Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-02-16
LEGISLATORS HAD
PLEASANT TRIP
To Willard and Es-
tancia on Special
Train
GREAT @ FARMING DISTRICT
Excited General Admiration
-.-Excursionists Royalty
Entertained.

"Oh, we don't know where we're
going but we're on our way"
With this song echoing from near
the refreshment stand in the front car,
a special train pulled out of the
union station Friday morning at
1880 o'clock carrying the members of
the Thirty-seventh Legislative Assem-
bly, via the Santa Fe Central Railway
to Willard and Estancia where the
citizens made great efforts to show
up the advantages of their respective
towns in the hopes of securing the
county seat
The excursion was in charge of Al
fred l.. Grimshaw. of the Santa Fe
Central who in the capacity of con-
ductor saw that nothing was left I'M
done for the comfort of the passen-
gers Charles F. Easley, attorney for
the same road was also valuable
member of the entertainment commit
tee on the train.
First Stop at Kennedy.
The first stop was at Kennedy, the
northern edge of the great Estancia
Valley which will undoubtedly one
day become noted as an agricultural
district For ten minutes the train
waited while the legislators, their
wives, who were in the second car
and about fifty visitors from Santa Fe
were shown over the town site.
A warning whistle sounded and the
visitors again embarked. A few miles
out of Kennedy, the first shanties,
tents and homes of the settlers who
have been flocking to the valley for
months past, began to loom up. As
progress was made toward Moriarty
the number increased. Some of the
homes were adobe, some of rough
lumber while some we're comfortably
and ornamentally finished.
The Great Estancia Valley.
1t was not until Moriarty had been
left several miles behind however,
that the visitors became thoroughly
impressed with the 'Estancia Valley.
AS the train sped forward great
level plain, with just slight sugges-
tion of slope from the mountains to
the east and west, broke upon the
sight. But it was no longer an empty
plain. Instead for twelve to fifteen
miles on either side of the track,
houses, shanties, tents and dugouts
were visible on every quarter section.
Wire fences cut the farms of home
seekers into rectangular strips. Wash
ings were futtering from the clothes
lines at many homes, children played
about the door steps, horses and cows
were roaming about the barn lots and
men and boys were working in the
fields or driving downward in wagons.
It was pretty picture, particularly
to those who but few short months
ago, had seen these plains covered
with a wild growth of vegetation and
inhabitated by half wild cattle, sheep
and goats, rabbits, coyotes and wolves.
The scene was in many respects a
duplicate of those in western Kansas
thirty years ago and of Oklahoma and
Indian Territory.
The question at once presented it.
self: Will these people make sue
cess of this new farming country?
No answer was needed A second
glance at that animated scene was
proof evident.
Warm Greeting at Estancia.
Then the train reached Estancia.
Several hundred people, men, women
and children, were gathered at the
station. They waved flags and hand
kerchiefs and greeted the legislators
with a rousing cheer. Over street
adjoining the station had been
stretched a long banner on which
were the words:
WELCOME TO THE CENTER OF
POPULATION IN THE ESTANCIA
vALLEY-ESTANCIA THE COUN-
TY SEAT EXTENDS GREETINGS.
A stop of only ten minutes was
made. The visitors had scarcely time
to catch good glimpse Of the town
and the district adjoining.
The train tnen moved toward Will
lard. The same scene of active farm
ing and home building presented itself
all along the intervening miles OF
track. When Willard was reached,
owing to a delayed message no one
was at hand to meet the visitors.
However the word soon spread that
the special train from the Capital City
had arrived and within fifteen min
utes, committees of citizens wearing
neat badges were showing their
guests everything to be seen. In the
lntermin, the ladies and there are many
all good cooks, We're at work in the
new hotel building, in process Of erec-
ton, preparing banquet of turkey,
chicken, salads. wines, champagne,
etc, which made the legislators form
the highest possible opinion of Will
lard. There are three good sized
stores in Willard, bank, three hotels,
and restaurants, a number of credit
able residences and other buildings
under construction, two OF which will
be occupied as stores Speeches were
made by Councilman Carl A. Dalies,
who accompanied the excursion to his
home town and by Judge John R,
McFte. Representatives Holt, Beach
ond nthorc