The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-06-22
THE PEcoS VALLEY
TOWNS ARE GROWING.

From the Santa Fe New Mexican.
A Masonic Temple costing fifty
thousand dollars, a street a line and
another daily newspaper are among
the early possibilities of Roswell, ac-
cording to statements made in an in
terview last evening by Robert Kella-
min, postmaster of the town and n
of its leading and best citizens. Mr..
Kellahin 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 Masonic
lodges here and left today on a similar
mission to Pennington.
The Roswell Masonic Building Asso
citation which has been incorporated
has taken the matter of the erection
OF a 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 n more commodi-
Gus 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 it but a ques-
tiol of a short time. The town he
stated is fast spreading out and a
street car line is becoming a much
needed public utility. The proposition
has been d consideration lately
by business men of the town and the
indications are that something will
be one in that direction in the near
future,
Rapid Development of Country.
i NJ TyzII,A;, ~ e1aolin- oE tho oron
outlook in the Pecos Valley stated
that the prospects were very good. Ow
ing to the late frosts and Il back
ward 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 consumption. He looks
al the situation with optimistic view:
I'VE have had such fine crops in re-
cent years that we a afford to lose
one once in a while" The Pec Val
ley fruit crop last year was the larg-
est on record. From crop conditions
Mr.. Kellahin drifted to the growth
OF southeastern New Mexico which in
his opinion is settling faster than any
other part of the Territory.
TT 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 a continuous line of
small towns and every n of EN- is
hourishing. Most of these have sprung
into existence within the past five
years. This fact is called to my mind
particularly by the duty l am engaged
in, namely Masonic ~lecturing. When
| first became an officer in the grand
lodge, there was a lodge at Roswell
and one at Carlsbad, four years ago.
Since that time Portales, Artesia, Ha-
german, Elida, Texico and Hope have
organized lodges and Melrose has an
application in now for a lodge.
Il was DID the other day that there
were over twenty residences in course
of construction at Clovis and l sup
pose 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 a lodge was organ
lied in that town two months g
there was an attendance OF fifty Ma
sons. The same holds good of the 9th
err towns with the possible exception
of Hope. Hope is growing but it is
handicapped by not being on a rail-
road.
Roswell Steadily Growing.
LAS for the growth of Roswell itself
L 10TH my OplnlOh ITOH IiS pOSlOIICC
receipts principally IT consider them
pretty good indicators in the growth
of any community. The ~postoffice re-
ceipts have increased in almost the
same ratio each year since / became
postmaster of the town. h re-
ceipts for the present year up to date
indicate that they will aggregate over
SIS, 900. This will be an increase of
over 81. 0O over the previous fiscal
year.
1.-The Roswell Commercial Club we
consider is one of the greatest ac-
tors in the building up of business
enterprises not only in Roswell but
throughout the Pecos Valley. 1t is
cosmopolitan so far as the Pecos Val
ley is concerned and is willing to lend
a helping hand to any enterprise for
any OF the other n~eighboring towns.
1t has a membership at present of
about two hundred.
Roswell is equally interested with
Carlsbad in making the celebration of
the completion of the Carlsbad reser-
voir project which will be held July
3-5, as great a success as possible. and
tine two towns have Joined forces
the Territory appropriated $500 for
this celebration. and this amount has
been swelled by private subscription
to $1,000. The Carlsbad irrigation sys
tenn it is estimated will bring at least
one thousand families into tne country
tributary to Roswell and Carlsbad.
Carlsbad people are looking for
ward with pleasure to the lei meet
ing of the New Mexico grand lodge of
Free Masons which will be held there
They are expecting a large attendance
Of Masons from all over q Terri
4
FOR LANDS
UNDER IRRIGATION PROJECT