The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-09-28

BY Mrs. Chas. Sutton.

Mr. and Mrs Charles Sutton are
now located in their new home at
Alamogordo New Mexico, and yester-
day the Palladium received the fol-
lowing interesting letter from Mrs.
Sutton:
1--WE have sent some very eloquent
post cards to Richmond which will
tend to change the popular idea of
this place and few words deScrlp-
ton of life here may help to dispell
the conviction in some minds that
we have come to the jumping Off
place.
We came for miles and miles
through desert country and saw a
few adobe (doby) houses punched up
in places and named-one could scar
cely call them towns-but they were
on the map. Our hearts began to
fail us, and | began to wonder if the
suspicion of longing for that dear
Richmond, Indiana would grow.
Big long cared Jack Rabbits scamper-
ed away as the train approached.
Cattle, which to all appearances were
feeding on cactus and rocks, moved
little farther away and stared at
us. / swallowed hard and strained
my eyes to see some trace of human
habitation. Just then the warning
foot toot toot of danger ahead sounds
ed and windows flew up and heads
were leaned out to see. We were in
time to see fine young COW turned
over and over in the air and fall be-
side the track with both hind legs
broken. l began to cry a little-of
course it was because | felt so sorry
for the calf. but l felt better after
ward.
| found on searching. the time table
that ''Alamogordo' was not printed in
any bigger type than "Tecolote" or
any of the other stations composed
of three or four houses, occupied by
Mexicans and | began to fell sorry
for that poor calf again.
But as we neared our fate as we
called it. we were almost overwhel-
med with the glad relief. Trees,
real trees, the first we had seen for
miles and miles. then grass, running
water. miniature lakes with ducks
and swans on them. flowers ard II
thanked God.
Probably Alamogordo would not be
so beautiful if it were set down in
Indiana, but in its surroundings it is
grand.
AS for being up-to-date, it is a
health resort and you know what
class of people can afford to travel
for their health.
There are two banks, four churches
seminary, Mexican schools and
white schools.
Living is no higher in most ways
than any other place. Meat is cheap
err and splendid. We get whole
round steak for 15c and it is as fresh
and as tender as veal The air is SO
open air instead of spelling They
do not keep ice in the meat markets,
except in the very hottest weather.
This valley is so miles wide and is
irrigated. The water is fine and
comes from the mountains clear and
cool like spring water. We live in a
fat in Arnold Terrace" There are
twelve suites of rooms in this block
just alike, furnished for light house
keeping, with electric lights, fuel,
water, washing and janitor service.
included in the $1,000 per month
which we pay
The wood used here is pine from
the mountains, and a match and piece
of paper is all that is needed to start |
a fire.
Sunday Chas. and | started out af- !
ter dinner TO walk to the mountains |
that look such little way off TO the |
east. We walked and walked and |
saw things we never saw before. We |
counted seven different varieties of |
cactus and some of it is so pretty, |
Chas. declared he knew the mountains |
were 'backin' off" as the farther |
we walked the farther away they
seemed. After more than two |
hours walk we reached the foot hills |
We climbed to what was an immense
height to us then. over sharp rocks |
and among caeti that we dared not |
touch or step on. Chas. struck his /
foot against one and he had to take
off his shoe and take a stone and |
break off the needles inside the shoe /
The view. was grand. Away to the /
south, a train was coming in and to us /
1t seemed TO be creeping-scarcely /
at all-and no larger than a /
lead pencil. But. from the smoke
Ill