Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-08-24
FIRST CHAUTAUQUA
A GRAND SUCCESS
Colonel Prichard High in His Praise
of Mountainair-Participated In
Joint Political Debate.

Colonel George w. Prichard return
ed yesterday from visit to Mountain
air where he attended the midsummer
chautauqua and engaged in political
debate with Ex-Delegate H. b. Fer
guson on Saturday last, which day was
set apart for political discussion
Colonel Prichard is very much pleased
with what he saw at Mountainair. He
says 1t is one of the prettiest towns he
has ever seen and bids fair to become
a very important and agreeable health
and tourist resort. The entire surround.
ing country to the lines of the forest
reserve Is settled with prosperous and
well-to-do farmers.
The section around Mountainair does
not look at all like the plains of New
Mexico, but reminds one Of prosper.
GUS valley in Ohio. There Is a good
deal OF timber and the scenery is simp.
ly grand. The climate is something like
that of Santa Fe The people there
now claim that there are 2l0 voters
I'm the precinct. The town is strictly
prohibition and there Is not drink
|of an alcoholic liquor to be had People
are very orderly and very intelligent.
The postmaster says there are great
many papers received by his patrons.
There is much produce raised and
in few years it will be one of the
finest fruit producing sections in New
Mexico. The town Is but a few miles
from the old Mexican town of Manzano
at which the first apple trees in New
Mexico were planted by Catholic
priests about two hundred years ago.
These trees are still in bearing.
The attendance at the chautauuua,
this being the first meeting. was very
satisfactory.
Colonel Prichard stopped at the
IMountainair hotel, which was comfort
able and clean and the board good.
Prominent people from many sections
of the territory were in attendance. A
ten-acre tract near the tOwnsite will be
set apart and laid off and the people
will build regular chautauqua hail
with the accompanying buildings for
the accommodation of those who will
|attend the chautauqua yearly. This pro.
misses to be permanent and important
public event and in due course OF time
will be attended by hundreds Of inter
ested people.
The chautauqua will close tomorrow
after very interesting session.
Among the speakers were Colonel
George w. Prichard ex-Delegate H. B
Ferguson, Of Albuquerque: Hon. T.
Bradford Prince, Chaplain G. @. Bate
man, Of Fort Bayard; Rev. Perkins
formerly of Alabama, now resident
of the Pecos Valley, and others. The
people of the town and the surrounding
country, who attended the session in
large numbers were very courteous and
did their best to make the visitors
feel at home.
Many people from the surrounding
country were at Mountainair believing
that Governor George Curry would be
one Of the attendants and were great.
ly disappointed at being unable to
meet the executive.
Every quarter section of public land
in the vicinity of the town that can
POSSIBLY be cultivated has been taken
up and the newcomers have erected
substantial and comfortable residences
for them. They are all people from the
northwestern states and came to New
Mexico to make this their future home
and will make success OF 1t.
| Colonel Prichard, although suffering
from a cold, enjoyed his trip very
much and was glad he made 1t. The
more he travels these days in New
Mexico the more he becomes impress
ed with the greatness Of the territory
it's capabilities and the rapidity will
which 1t is being settled with a frs
class set Of people.
i The discussion between Colone
Prichard and ex-Delegate Ferguson
was of a political character in whicl
Colonel Prichard advocated the sup
port of the Republican party and it'
candidates and ex-Delegate Ferguson
1.-THE reverse. It was very interestin,
land from information received by tn,
New Mexican the people listened care
fully and intently, and were great.
Impressed with the debate. They want
ed to be informed on New Mexico al
fairs. The speakers were both elo
quent and interesting as they are tw'
of the best posted men on political an,
material conditions of the Sunshin'
Territory. Both are old residents
Colonel Prichard came here thirt,
years ago and Mr.. Ferguson has beel
a resident of Albuquerque for twenty
five years.