Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-11-17

In response to the toast '"To the
Mayors" l.. r. Fenlason, on behalf
of theRocky Ford Business Mems
Club, said in part:
thank my lucky star that never was
mayor; nor even councilman, and am
not like the little boy who with lot Of
other boys. was brought into Mayor
Speer's Office in Denver. as result of
misbehavior. Mayor Speer after taking
with the boys for time said my little
fellow, hope that you do not belong to
this bunch" The little fellow looked up
, at Mayor Speer and said. ''oh, no sir. but
hope to-"
You gentlemen holding as you do the
position Of mayor Of the different places,
have most important part in the up
building OF the valley. To you we look
for the morals and for the general tone
of the different places. You are held re-
sponsibe if anything goes wrong. Any
institution cannot rise higher than its head
and il your town is not in good shape.
morally or financially. look into the mat
ter carefully and see il you are not re-
sponsihlr.
If your administration is failure you
alone are responsible. In the future
years the oounoilmen may be and
probably are. forgotten, but the admins
tration is always referred to as that of a
man who was mayor at that time. You
are singularly blessed by being able to
preside over the fortunes of the towns
which have the richest farming country
around them in the whole United States.
Panics, hard times hardly effect this val
ley at all.
| being in the real estate business am
greatly interested in the future of this
valley, and would like to see this mayors
meeting grow into a permanent organz-
alton Of the mayors of the Arkansas
Valley for general publicity. which seems
to me could be easily done by levying a
small tax on each town for that purpose.
The panic of 1908 did not see fore
closure or a business failure here. Il
have an affidavit in my office from c. A.
Beerbaum and G. H. Downer who held
the position of public trustee in Otero
county. from January l, 1898. to Janu-
ary |, 1909, inclusive, that during that
period of time they did not foreclose.
sell or cause to be sold. while acting as
public trustee, any of the real estate on
which had made loans).
Other places have suffered fearfully
from the different panics, but this valley
(which is an empire itself does not even
seem to be effected. At this time when
the general conditions of our country seem
to be closing IN. money being little
higher in price, we in this valley are en-
joying almost real prosperity judging by
the land sales at Rocky Ford for the
past two months which amount to $685.
10000. for about two hundred and forty
acres of land, which has been sold in
small tracts to actual homeseekers.
Some sales have. of COURSE, escaped my
notice. The readiness Of people to loan
money on real estate in our valley also
speak very well for it. have letters
| lTOIIl odi WI VIII iotc PiSS'AS"s " s'S
Equitable Life Insurance Company;
George E. Kline, first vice-president of
the Fldelity-Phoenix Fire Insurance Com
pany; The Colorado Investment & Realty
Company of Colorado Springs, Van Kleek
Bacon Investment Company and Lieb-
hardt Bros. of Denver, and many others
all of which speak in the highest terms of
the value of the lands and water rights
Of this valley as security for loans. Put
all together and we are surely fortunate
in being able to live in valley so bounti-
fully blessed. | have written little
spasm which | will now read:
might write perfect song.
Telling the virtues OF the Mayors here,
But am sure 't~ould take too long,
And the meaning might not be clear.
You could tell what Denver has done,
| How Pueblo Is on the run.
| OF Canon City's wonderous CLINE,
Fowlers pure water adds to our rhyme.