Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1913-05-16
REV. M'I.EAN WRITES
OF CONDITIONS IN n. MEN.


and comfort would suggest Indoors
until the zephyr is oyerpast. The
residents of this health resort say
these zephyrs, that pick up gravel
stones and throw them into your
face, are necessary to purify the air.
II may be so, but give me a real, old
fashioned, down east thunderstorm
for an atmospheric purifier every
time.
This country of ours is great on
climate. One day was enjoying the
sunshine, the fruit and the flowers
of southern California, then two days
later dipped over the Siskiyous into
cold, drizzling Oregon rain, then
within a week back through Califor-
mia, across Arizona, then north across
the Ration range into a blizzard in
Colorado What more could any
man want in the way of a change of
climate?
The old order changeth," but the
old order also remaineth. One is
impressed with this thought as he
journeys northward from Albuquer-
que. There will be a succession of
Mexican villages, with the old time
adobe walls and flat roofs, with no
change since the days of the Spanish
conquest. Next comes the Indian viii
lage, or pueblo of Santo Domingo,
the worst Indians in the state. The
government has attempted to build a
school there several times, but so
strong has been the opposition that it
has never gone beyond the founda-
tiOn. Now the government has taken
hold of it with the determination to
carry it through. The Indians
threatened to tear it down and kill
the teacher if one should be sent
Warrants were issued for the Of
tenders, and are to be served at the
first appearance of trouble. Had the
government taken a firm stand with
them at the beginning the trouble
would have ended long ago.
Coming to Las Vegas we find the
new and the old side by side. A
modern, well built, thriving city, |
with the usual fringe Of adobe huts,
marking the Las Vegas of forty-five
years ago.
Passing still northward we enter
upon a region once familiar to me,
but upon which | had not set my |
eyes since 1868, the old Maxwell |
grant. Prior to the American occu-
patton of New Mexico an immense
tract of land, comprising about two
million of acres, was given by the |
Mexican government to Carlos Beau
bien and Guadalupe Miranda, citi
zens of New Mexico and agents of
the American Fur company. Lucius
B. Maxwell was trapper and hunter,
holding a position of confidence in
the company. He married Beaubien's
daughter, and after Beaubiens death
he purchased the interest of Miranda
and became sole possessor of this i'm
mense tract. Surrounded by Indians
and Mexicans, as truly serfs as any
of the feudal ages, Maxwell ruled a
feudal lord He employed an army
of poems who farmed his fertile acres
in a primitive way. His house was
open to every passer by, every one
passing having as much right to sit
at the great table as any of the fam
fly. No man need ever pass on I
hungry No introduction was neces-
sary, the table was for the public.
Around the store could always be
seen throng of Indians coming from .
the mountains to trade. One day you
might meet them at the counter, and
likely as not within week the same
Indians would be on the war path. +;
1t was with the keenest interest
that began to look for some familiar
land marks as the train sped along. ;
My attention was called to colony {
Of German settlers who were en- {
gagged in dry farming. The noun |
tains in the background began to /
look familiar, and as open point af-
ter another came into view | real '
lied that at last had entered upon c
familiar ground On that very pra-
irie l had laid out one night in the
snow on my return from Fort Union,
whittier l had been to consult ply
sician. l left the fort about four {
o'clock in the afternoon in binding 7
snow storm to make the journey of {
forty miles across the open prairie. {
There was no track, so at last s
could only trust to the instinct of my I
horse About twelve o'clock | was {
tOo eioIy 20 ,it lon oar In tho caddla }