Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-07-23
RICH PROSPEROUS
TAOS VALLEY
Interesting Account
by Asst. Cashier
Knight.
FERTILE EsPANOLA COUNTRY
Great Water Supply...Big
Wool Shipments. ..Busi-
ness Booming.


ness Booming.
Percy F. Knight, assistant cashier
of the United States Bank and Trust
Company in this city, on Saturday
evening returned from a weeks bust.
ness trip in the Espanola and Taos
Valleys. This was the first visit by
Mr. knight to those sections and what
he saw and observed was revelation
to him of New Mexicos wonderful and
varied resources. He pronounces both
valleys not only among the most pros
porous but also the most beautiful and
delightful portions of the Southwest.
While the fruit crop In the Espanola
Valley is not as large as in former
years, yet other crops are in fine con-
dition. From Espanola wool shipments
are made almost daily over the Den
yer and Rio Grande Railroad and sr
lamb shipments will begin. The first
peaches are coming into market and
are being shipped to Colorado points
where they command a good market
and good prices. From an agricultur.
al standpoint, no part Of the Espanola
Valley looks fairer than the immediate
surroundings of Chimita and San
Juan. Here too, is the famous flower
garden of Samuel Eldodt, like which
there is no other in New Mexico. Ad-
joining the pretty residence of the
ex-treasurer of the Territory, it is his
especial pride and the delight of every
visitor to the hosptitable Eldodt home.
Mr.. Eldodt also possesses a very in.
teresting and large collection of Indian
curiosities and archaeological objects,
which alone are worth many, many
miles Of travel to behold. Mr.. Eldodt
also conducts an extensive mercantile
establishment and has the confidence
and respect of his neighbors and peo-
pie generally.
Other Towns Visited BY MIR. Knight.
At Plaza Alcalde, Mr.. Knight visit.
ed the pretty home and store of Elias
Clark; this Is in the center Of a very
fertile section and an agreeable spot.
NJ. Clark also condacts an extensive
mercantile business.
To Questa and Cerro, Mr.. Knight
took the scenic Servilleta Road. In
the depth of the Rio Grande Canon,
at Wamsley's Hot Springs, where the
Arroyo Hondo flows into the Rio Gran
de, stop was made at the comfortable
hotel of John Dunn. 1t is a spot of
magnificent natural beauty, not to
speak of the healthgiving springs, the
excellent trout fishing and the fine
table set by mine host Dunn. The
walls of the canon rise to 1900 and
1900 feet on both sides and the hotel
site seems almost inaccessible. The
road, which is kept in splendid condi-
tion descends into the little valley by
four switchbacks.- 1t Is a romantic
and restful summer resort the beau.
ties of which are too little known even
in nearby Santa Fe.
A Beautiful Garden Spot.
Plenty of water flowing to waste,
rich meadows, waving fields of wheat,
fine range and green alfalfa fields
with villages nestled here and there,
meet the eye everywhere from Arroyo
Hondo to Questa, the road also lying
through some tall timber. Questa
perched on mesa overlooking the
Red River Valley, is enjoying prosper
ity. No more beautiful sight can be
imagined than lis found hooking over the
wheat and alfalfa fields as they stretch
down the Red River Valley. Three
miles north is Cerro, another pros
porous and quaint village.
The pearl of Taos County is its
county seat Fernando de Taos, with
the larger Ranches de Taos, few
miles away, as well as the historic and
picturesque Pueblo do Taos, an in
habited pyramid, five stories high and
thousand years old.
Taos is merely awaiting its time
to become one of the important cities
Of the Southwest It has all the re.
sources that make large towns and 1t
needs merely railroad connections to
forge to the front rapidly. That the
Denver & Rio Grande and the st. Louis
Rocky Mountain and Pacific Railroads
will be there before 1910 seems GER
tainty. At it Is, the community is ex-
ceedingly prosperous and the amount
Of business transacted year in and
year out, If mentioned in dollars and
cents, would astonish even Santa Fe.
The town has thoroughly modern and
well stocked stores. Frank Ellis,
Santa Fe boy, is the proprietor of a
fine drug store In which is located the
telephone exchange which gives Taos
easy communication with the outside
world. The town would rather have a
telephone line to Santa Fe but as that
can not be had, Las Vegas and Ration
gain what Santa Fe loses. Wool shi
ments are at their height and last
week, Bond Gusdorf and Mccarthy
freighted eight carloads to Servilleta,
for shipment via the Rio Grande Rail-
road. Randall's -four mill Is working
steadily and with modern irrigation
systems, the fertile soil and abundant
water of the Taos Valley would soon
make 1t the granary Of New Mexico,
wheat apparently doing especially
well. Consider at the same time, that
Taos has a climate almost as delight
full as that Of Santa Fe, only few
degrees warmer in summer and few
degrees cooler In winter, and 1t will
be readi]v acknowledge thas it has a