Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1909-08-12

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field is not bound by his contract with
the board and negotiations viii be
declared off.
Tonight, Mr.. Camfield. Senator Nc
Creery and possibly Mr. Thompson,
win return to Colorado.
In this connection, The Optic takes
occasion to publish sketch Of Mr..
Camfield. appearing recently ia .
Denver paper, which viii give some
idea Of who the man is who is be-
hind the Las Vegas project. This
article, herewith appended. proves be-
yond a doubt that If Mr.. Camfield un-
dertakes the proposition, he viii COM
plete it beyond the peradventure of a
doubt. His life history follows:
Who camfieId is
Previous to his coming west, d. A
Camfield had little advantage in an
educational way. He attended the pub
lie schools in Providence. r. l.. and
left at the age of 16 to work in groc-
cry store. He worked at this for two
years, at the end of which time he
took what earnings he had and start
ed his journey toward the sunset,
alone There was no one to welcome
him when he arrived in Greeley. Colo.
where he had decided to try his luck.
He was an utter stranger, without
money or influence. But he had cOur-
age, and was undaunted. He had the
natural and national desire to go in
Ito the millionaire business" and he
believed that Colorado offered the
best possibilities. He still holds this
belief. He contends that the saying
of Horace Greeley is still good, and
that "the west offers ten opportuni-
ties to every one the east offers, and
is the place where the right sort of
young man will have no trouble in
making good.
When he entered the little agricul-
tural community there were scarcely
more than ZOO souls living there. But
Mr.. Camfield. boyishly eager and un
Icertain, saw opportunities. He realiz
ed that he could not. at once, ium'
Unto something which would make hir
lrich in minute. so he patiently sc
labout what he deemed the shortes
road to fortune by hiring out on
ranch for SIS month in order to saw
lenough money to get start wi
This job was the best in sight at Ii
ltime, and he snapped it up eagerly
He knew next to nothing about farm
ling. and for the STRIPPING of lad. sof
from the effete life of the east. it wa
mighty hard work There we're timeI
when he thought he would perish O
Iweariness, but he fought on, with the
bright end in view. He had faith in
the adage of the ultimate victory OF
earnest, persistent work. In spite Of
his modest stipend, he managed to
save money, and after seven months
of work was able to strike out for
himself. Mere boy that he was, h
felt that he could do better as his
own boss, and his desire to forge
ahead was uncommonly stroi
Rented Farm
He rented farm of 100 acres,
which is little more than a garden
tract in the west. But it was plenty
large enough when you stop to con-
slider that he had decided to do all
the work of cultivating the land by
himself, without the aid of any other
human being. Think of til All alone
on a farm of 16O acres, with no one
to talk to of nights. no one to cook
for him or give him a kind word. The
farm was twenty-nine miles distant
from Greeley. but he considered it as
almost within its borders. And Mr.
Camfelds loneliness was not from
choice by any means. Pecuniary rea
sons necessitated it. No one cared
l.