Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-03-07
TOWN Of DAYTON
CASTS OFF ITS
WINDING SHEET
PecoS Valley Town Giving
PractiCa Demonstration
That II Is Possible 10 Come
Back and Come Strong,

SPECIAL eoEa6sPonosnes TO MORNING JOURNAL
Dayton. \. ~. March 6-Dayton,
long considered dead by her more
fortunate neighbors, north and south,
is coming back t. life again. II ism [
the same old turning over In her
sleep which has characterized her
feeble quivcrs which seemed to m
dictate the return Of the spring time
in The life of the oil town of the
Pecos. but the real spontaneous rush
Of the red blood of commerce and
prosperity through the almost hard
ened arteries of the old burg. an IN
flowing. or an infusion of new, live
giving material which viii settle the
question Of the reported demise OF
Dayton, once and for all
Many many years ago. when the
first rush Of settlers came into The
country south of Roswell and north
of Carlsbad, Dayton was lounded'
Not so many years agp IN the IAN
guagc of thc east. where time ana
men move slowly. but long. long
time in the history Of the west, where
the progress OF Il year will often sur
pass the achievements Of decade
back east The new born town Of
Dayton first looked out upon the
world with eyes fuii OF hope for the
future, and supreme indifference
Tor the present stores sprang up III
a night. The historic structure whore
Captain Chase had conducted an non
orablc supply business for years, was
left on the Wrong side If the rail
road. and the town grew and expanded
toward the west. a brick school
building was planted on the summit
OF the hill west of town, with the
fond expectation that the city-to-pe
would soon grow up around II. when
il could be used for Il common school
building and a newer and more elab-
crate high school could be located stlll
further west. solid, substantial store
buildings Of brick and stone lined
the square" The Dayton hotel was
known for miles in every direction
for the hospitality il dispensed. The
Peeos Valley Echo was a newspaper
If importance 4 bank was organ
ized and incorporated, and II bah
team formed
Zig slump Comes
In few short years, however
things looked far from rosy and life
1Nindled to "A getting up III the morn
ing and going TO bed at night. Day |
ION was "A country Gown. ana nothing |
more. Then. right In the middle Of
1 period Of depression which nigh, /
Try the heart Of the stronger. the
news that the artesian wen on the |
brown farm. north If town, had de-
.eloped a streak of oil and that an I
81 h.,I 81
ihowing of gas. brought life to the I
boosters, and Dayton I
lrokc loose in earnest. The town was I
Incorporated q town well drilled. Z /
Gasoline engine and windmill in
stalled. plans made to pipe the gls
o town for municipal lighting. pub
ie park laid out, a new saloon start
ID, two alligaturs were placed in q
pool (just like our SISTER city El
'asoD, the Echo changed us name 10 t
he New Mexico lnformer and en-
argcd from four pages to sixteen ~
single week, and business picked
~ All day long the teams ana autos
i oil grafters tilled the streets. AMI
DAYTON grew tat an outside real
state firm hired a Dund and put on
now addition 10 the townsitc, run
ling u special train from Roswell
oaded with those who had moro
money than other things And it all |
cooked mighty good, both to those
inside and those on the outside who
ferc trying to get in as cheaply as
ossble
Then that excitement died ont. and
layton. within the space of few
hort years lecame one ot those ter ]
lrs of modern civilization. "Ghost !
itv OF the West once more the fee {
lc pulse of life died down. fluttcr- {
X almost TO the vanishing point. Thct
clio. whose editor had been appoint
/ postma -ter, folded iis WINS and
he editor got job as deputy sheriff
Louisiana Captain Chass. too,
ent TO that state, closing up his lit
p store across the tracks. one by :
ne the stores pulled out. the bank q
owed to Artesia, nine miles north.
nd today as she stands. Dayton with
n store and half Is only a faint {
ladow OF her former prosperous self r
OH business Looking Up. q
Hut the good things OF this life nov-i a
entirely pass up a person or e town. !