Deming graphic., 1912-04-26
THE OCEAN TO OCEAN AUTO
MOBILE HIGHWAY AND DEM.
ING'S RELATION 10 IN.
by DR.. h. C. Hoffman.

o,d Trails, and when so much IL be-
ing said about the overland routes
If the pioneers We are reminded that
peming's location is unique,
For II was through this southern
mart of New Mexico that the old
trails can be found, although they
have not been receiving the amount
Of notice they deserve. from his
torical standpoint.
We must remember that II was back
in 1900 that trails through this State
were opened. or to he more exact We
have good grounds for believing that
This State was first entered by white
neople about July. i5iO. being over
gsJ years before the Mississippi val
lev was traversed by the Lewis and
Clarke Expedition, 30 We have some
right to claiming II place In the Old
Trails History.
From that time forward for years
the Spaniards travelled from their
Headquarters IN New Spain into and
through what Is now New Mexico.
Arizona and California But our in
leresl in the different trails does
not commence until about 1886.
when Kearny, in command of the
Armi Of the West, entered this sec
ton. although Pike had gone before
IN 1907, but without furlner result
than a description OF the country 30
(ar as he was enabled to see 1t while
passing through.
At the time OF Pixies trip he was
taken south from Albuquerque
through the valley of the Rio Gran
de- and describes with much interest
The methods Of irrigation and what
they were able To grow. lie tells
us that they cultivated corn. rye.
wheat, barley. tobacco, and all
the common culinary plants, So we
see that even before this early date
the valley of the Rio Grande was not
only an Old Trail. but under culti-
vation long before the Santa Fe
trail was thought Of. for It was not
until after Pixies return that the
Americans knew anything about San
hn Of al.
there, and II was not until about
1921 that any use was made OF thu
Santa 'e Trail and prior to tha
lime all goods had been receive,
from Mexico and trails ran from
there throughout the Southwest. th'
principal one heing up the Ri'
! Grandr from Paso del NOrto through
NhnruerQue into Santa Fee.
IN 1916 Gen. s. ". kearny, II
command of the Army Of the West
came into New Mexico. and after tax
my !Inta Fe and establishing 4
'yil form oi government. starte'
for California. leaving Col. Donipha
with his Missouri troops Ia avail
the arrival Of Col. Price, when h
also started south on his way I
Chihuahua.
Now 10 take up the question q
Old Trails we find that both Keal
ny and Doniphan followed the trail
that had been used for about thre
hundred years and when the SAINT
Fe trail is thought OF and write
aDont, We cannot help wonderin
why the continuation Of that ira
Is not given It's proper place. FC
is over this trail that the tw
military men In command Of the fir
conquest of what Is now New Me
leo, Arizona and California, marche
Kearny marched south from San
Fe through Albuquerque and crosse
tue river at that point. following u
valley 10 the tornado del Muerto ar
-" "''SS Tue DtuihS ih'o wv w
ley Of the Rio Mimbres. thence we
10 The ella and on 10 San Dieg
California.
lie did not 20 west from AID
querque as We are led to believe
ohe society interested In the mar
'hg Of the Santa Fe Trail. for
iohnd that such route was n
practical and all the travel In
santa Fe from the west and sou
came up the valley of the Rio Gran
ana he was wise enough to- take I
ohiy route for his Journey that cot
"e 'rayersed at that time Of the ye
ie September.
We see by the above that the tr
'o''owed by Kerny In one that ]
great historical interest for not ol
'he Southwest, hut the entire Uni
S'a'es, for by this trail was oper
up New Mexico and Arizona W
"er vast copper and other mine
aeposts. and California. the st
'nat furnishes us with almost a
'n'ng We may wish for from lem
10 sunshine.
Why the people OF California