The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-01-21
LIKES NEW MEXICO


Mr.. Frank Lay,
Springfield. Mo.
My dear Frank:
! was glad, indeed, to receive your
letter of December Is, 1914, az il
had been 20 long since ! had heard
from you.
Well. you have asked me several
questions and | will try to answer
them.
We like the country real well, and
have no idea of ever leaving here to
stay away. True, we haven't nearly
80 many advantages and conveniences
in some respects as you have in your
better improved and developed coun-
try. However, on the other hand
we have some advantages over you.
Our climate is ideal. We haven't
the extremes Of temperature which
you have. Sometimes il gets pretty
cold. even down Ia zero, but not
livery often. In summer we never
have warm, damp, muggy weather.
IL is seldom ever too warm 10 sleep
under blanket. especially on the
Plains. There is no such thing as
malaria here.
We have never had a bad failure
of crops in this part of our county
since | have been here. We have
found that land produces much bet
ter after il has been cultivated four
or five years than when fresh.
We don't grow very much corn as
it does not mature very well because
of cool nights. The growing Of
wheat, oats, milo maize, kaffir, fet-
erita, sorghum, Sudan grass and
millet, we feel are past the expert.
mental stage.
As to churches would say that
nearly all the protestant churches
are fairly represented. In the cities
and towns they are very well sup
piled with church buildings, but in
the rural districts school houses are
in general used for that purpose.
As to our public schools ! would
say that they are quite as good as we
could expect for 80 new a state.
However, our school laws are in a
chaotic condition, and we hope to re-
wise them at this session Of our legis-
lature in way to greatly benefit
them.
| am afraid | will get my letter
too long. but must tell you a little
about Santa Fe. II is a quaint old
city Of about seven thousand inhabi-
tants. situated in very pretty lit
tie valley, almost surrounded by hills.
| In altitude it is about 1000 feet
above the sea level. Its streets are
narrow and irregular. The Oldest
buildings in the Uuited States are
located here. ! have just visited
the old San Miguel church. and was
shown an old Spanish bell that is
said to be more than six hundred
lyears old. Also some paintings Of
about the same age. The old gov
ernor's palace (about 800 years odd
is very closely associated with much
of the early history Of the South
west. have been in the room of
this building where Gen Lew Wal
lace wrote his immortal Ben Hur"
| Most of the modern buildings are
a high class of architecture.
| Governor W. C. Mcdonald, our
Democratic governor. is typical
Western gentleman. He is man
of strong character, even little vim
dictive. and is guarding very closely
the interests of the state.
Antonio Lucero, our Secretary of
State, (although a Spanish-Ameri-
cam is as affable and polished gen.
man as one would wish to meet.
Alvin N. White is a high type OF
American manhood and under his
supervision we expect the public
, schools in the state to obtain a high
degree Of proficiency.
Il Our second legislature was sworn
in on the 18th of this month. W.
, have done but little since except or.
ganize. Our senate consists Of n
, members; Z democrats and 10 repub
licans. Our house, Of which l am {
member, consists of 40 members. Il
democrats, 80 republicans, and 80
: cialist.
4 In addition to such a beastly re
= publican majority. they are com
/ 4 . A