The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-03-03
is NOW IN NEW MEXICO.
Lon H. Boydston, a Former Reporter
Editor Writes of His New Home
in New Mexico.

in New Mexico.
Shoemaker, N. M, Feb. 24.-Ed-
itor Reporter: Agreeable to promise
made you several weeks ago, the I'M
dersigned will try to give you his
idea of this land Of perpetual sun
shine"
Have been lin New. Mexico near
three months now and have become
somewhat acquainted with the coun-
try, it's climate and conditions. We
are situated in San Miguel county,
Las Vegas being the county seat. 1t
is one of the oldest and most popu-
lous in the territory, yet there are
thousands of acres open to home
stead entry. Iowa City," as we call
our settlement. is about thirty-five
miles from Las Vegas, eighteen
miles from Watrous and about
twelve miles from Shoemaker, our
postoff1ce town. We have mail by
star route three times week. Las
Vegas is city of several thousand,
has electric lights and street cars
and is an up-to-date place. Chicago
capitalists and leading physicians of
that city with wealthy residents of
Watrous are planning to establish
luC 6coI SdudCOIluul III lie @OTlQ
at Watrous. The Knights of Pythias
are also arranging to build an up-to-
date sanatorium for that order in
the United States at Las Vegas
But it is not all gold that glitters,
neither is this country for everybody.
If you can't make q living in Iowa
you can do equally as well in New
Mexico or any other new country. If
I,
Iowa, better be satisfied, unless you
are willing to put up with the hard
ships incident to frontier life for q
number of years.
This is beautifulscountry to look
at, but whether it will produce is yet
| largely to be tested. There has been
very little cultivation of the land in
| this vicinity, the land being con-
trolled in the past by sheep and cat
tie ranchmen.
The climate here is certainly ideal.
While you in Iowa and other states
have been in the throes of winters
blasts, New Mexico has had but one
day this winter that could be termed
a disagreeable one. Most of the time
you can work outdoors without
coat. Many farmers have been plow-
| ing III luc pdoI Iulec WEEKS. lie
| soil is extra mellow and works up
like garden. Those who have lived
here two or three years claim they
can raise most all kinds Of crops and
| fruits. Stock lives on the range all
winter with very little feed. Such
complaints as colds and sore threats
are unknown in this locality. AS a
health resort, perhaps, New Mexico
h. i,,t l,1
Conditions here for those who are
seeking more worlds to conquer"
are equal if not superior to any coun-
try with which l am al ca. familiar.
| There is plenty Of good land here
yet that can be homesteaded, but it is
being taken up very rapidly. In this
, county ! know OF some twenty fam
lilies who are from Iowa, and hence
we have called our settlement Iowa
City We are building a new school
house and expect before long to start
an M. E. church structure, the near
est being located at Watrous Sever
al new residence houses are being
built in this township-one of them
being upon the 100 acres homestead
ed by the writer this winter.
The scenery in this country is be-
You'd description. On either side OF
us are the mountains with their
snow topped peaks. The canyons are
dotted with pine and spruce timber
and have many fine springs of water
The only fuel used in this section is
pine, which costs you nothing but the
getting and cutting
, There is plenty Of wild game and
, fish in this country The mountain
lion, bear, deer, turkeys, etc. can be
, found in the canyons two or three
, miles from where we live Plenty
, of wild geese and ducks on the rivers
and lakes.
| Unless you have enough to live on
for year l would advise you not to
; move to any new country. Work here
, for the white man is hardly to be
had. The Mexican will work with
his team for 81 day and board him
self. That is big pay for them, unless
, you stay right there with them and
see that they work. | know, for we
, have had several of them working
for u.s.
This rambling letter has been
written while ''bossed" six of the
Mexicans who are building new
stone barn and digging we'll for my
son Bert. If there are any questions
to ask about this country l will try to
, answer them in future letters when
, have less farm cares" to burden
my mind. Fraternally yours,
Lon H. Boydston