Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-11-21
MAYOR KEEPS HIS PROMISE
Writes Interesting Letter of His Trip
to Hot Springs and Cannot For
bear to Boost for Home Town

10 0OC-Spfln&S ana (annOt For
bear to Boost for Home Town
To the City Officials of Rocky Ford:
think l promised some of you boys
before leaving that would write you
letter. so here goes: Our first stop was
at Emporia, Kan, town of ten or twelve
thousand, and they are using artificial gas
and are paying Sl.4o and seem to be
satisfied. They have miles and miles of
paved streets. tell you it looks good.
Oh. do wish we could have our main
street paved clear to the Fair Grounds,
don't you?
The next stop was IN Chanute. in my
old home county. There they have the
natural gas. This is town of about ten
thousand and they have nearly all of their
streets paved. A nice up-to-date town.
From there went to my old home, Erie.
in the same county. town of twelve
hundred. They have natural gas and
main street paved through the business
section. They own their own water plant
and electric light plant. 1t rained nearly
all the time l was in Neosho county and
the streets and roads were in an awful
condition. | did not get out to my farm
at all on account of the rain and mud.
We arrived here on the first Of the
month. Just before we reached Little
Rock we crossed Dig river and they told
me it was the Arkansas. but it did not
look much like the river at Rocky Ford.
If G. M. Hall or Prof. Weybright could
have all the water that goes to waste
here in the Arkansas to take out in their
bitches in our valley they would never
be short of water, even in the Otero. |,
seemed to me as we were crossing the
bridge could see nearly every one Of you
people in Rocky Ford and vicinity. 1t
almost made me feel homeslck. We saw
but little farm land. A few cotton patch
es with old cabins and the old worm
fences and few piggers and sorry look
ing mules, Once in awhile a patch OF
corn or few acres of potatoes. They
say here that their crops are powerful
good. OF course here every one says.
1--WE all are feeling fine. how are you alp"
They must have good apple crop be-
cause the fruit and grocery stores all
have fine display of fruit and all mark
ed Arkansas apples. The farmers who
come to town here don't look slick and
prosperous like our Rocky Ford farmers
They mostly bring their family on a lead
Of wood or posts loaded on an old riokety
wagon drawn by team Of sorry looking
mules or horses. or yoke of oxen. | saw
one small load of cotton the other day on
Main street drawn by three yoke Of oxen.
On Sept. 5th last the prettlest part Of
the town was burned. 1t was south Of
the west part of Main street. The loss is
said to have been more that ten million
dollars.
They claim fifteen thousand resident
population and seldom have fewer than
that many visitors. 1t looks like they
have enough hotels. roomlng and board
ing houses to take care of thirty to fifty
thousand people. Some of the larger
hotels are not open yet as their busy
season does not come till the middle OF
December and lasts till March. think
this Is true as our landlady would only
rent US our two rooms at $50 per week
till Dec. 18th. and if we want them after
that we will have to pay Sl2, | think
when she raises the rent we will be ready
to come back to Gods Country" for
when we pay for our board and laundry
It leaves me short on cigar money. Two
thirds of all the business houses are on
Main street, but then Main street is
nearly two miles long. built up on both
sides with only three or four streets
branching off. OF course the government
reservation comes to Main street on one
side and that is about half mile taken
out of the business district, as only bath
houses and government buildings are
allowed on this reservation. Street cars
are running in some direction on Main
street every five minutes and together
with autos and carriages makes crossing
Main street hazardous undertaking.
They have about forty saloons and be-
lieve as many people drink at the saloons
as drink at the many fountains Of hot
water. And say, that water is hotl
You remember how you have taken up
cup of coffee before you have tasted it
and how it scalded your tongue; well that
was the way done with my first cup of
water. If it is any hotter where this
water comes from than the water itself
never want to go there.
We arrived here at the close of the
State Fair and while they have splendid
| fair ground and a mile race track their
attendance did not equal the Rocky Ford