The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-07-24
LETTER FROM
new MEXICO.
Ohio County Boy Tells of His
Trip West.
Sees Great Future for Land Full
Of Natural Re-
S0rSCeS.

day of January we left Greensboro by
way of the l.. H. & st. l.. X. r.,
changing at St. LOUIS, we came over
the Texas Pacific TO El-Paso. After
leaving ST. Louis the most important
cities were Poplar Bluff, Little Rock,
Texarkara, Dallas and Fort Worth
Between Fort Worth and El-Paso,
there are no towns of any size, al
though the distance is 63S miles. Mbst
of the country is a dry desert, with
nothing growing except Sage Brush
and Cactus. We lived at El-Poso al
most three months. El-Paso is the
gateway to old Mexico and the south
West. IL is great railroad center,
from which it derives its entire re-
sources.
There is no farming near here, it be
ing a dry desert country. There is a
smelter near the city, but no mines,
the ore being shipped from New Mex
leo and Arizona.
The north side of the city is very
beautiful, but the south side along the
Rio Grande river is rugld and dirty,
the buildings are adobes, inhabited by
MexicaIs.
We went over the river TO Juarez
several Sundays and once saw Mex
lean Bull fight. 1t was the most bar
barous sight | ever witnessed. All
saloons are open on Sunday and all
other business houses. | did not like
El-Paso, because it is too close 10
old Mexico and so many MeXicans there
it made me feel like | was out OF the
United States. 1t is also very dusty
and smoky. / went TO see MIR. r. b.
Stevens while there. He is from
Beaver Dam and has been there II
years having grown very prosperous.
We left El-Paso and arrived at
Carrizozo, New Mexico March 81 Car
rizozo\ being about 144 miles north of
.El-Paso on the main trunk line OF
the Rock Island railroad. Trains run
through from El-Paso to Chicago daily
and freight trains are in sight most
all the time. There Is also a branch
running from here to Captain, dis
lance of II mites. The town is about
the center OF the valley containing
1000 square miles. The valley is al
most level and very beautiful, not
bush or shrub TO be seen except those
which heve been planted, but the
otrrnundinO aing snVafad
with pine and cedar which furnish
fence posts, lumber and fuel. The val
ley is surrounded by mountains and at
the top of the White Mountains is
Nogal Peak, $4,000 feet above the sea
level, almost as high as Pixies Peak
Col.
The varley Is $500 feet above sea
level. On the west side Of the valley
inSIal Pris Indiana name meaning bad
lands.) 1t is lava bed As miles
long and averages 40 miles wide and
is from 20 to 40 feet deep. Nothing
can cross 1t. Far away one can see
The crater which years ago sent forth
the melted bava over that vest coun-
try. 1t is one of the wonders of
the world. The bottom of the era
ter has never been found, and history
gives no account of when it happened.
Carrizozo Is in the Western part of
Lincoln, Co., and Is the youngest and
largest town in the county. 1t was
plated less than two years ago and
now has population OF 1,5OO. There
are three gold and several silver and
copper mines as well as IRON, andcoai
mines in the mountains in sight of
town. Wild animals such as bears,
deer, Wolves and Panthers are plenti-
full, in the mountains.
| have bought two town lots and
filed on 100 acres of Government land.
Have built dwelling and out bull
dings and fenced the land putting
$500 in improvements, but would
not now relinguish my claim
for $1,000. The Galley is very
fertile and the climate is de-
lfghtful. The formation of the
Wrth is very strange Biologists climate
1t was once great lake.
My well is ISM feet deep and the
made soil seemed to extend all the
way down, round stone being mixed
with the soil indicating the effect
of water currents. The water is
clear and cool. but hard with A1kali.
The, railroads cannot use II as the
Alka1i ruined the boilers. and they