Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-02-26
RATION BECOMING
BUSINESS CENTER
Already One Most
Important Cities in
Territory
MUCH BUILDING ACTIVITY
Phenomenal Growth Due to
New Railroads and Develop
ment of Coal Fields.

tOu WIN NC OutoliApplA5 tHOin III ihS
race for commercial supremacy of
New Mexico. The Colfax County seat
is becoming quite railroad center
and has already outgrown its swad-
ding clothes. If 1t continues to spread
out and deveope as rapidly within
the ensuing two years as character
lied its progress in the past the popu-
lation will have been doubled and 1t
will have become one Of the most
important cities in the Territory.
Growth Has Been Phenomenal.
Raton's growth during the past few
years has been little less than phe-
nomenal From an apparently sleepy
little town it has suddenly been I'M
bued with life and converted into a
bustling city. According to DR.. r. B..
Hart. practicing physician at Ra-
ton, who is visitor in the Capital,
the business activity there this year
will eclipse that of last. He attributes
the construction of the new railroads
into the town and the exploiting of
the nearby coal fields as being large
ly instrumental in its speedy advance
ment lately.
Dr. Hart was seen last evening by
representative OF the New Mexican
! in the lobby Of the Claire. He is very
enthusiastic over the prospects Of
the town and believes that the day Is
not far distant when it will compare
favorably with the now larger cities.
During the course of the interview he
said:
''Raton is just about as prosperous
in every way as 1t can be. New
buildings are going up on every side.
There are under construction or just
completed ten large business houses
and from fifty to sixty residences.
counted fourteen new dwellings be-
ing built in one locality the other day
Much Building Activity.
"The business houses underway are
all substantial structures. With one
exception they are all of brick and
two stories in height. The largest of
the new buildings intended for busi-
ness purposes Is the addition to the
Seaberg Hotel. The new part is be-
ing erected in front of the old struc'
ture and when completed the hotel
will have about sixty rooms. 1t will
be modern in every appointment with
electric light steam heat and other
conyeniences. ! understand that the
management will have telephones in
stalled in every room for use of the
guests. Other business structures In
| process of erection or which are ready
for occupancy are the Roth, Love
Johnson and Bruggeman blocks, Whit
ed store, Odd Fellows hall, Coors
cold storage plant, Remsberg- Hobbs
warehouse, Building and Loan Associ
alton Office, and the Exchange build
ing Of the Colorado Telephone Com
pany.
"The Atchison, Topeka & Santa II
Railway Company has overhauled and
remodelled the depot and station
hotel and the grounds surrounding
them will be parked this summer as
at other points along the main line
THE Harvey eating house has been
fixed up until 1t Is now as good as
new.
| "'The City Council and County Com
missioners joined forces in establish
ing a quarantine station about mile
east of the city. The building is OF
brick and stone with cement floors
and walls. 1t was erected this spring
and is now in use. Everything is as
sanitary as possible, and it has ac-
commodations for ten patients.
City Hall Building Probable.
"The City Council is also consider
ing the advisability of building a city
hall. Plans and specifications for such
structure have been submitted by
three or four architects. The city
hall as proposed will be large enough
to contain quarters for the police and
fire departments, and hall for public
meetings and conventions in addition
to the offices of the several city off
cials.
1T is expected that the work of Dor
ing new tunnel through Ration Noun
tain will soon be commenced by the
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Rail
way. Preparations have all been
made for this huge undertaking and
the engineers are only waiting for or
ders to begin the actual work. I have
been informed that about four hun
dred men will be employed OH the
tunnel working at both ends.
This new tunnel will be doubled
tracked and will have other features
giving it an advantage over the old
tunnel. 1t is estimated that the con
struction OF this feat OF railroad en-.
gineering will require year. The
new tunnel in addition to being wider
than the one now In use which has
only a single track will be perfectly
level whereas the other has slope
that makes heavy haul on the up
grade. There will no difference in
the attitudes of the two tunnels The
old one will continue to be used after
the new one is in operation The old
tunnel Is being concreted In places
where rock has been dislodged and
ltumblei down. i AHIN