Las Vegas daily optic., 1907-04-06

Rosa ali ara boosters, tt ts inter"
esting TO Iisten Ia the stories they tell
of the progress and prospects OF the
country and Of the crops that have
been AM wt2l 1pss raised
One tells os big sweet watermelons
and Of hos they gDw better. bigger
and sWee,er without irrigation An
other will narrase his observation of
cantaloupes. and how they grow IN
the sandy land. and Of their quality
superior OF course 90 the famous
Rocky Ford production. Yet another
will discourse about the sweet potato
and explain what a valuable product
thew are to become. and 80 the stories
run. as the boosters talk Of thirty
bushel wheat, Of milo maize. broom
corn. sugar cane and all kinds OF feed
stuff, until one really for the time be-
lieyes he Is In the land of promise. II
not flowing with milk and honey. al
least blessed with many Of the good
things OF life. needing only to be
touched by III" hand OF the scientific
farmer.
Il must be conceded. that this buoy.
Iancy OF hope, this exhilaration Of ex,
pectation, II better than a journey
through the valley Of despair in the
shadow of despondency. with lion
In the road AZ every turn.
Explanation Of the sotanos.
! A letter from me from Santa Rosa
would not be complete without some
mention OF the Sotanos abounding in
this vicinity, They are 10 most peo
pie more than a nine days wonder
! At last | believe | have learned the
solution OF the Sotano problem.
Mr.. VIM B. Giddings. born in ,hia
region. over sixty years ago. tells me
that In 1871 the report came to him
that some twelve miles distant. a cir
Gle OF ground had been seen TO sinh
down to great depth. The next das
with some neighbors, he went out Il
see the place and ascertain the
cause.
They found fresh sotano just
caved in, and went down nearly Il
its bottom. Il was circular In form
over a hundred feet deep and wateI
was flowing through the bottom. witt
such current as to cause particles OF
earth to fall into the water, which
particles were carried off with tn,
current.
He explained that at the bottom O
the surrounding earth there was
circular crust. holding up the groun
while the water flowed below, the o.
en- space In the bottom carrying ava,
the falling particles.
Mr.. Giddings lives five miles beloy
Santa Rosa. He Is a man of hig,
character, universally respected an,
esteemed. so far as ever heard. ant
have heard much on the subject. Hi
statement Is the only account give,
from observation as to the cause O
this peculiar manifestation along tn
Pecos in this region.
These sotanos are unusual. an
they are in this region numerous, an
occasion inquiry as to their cause
The observation of Mr.. Gliding
makes it certain that there is an u.
der current of water flowing belo,
the surface: that in places the ovel
lying crust Is thin and composed q
, gypsum, which washes away and a
lows the weight of the earth to brea
, through in these circular places.
, Many have suspected this cause
/ but Mr.. Giddings seems to have see
, the proof of it.
Scattered at irregular interval
along the Pecos river. many of thes
: sotanos are observable, but the cans
OF them is not generally known.
l should before closing, mention tn
Santa Rosa band. One has been O
ganized here which Is likely to prov
a credit to the place. There ar
twenty-six instruments, all new. man
, OF them silver, and purchased at
cost OF $1,000. This is surely a goo
showing. the size and age of the tow
9 considered.
T. With good school buildings and su,
IFpGCflll1,