Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-06-18
pConditionsEn-
couraging Despite
Late Season
ROSWELL FORGING AHEAD
Masonic Temple to Cost
$50,000,- Street Car Sys-
tenn Being Talked Of.

A Masonic Temple costing fifty
thousand dollars, street car line and
another daily newspaper are among
the early possibilities of Roswell, ac-
cording to statements made in an
interview last evening by Robert Kel-
lahin, postmaster of the town and one
of it's leading and best citizens. Mr..
Kelahin who is grand lecturer OF the
grand lodge of Free Masons of New
Mexico arrived in Santa Fe yesterday
on an official visitation to the Mason
ic lodges here and left today on a
similar mission to Pennington.
The Roswell Masonic Building AS
sociation which has been incorporated
has taken the matter of the erection
of temple for the local Masonic fra
ternities in hand and Mr.. Kellahin
is confident that the structure will be
a reality before very long. The pres
ent quarters are entirely too small
and as the membership is steadily in
creasing a better and more commo.
dious home is an absolute necessity.
He does not anticipate that there will
be difficulty in raising the necessary
funds.
Street Railway Assured.
That a street railway will be built
Mr.. Kellahin believes is but ques-
tion of short time. The town he
stated is fast spreading out and a
street car line is becoming much
needed public utility. The proposition
has been under consideration lately
by business men of the town and the
Indications are that something will be
done in that direction in the near fu-
ture. AS to the starting of another
daily newspaper in Roswell he stated
that it was only a question of wheth-
er or not franchise for furnishing
telegraphic news could be secured
from the Associated Press. If pub
lished this newspaper will OF course
be strongly Republican.
Rapid Development Of Country.
Mr.. Kellahin in speaking Of the
crop outlook In the Pecos Valley
stated that the prospects were very
good. Owing to the late frosts and
the backward spring there will be
only a small fruit crop this season but
he is of the opinion that it will be
sufficient at least for home consump-
ton. He looks at the situation with
optimistic view: I'VE have had such
fine crops in recent years that we
can afford to lose one once in while"
The Pecos Valley fruit crop last year
was the largest on record. From
crop conditions Mr.. Kellahin drifted
to the growth of southeastern New
Mexico which in his opinion is sett
ling faster than any other part of the
Territory.
1T is simply astonishing" he said
"You have to see it to realize what
progress is being made Roswells
growth does not begin to give you an
idea of how the entire valley is be-
coming populated. From Amarillo to
Carlsbad there is continuous line
of small towns and every one of them
is flourishing. Most of these have
sprung into existence within
the past five years. This fact is
called to my mind particularly by the
duty am now engaged in, namely Ma
sonic lecturing. When l first became
an officer in the grand lodge, there
was lodge at Roswell and one at
Carlsbad four years ago. Since that
time Portales, Artesia, Hagerman, Eli
da, Texico and Hope have organized
lodges and Melrose has an applica-
tion in now for lodge.
IT was told the other day that
there were over twenty residences in
course of construction at Clovis and
I suppose the Masons there will be
wanting a lodge before long. Elida
was nothing but a bare stretch of
prairie a few years ago and when
lodge was organized in that town two
months ago there was an attendance
Of fifty Masons and by actual count
within a radius Of ten miles there
are one hundred Masons. The same
holds good of the other towns with
the possible exception Of Hope. Hope
is growing but it is handicapped by
not being on railroad.
Roswell Steadily Growing.
"As for the growth of Roswell itself
I form my opinion from the postoffice
receipts principally and consider
them pretty good indicators in the
growth of any community The post
office receipts have increased in al
most the same ratio each year since
I became postmaster of the town.
The receipts for the present year up
to date indicate that they will aggre-
gate over $4,000. This will be an
increase of over $1,000 over the pre-.
vious fiscal year.
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