Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-06-09
METROPOLIS OF
SANTA FE: CUTOFF
Belen Hopes to Ri
val Albuquerque
Some Day
ITS CITIZENS ENTERPR|s|NG
Commercial Club Has $1O,.
900 Home.-.Large Rail
road improvements.

William M. Berger, editor and pro.
prietor of the Belen Tribune, general
manager of the Willard and Belen
Townsite companies, successful
hustler and energetic bustler, well
and favorably known in Santa Fe for
thirty years, spent Sunday and yes
terday in the city. He attended to bus.
mess while here and was caller at
the New Mexican Office.
"Belen is not booming, but is get
ting along splendidly," said Mr.. Ber-
ger. Our farmers this year, as an ex-
pertinent, have put in one hundred
acres of sugar beets and two hundred
acres of cantaloupes. Our climate is
the very best for "uch vegetables and
the soil for miles and miles about
Belen and in the Rio Grande Valley is
superior to any in the territory for
raising fruit, cereals, alfalfa, sugar
beets and cantaloupes. The sugar
beets, so any expert says, will aver
age about twenty tons to the acre and
cantaloupes will be very plentiful.
These paintings have been made as ex-
periments and if successful, as it now
appears will be the case, the acreage
of land will be increased ten and twen-
ty fold next year.
Extensive Railroad Improvements
"The work of putting the Santa Fe
railroad yards in our town into first
class condition is getting on steadily
and carefully. Two large water towers
60 feet high and 35 feet in diameter
have been built for service at the
yards. A power house is being built
out of reinforced concrete, the d.
mensions being $50 feet by 100 feet.
The machinery Tor the electrical pow
er necessary for use and the round
house will be located in this machin.
cry hall. The road is also building a
very large store house, probably one
of the largest of it's kind on the line,
about $50 feet long by $50 feet wide.
This building being constructed of re-
inforced concrete surrounded by a
large platform, to handle the great
freight business which will be trans
ferred and which it is expected will
be done at Belen.
"The construction department Of
the road, under the management of j.
V. Key, chief construction engineer,
will turn over the Eastern Railway of
New Mexico on July first to the oper-
ating department of the Santa Fe rail-
way and it is expected that thereafter
through Eastern passenger and freight
traffic from eastern points to the Cali
fornia coast points will be inaugural
ed.
Progressive Commercial Club.
''We have, during the past eighteen
months, gained many progressive citi-
zens and merchants and our CONNER.
cial club is doing a great deal of de-
velopment in our town. We have erect
ed fine two-story brick building for
a club house which is furnished very
comfortably, at a cost of 100000.
We do not owe cent on the build.
ing. Our commercial club members
are boosters in the real sense Of the
word and knockers are not allowed
among them. In fact the room Of
street corner knockers and back bit.
ers is desired by the progressive citi.
zens of Belen and their leaving is ap.
preciated.
"The commercial interests of Belen,
have been very satisfactory and
have been constantly increasing since
the opening of the Eastern Railway
Of New Mexico.
"The extensive business of the
wholesale firm of the John Becker
company, probably the largest estab.
lishment in central New Mexico has
increased so far this year about thirty
per cent. Mr.. Becker is one of the orig
inal pioneers of Belen, having lived
and been in business there for thirty.
three years.
"The Belen Roller Mills are turn
ing out $50 barrels of very superior
patent -four per twenty-four hours and
the business is increasing.
Crops in Splendid Condition.
wheat and alfalfa are looking fine
and good crops are expected. The
acreage planted this year over last
year Is fifty per cent. The lowest price
paid for alfalfa in the Belen Valley is
ten dollars per ton. Notwithstanding
that some of the fruit in the valley,
which consists of apples, peaches,
pears and grapes was somewhat in
jured by the late frosts, there will be
big crop and the fruit gives promise
of being Of first class quality.
"The Belen Townsite com pany has
just set out 1900 trees on the streets
and avenues and all are gro wing nice