Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-02-16
Speeches and Big Dinner.

| After several hours spent most
pleasantly at his place, the excursion
lists again went aboard the train
which was run as fast as possible to
Estancia The crowd that greeted the
Legislators was even larger than on
the first visit. There were men and
women on horseback, on foot and in
wagons.
John Kennedy, station agent for
the Santa Fe Central Railway at Es-
tancia, made strong speech in which
he called attention to the many adj
vantages of Estancia and urged that
the county seat be allowed to remain
there. Charles F. Easley and A. NJ
Bergere also spoke upon the Estancia
Valley. The visitors were then es.
corted to the Valley Hotel and the
Alamo Hotel where banquets which
reflected great credit on the commit
tee having them in charge, were
served until all had been cared for.
"Your money is no good In Estan'
cia," was the general motto. After
dinner, the legislators were escorted
to waiting carriages and taken for
ii drive to the new town site of Alta
Vista and the country adjoining. The
trip was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
At o'clock the start for Santa Fe
was made aboard the train. AS the
engine juffed from the station, the
whistles Of the Santa Fe Central shops
screeched out salute, flags waved
and rousing three cheers" broke
from the assembled people and was
answered by the excursionists.
The train made good time on the
return trip, reaching Santa Fe shortly
after 7 o'clock in the evening.
Well Supplied With Refreshments.
While aboard the train, the Legisla-
tors, citizens of the Capital City and
members Of the press were well cared
for. There was everything to drink
from bottled waters to champagne,
cigars, candies cookies cakes and
| fruits and couple of walters to see
I that everyone had all he wanted,
The excursionists amused themselves
by singing and telling stories.
Representatives Beach was the life
of the crowd. He bought a suit of
jeans, an old cap and battered din
ner bucket. At each stop he stood
upon the steps of the front car and
made a ridiculous speech on "The
Wroking Man." flourishing his empty
dinner pail to show that he was a
member of the "laboring class"
He never failed to win applause and
provoke mirth. His final plea was al
ways: Gentlemen, In bidding me
adieu, please use fresh eggs.
O. C. Watson, garbed in a dressing
gown of impossible colors and wearing
blue. cap ornamented with forget
me-nots, paraded as Miss Estancia'
and was escorted here and there by
Mr.. Beach who posed as Willard, the
working man.
Aside from the good the trip did in
displaying the great development of
the Estancia Valley, it is a question
as to what, if any, effect 1t will have
as regards the location Of the county
seat of Torrance County.
What Effect VIII Trip Have?
AS far as entertainment went, the
excursionists could not be prejudiced
against either town. AS far as pos
sibilities are concerned, there are no
limit to them anywhere in the great
valley.
| The hat was passed on the train be-
| fore reaching Santa Fe and every one
was asked to cast a vote either in
favor of Estancia or Willard for the
location of the county seat. All but
abut twenty persons voted. The re-
suit was: For Esancia, rs; for Will
| lard, IL. Whether this will in any
| way represent the sentiments or the
House members when Council Bill
Number Is, for the change of the
county seat from Estancia to Willard,
comes up, is matter of doubt.
This much Is certain, however.
Both the residents of Estancia and
Of Willard, have won high place in
the opinion Of the exc,wsionists as
public-spirited citizens, who have the
right stuff in them for the develop
ment of new country and who will
make ego" of the Estancia Valley, if
it can be done by human effort and
determination.
"Hurrah, for Estancia Valley-the
new farming district Of New Mexico" "
will at least be remembered as the
slogan of the Thirty Assem-
bly,.
No Fight on Councilman DaIies.
William Gregg, justice of the peace
at Estancia, returned with the ex-
cursionists to Santa Fe. In discussing
the proposed change of the county
seat, he said:
I'VE residents of Estancia want to
be understood rightly on this question.
We believe that we are entitled to the
county seat because we have the
largest, most up to date and most
central town in Torrance County.
I'm trying to keep the county seat
where it is, we desire it understood
distinctly that we are not making a
personal or any other kind of a fight
on Councilman Carl A. Dalies. There
is no desire and no disposition on our
part to cause rupture In the Re-
publican party in Torrance County ov-
er this matter. We, for the most
part, are Republicans who advocate
the keeping Of the county seat at Es-
tancia and we believe that from what
the legislators saw of the Estancia
Valley. OF Estancia and of our devel-
opment, citizenship and loyalty, to
| oo,4,, ,,d torritorv thot thnv will not