unpleasant TO live in. The
town of Albuquerque, 100 miles south
of here, is very Jealous of Vegas in re-
gard to its rapid growth and popularity
as Il health resort, and the papers of
both towns never lose opportunity to
sling mud and call each other vile
names. Vegas boasts four newspapers
one daily and three weekly, one be-
ing Spanish. Nearly half of the popu-
lation are Spanish and Mexican, very
few negroes as yet have found the trail
that leads TO Vegas. Living is consld-
erably higher than in ShepherdStown.
Good private board can be had for S32
per month, but can be had little
cheaper if one cares to live on Hot To-
males (hot to mollies) chili-con-carne,
garlic, tortillas and jack rabbits.
Hot tomales consists Of cornmeal
and red peppers made into a kind
of mush and tied up in corn shuck.
Chili-con-carne is a red pepper stew.
Tortil as represent the whole Mexican
vocabulary of bread, made of water
and flour and cooked IN pan Of hot
lard The Mexican cook never gets be-
yond the limits of the dishes mentioned
and unless you are full Mexican the
seasoning of red pepper will make you
cry in spite of joyful nature If youat-
tempt 10 eat WudJ heAlOhu OOOh PiO'
pares. They eat peppers as Americans
eat apples.
Quite a number Of Indians traverse
the city daily, selling their wares which
consists of blankets, pipes, bows and
arrows and Indian pottery which they
shape into anything from a loving cup
to wash bowl and pitcher and vases
of huge size. Their pottery is rarely
used for anything except to ornament
room or Office, as it breaks easily. They
adorn it with rare designs such as only
Indians can.
Thecow boy with his bucking bron'
cho and belt of cartridges with the
butts Of one or two revolvers protruding
from the holster is sight that never
fails to interest the tenderfoot from
the east. The pistols are not mere
TOYS, but murderous looking weapons
of large calbre. Their aim is general
ly as true as their lariat throwing and
woe be unto the man who dares modest
the knight of the plain.
The weather here since first OF De-
cember has been quite cold, the ther'
mometer has frequently fallen to 10 be-
low zero. Plenty of snow since the
middle Of October, but the snow is so
dry one can scarcely make SNOWFALL
All the doctors here say even the rains
are dry.
G.. Fl. BnLMYER.