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Albuquerque, N. a
,bou
2,700
words
SIDELIGHTS ON EVENTS AND PEOPLE OF
ALbUt.OJER,.',UE IN THE OLD DAYS
(continued)
JUL 7 -19V3
*;,2 -AN
(Being a compilation of material gathered from time to
tie from various sold -timers" of Albuquerque. The following
material was obtained from Mrs, A. P. Keith, a long+time
resident of the City.).
Fortunately we have some of the older business n:en left.
Fortunately we have some of the women of other days left here,
and I would like to pay tribute to such women such as Mrs. Cobb,
photographer, Mrs. Wroth, once President of the Women's Club, to
Mr. and Mrs. George Frost, to Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Goodrich, to
the late Rufus Goodrich who was for years employed by Arthur G.
7iells, Vice President of the Santa Fe Railway. Albuquerque owes
much to Arthur G. Wells, to krs. Louise Grundman, whom I have
mentioned, to kr. and Mrs.' John Baron Burg, the late Governor
Elias tover, Mr. A. A, Leen, Grand Secretavy ot the Masonic
Bodies of New Mexico, to Dr. George Easterday, to the late Dr.
Jake Easterday.
Speaking of the kindness of Dr. George Easterday to the
native people, I would like to mention an incident I witnessed
in his office one time. Dr. George Easteray was nominated for
mayor of Albuquerque. There were so many poor natives here eh°
needed medical treatment that Dr. asterday gave this and juat
took IL 41,3 one more cood dead served to humanity. ;*le all know
what politics means so that When Dr. tieurge Lasterday was nominated
be round a man be had been very kind to, who opposed him, Lasterday
had doctored his *bolo family. This man had been hired by the
op -Nosing "arty to work against -1'.asterday, and I will say that
it was money wasted. Or there sas hardly a man sho could have
voted against tr. George asterUay and dared go home after having
ne *0. The writer happened to be in the °flies Just as this
native was leavInc who was all for iststerday's election. 1r.
George Lasterday said, "sow look here, Jose, I haven't got time
to fool hith this man When I have taken such Food care o: his
family an charged him nothinE, unc ne Is workint against me. I
am ioinf to v,ive him a lesson he sill not for et. I want you to
watch him when he goes home Go and Ely(' him the worst beating
be ever bad in his life, taen mme kor me. 1 will piaster him
ap, and make him comfortable." He asked the native, "Lo you think
you can do this?" The native replied, "Si." Lector George
,asterday handed him a 0.0.00 bill. "Here's 1.0.00 for your
trouble, qnd I will take care othe other fellow's bruises,
and I will pay the fine for you 11' you get arreutd. Cure back
tomol'row, and report to me. lhe native was Lust coing out, but
be stack his head into the office door saying, "say, looc, do you
want me to kill him?" Dr. Lasterday said, "Oh, my God, dad% kill
him don't hurt him very bad-.-jast boat him tsp. Then call me,
and I hill attend to his wounds and tell nlm how he got that
14
beatinc..
In regard to Art in Albuquerque, the outstanding pictures
of the natives, which portray the actual surroundings their boOes,
and religious sentiment sre best pictures by the paintings of
lisquirula rower°, silo until recently ..a.intained hie own art
allery in the 1500 block on Central. The building containing
these pictures was designed and constructed by kr. Romero himself
gr. ilomero has travelled through burope studied with many famous
artists, but after all art and music are a gift, and cannot be
taught unless one ie inspired to do the work. Or. Romero's
paintings show that his pork is inspirational as I have seen
nictures that .1q) painted loac before he ever became a Pupil of
JOM4 or the kasters, an I truly believe that one who possesses
by birth un artistic nature often is as much to a trained
teacher ae a teacher Ova, to the pupil.
bpeaking of art in Albuquerque, there are many who have
contributA to this work, who have passed as ships in the night,
and I knew of no one who Is more worthy of mention than the first
wife of X. C. bedaleton. But at her death her pictures were taken
ciat of New Mexico, and such has ben the tate of any beautiful
;Aintings that at one tile adorned the walls ci. the homes in
The home of Judge harren, in the 100 block N. Fourteenth
Ztreet is still a beautiful residence, owned by a prominent
citizen tbe time of his death there were many beautiful
paintings in his home. These, too, were sent to relatives and
friends, and albaqaerque no lancer owns them. it le my privilege
to write or one artist in Albuquerque that few people have
thorourhly recognised because of his ',oath. This boy is yoang
Ben Tarnor. Of all artists through Sew Maxis*, there is no one
who has the ancestral background that young bon Turner has, but
before I took this ratter up I don'tIbink &flyover knew that he was
a great nephew of the famous J. L, r. Turner those pictures are
listed and exhibited in nany art galleries of Surone and Snarls*.
Toanr Turner has never had a lesson In his life, bat his pictures
show the besaty, the love, the passion, of et matared artist.
Among beautifal paintings that are in Albaquisrque. no
plasm ean surpass the paintings that bang in St, Vincent Academy:
One is as I can reoall, about 6S x0. This hangs :a the chapel
and was painted by W.ster -nestine, an artist of great repute
boot artists or Nes sex co inaist on puttir( on all the
riAl they can put into the sansets of Se5 texioo, but we people
who have lived bare so long have seen many solemn sanaeLs with
no trace of the gorgeous red that make *piths usual liewrof now
artists for the newcomers of Albuquerque. Vs Oho have lingered
lonr and have waited and are still welting nava seen the sunset
an the lo 'rands isith nothn but an outline of the Rio Grande.
These paintings, to my notice, are more quieting. At oertain
times of the year the silliest an the Sandiest if the sun is
shining just as It Aboaldo se get a view that oqua1s the iapins
Glow. At about 5 in tho evendnit: we see the sun ibinine, brightly
on the 5andia*, then IL saddenly =wages to a pale pale pin. In
a rlash Is a touch 41 AAAJr j4at, 10r a second or t4 then a deep
amethyst. 4his ;a the whole v1e oL Uii Bandies. It lasts only
tor a short space or time*
'4.) the west the an sinks behind the voloanoas and jost as
dusk oomes on the mountains take on a sullen gray. Nicht has cowls.
tarat are at and these we look on as our forget--ms-not friends.
I: ,t a fall moon, than th4; Vailey la beautiful to look 'JP.
are many Goal scenes pictured or ibuquer,,ue but those last
hitting Lbe high spots they f.ever awe t.bsi1, and her, it *oil to
quote the oid adage that "often in a woodon house a golden room
you'll rind."
Tbar's are so en oL theta* treasured paintings that I :mow
bat circumstanoes are such that I cannot go to loolc for them
It/ place Ltlera jaat now. aG4t L'anwus pictures brju Lore in the
very ourly vaaya sem, hruaglIt rit,V4 L4 the, reat ixatner :sr Mrs.
John Baron morg, Who was a, dau6htur Aarlano Otero, au,.1 !lc:rationing
Mariano i.Aero I mill $ay that in .be original set.;.ling of New Mexico
Cher- were only rive genuine L'panian Castilian families that cams
in. no: these were the ancestors oi Mrs. John baron Burg. I
know of no one 4ho Is more deserving of kindly mention than Jebn
baron burg and his all. kra. Burg paints portrait, 11-1 Gor work
Is inded
41.14Ja oi tom treaaures eecase I Ilavo taunt amo.)46 the
natives. .Wievey have SWIM* MIS these things they have packed away
n trunks soma are boautiful relics or Old bpain and when I ask
them why do you keep these things eaneealed they tell mos "Ohs
the anerieens de not ears what me eaziestes treasures so as just
losep them to ourselves. and I oonsider myself fortunate indeed
that 1 have been ta.Aus into the confidenee of these native people..
There are times ahen I have seated material for pageantry or other
things my aork celiac& tors It as been a great pleaeare to MVO
iwisfe native WOALU unlock a trunA A44 lift oat silver ZOAcill containing
articles precloaaly peeked away /roe inquisitive sym• ot the ltinge,
lo 42 Amerlease often apeakin‘ Of the natives as the Greasers they
nstarn the compliment by Selling americans Oringee. Ihe way this
hams %:,rewsior baPPened to bo applied to the natives sae in the early
days snen Ten like kerfecto Armijos kariano Otero and z-eny other,
bad to nave their gooas ahip:ea from Zt. Louis or the City of
Mexico by az sagon teams. At certain intervals the team ana the
men were supposed to rest while food was prepared ror them. Ahem
they arrived at this plass, there would be a **Main number of
natives who sere there ready with the grease pots to grease the
wagon *tools, *a that they nicht proceed against the danzer of
breAkinc (14.40n• As soon as the ,..rivers aeald see the men arriving
they woala greet then with the oimal expression ots "here are
Woe 'greasers's" and the 4reasers vigoroway applied the grease
to the °reeking wod isogon that was bringing into Albuquerque
gorgeous silks and satins, dainty foods that scald not be found
here, in fact every eommodity that eould be brought from Meziee
of the keit
These Live wealthy it,panish Lemilies brought to Aluaquerques
b7 themeans 1 have that mentioned, all the luxuries that eastern
cities could affords, and
th
s from Old Mexico that no eastern
city could supply. So we remember that amoaf the genuine
Castilians we have many or their deecondonts who were 4traly born
to the purple."
There is one old story of the two Mexican man with one
nioina, driving betneern Alinowerwo and Banta le• Anyone *an boar
the story by asking the wellioread natives but it is too long for
ne to give in this article.
There ths Y, M. C.
now stands was the wholeeelo house et
the utbwft of Bob kutney. The Albuquerque situate was different
in those days* and t;.ø long porch was extended all around the
Zulney ihoIssale Bowie, and this was *here the Indians would spread
their blankets at night and dosens of them would sleep there, and
no questions were asked* The am teams wising in from the Last or
the teat were driven on the Putney ground, the yoke removed from
their netWip the tired OA= laid aoen to eleop, and the goodie
packed in the wagons sem per eetly sa:e* and *ere eagerly unpacked
the following morning.
Ibis la part o ibat i‘lbuquarqua ue.ta to be. sloe a follow
shan't leave his overcoat In his oar to buy a cigar and return to
find his overeoat in the oar* wOh, um*, Rome* there was a time
when one *amid wits, Quo, Lbw, has been a tender zlarue to Mess
tut the clvIllaatIon toQk out oi the inaian his hoaosty.
AbitiVol Leavy taken 4/1 4,110:7 tau trait the Americans broAght in,
&adIL DA; Amwrioans did 1o:qua In any good traits the natives
oortainly never Look them up*
Almost everyone llvimg here now is familiar with Semeymees
Row. The name was =Oh unsalted to this loeation, but Ihe knoll*
just where Leveret Lamm is located in Albuquerque' I will tell yea
It ts in a. little stretch of land located between what is the
oathmay loading from that was the Judge *arren home aloni7 the ammala
bank that loads oat to the Old Town CourthaAse. It has been said
th7s is to be open soon with care going clear throagh from the eernor
of ioarteenth Street into Old Town. Whether this is true or not,
I would not way and neither do I think anyone else knows, .but I
do know that this was a pretty stmt. -eh of ground at one ti -4 and
the only real romantic place I know of in Albaq,aerque 10 the property
of Jide Marren, which joined the property of l49C 4, Central
Avenue. Jadre was a wealthy nan.
It was in his home that Albert baton Zi1.l spent much of his
time as ha noald come and to .to Albuquerque. When I was a very
small Child, Albert_ Bacon hall taught me my Englith Alphabet, as
I sat on hie lme,e and recited '71, ABC's. ?tie 4613 in lentucky.
VT %otter taapht Albert baton Pall the 3reek alphabet. I NiemuJas
he „orrotter this, and yet I think he hardly could. To my
notion Albert baton tall has not only teen prosecated„ I think
be ints-:persecated and no Court sill ever rake ne believe he was
guilty, and I think he has shown -What manhood really is because
in my mind be will die without telling anything that will throw
lirht on hie own innocence,
Vajor Donley was sent from ashington. D. -C., to AlbuquerNius.
ior a time he rented the house at 1429 Central Avenue, Whioh
joined he Warren property. This is hos thJa stretch of Froand
just back of this property got the maw of Leveret Lane, and that
was only known to a few peorle. Paul lama was the only son of
Judge garren, a dashing youth with dark eyes and dark hair. Be
rode a Kentueky thoroughbred horse and it is little wonder that
the only daughter at Major Donley. Oboes name was Belle, 'Wald
fall in love with mach as be was at the time she met him. This
little stretch of ground was Lovers Tryst for these young people.
The interest is the Kentucky thoroughbred was a pood excuse tar
mutual interest, Which one Tay know soon ripened into a desperate
love affair. Both families were much pleased, and to save tIme
I will simply say that Albuquerque has soon many beautiful wedding.,
but there never has been and I feel quite sure there never will be
each a beautiful Boone as the wedding of Paul warren and Belle
Donley.
Lost bridal parties rind their way to the altar on a viell
spread canvas today, bat Belle Lonley did not trod on canvas to
the altar at St. John's Church an shc took the matrimonial yam.
In plum of this, yards of white velvet earpet had been ordered
from a carpet house in St. Louis. This soft velvet carpet was
pure white with figures or 'ale pink roses, tied with lovers' knots.
As ebe left her father's do9r„ part of this carpet was stretched
rrom the door to the carriage of the war -en family, *hick' -receded
to the iscopal church drawn b7 two beautiful to horses. The
ear quality of carpet was Laid f: -am the altar oat to the edge
the sidewalk of Ulla pisoopal Church. The earriage was halted
at the corner of Silver Avenue and Fourth Street, across the
street fror the Curet. The same carpeting was srrisad soross the
street up to the Churah door, and Belle Donley certainly walked
to the matrimonial altar an a bed o: roses.
Two small boys dressed in apple blue (tarried the bridal
train o: Belle Donley. T altible made a 7ietare thA z3 one
It will ever rort7et. Belle Lonley93 Anther vas a close
relative or :mbert Lee, and in her was all ot the staunah
charseters the ?wide and the bearing that uould convince anyone
thnt she nas wto the manner born.'
Now you would edik, did they live haply wirer after
In rontha they Iere divorced. Belle Donley left Albugaercue
forever. Nul Iarren lived a short ronthei then nut a ballet
thrur:h hIc own head. Mae ended one o
ronances.
Ibuquorque/s uarly