June 1, 1899
The Chama Tribune wants the D. & R.G. railroad company to build a branch railroad from Chama to Pagosa Springs.
Chama has a haunted house. At certain hours of the night ghosts and hob goblins slam its doors, utter unearthly groans and rattle their chains.
The woods in the vicinity of the tie camp on the Little Chama were on fire and much good timber was destroyed. Sheep herders are responsible for the fire. The fire drove a number of bears out of the woods.
June 13, 1899: CHAMA WAS BURNED – POST OFFICE, RAILWAY DEPOT, ROUNDHOUSE AND BUSINESS BLOCKED DESTROYED, Rio Grande Road Blocked. Several Merchants lost their stock of goods. Railroad Oil Tank and Hundreds of Tons of coal are still burning.
Lumberton, NM, June 13, 1899. At 4:40 yesterday afternoon a fire originated in Broad’s store at Chama, NM. The flames spread with incredible rapidity, aided by a heavy wind. Every effort was made to check the conflagration, but in vain owing to the lack of water.
The postoffice, T. D. Burns’ business block, Mc Daniels’ saloon, J. V. Johnson’s store, P. M. Dolan’s store, T.D Burns’ warehouse, the depot, roundhouse and adjoining buildings were burned. J. V. Johnson and P.M.Dolan lost their entire stocks of merchandise, and 450 sacks of wool stored in Burns’ warehouse were consumed. The reading room, section house and the wrecking train are safe, but the railroad oil tank and 500 tons of coal are still burning. The main track of the D. & R.G. railroad is blocked.
June 14, 1899
The town of Chama was nearly destroyed by fire this week, and in broad daylight, too, like the stores at Espanola recently. Many New Mexico towns unfortunately have an inadequate firefighting apparatus, and an insufficient supply of water. Every village and town should have a fire company, hose and a chemical engine, and where there is no pressure, a fire engine, even if it is only worked by hand. Such protection will give a feeling of security to residents, and in case of a fire may prevent the destruction of a town and save a hundred times the cost of the apparatus.
July 29, 1899
REBUILDING A BURNED TOWN: Mr. W. E. Broad, in speaking of the great conflagration at Chama that recently destroyed the business portion of the town, said that at first it was a severe blow to the merchants. But most of them were fairly well insured, and are now erecting brick structures in place of the old buildings burned. A few nice frame houses have already been erected, but most of the new buildings will be of brick. Last week the burning of brick was commenced, and most of the new buildings will be finished before winter. At present business men are doing business in private homes.
Speaking of a murder that was reported to have taken place at Chama some time ago, Mr. Board said that the report was false in some respects. There was considerable mystery in the case. A stranger [tramp] was found on the railroad track with his head mashed in several places. He was not murdered, but was attacked in a most brutal manner, and it was a miracle that he escaped with his life. The man was lying between two ties, and a tie had been used in pounding him. He was unconscious for two weeks, but after that gradually recovered, and when able to walk cleared out of Chama ad fast as he could go, refusing to enter complaint, saying simply that an enemy committed the deed. Blood hound dogs were brought over from Lumberton.
The publication of the Chama Tribune has been suspended indefinitely, and no newspaper is published in Rio Arriba county. Mr. Broad said that the need of newspapers is felt very much, as there is no way of hearing of proceedings at the county seat nor of other parts of the country.
None of the mines in the northern part of the county are being worked at present.
Aug 4, 1899 NEW BRANCH FOR THE Rio GRANDE. My eventually be short cut on Chama Division to avoid the hill.
The contract for the construction of the branch line from Gato to Pagosa Springs, Colo., on the Rio Grande system, was let Wednesday to W. C. Bradbury & Co. Work will be completed by November. The incorporated title of the line is the Rio Grande, Pagosa & Northern Railroad. It will be about thirty miles in length, although the word “Northern” in the title is generally taken to indicate that the Rio Grande contemplates eventually continuing the tracks across the divide to a point higher up on the San Juan line for the purpose of saving the climb to Chama. The present purpose is that of tapping the lumber territory in the vicinity of Pagosa Springs, where mills are to be erected. The line from Arboles, which is backed by a lumber firm, is being run with the same idea in view.
Aug 16, 1899
In the northern districts several companies are successfully extracting the values from the earth, and on the Chama, a small dredging plant is at work. Tests of the Chama sands have shown 35 cents to several dollars per cubic yard, and first-class dredging machinery will make it one of the wealthiest mineral sections of the west.
Aug 18, 1899
The town of Chama is rebuilding rapidly, and brick is the material now being used for the new buildings. Mr. Burns will erect a large brick store building to rent and an extensive wool warehouse there. Work on these buildings will commence at once. The broad gauge tracking of the D. & R.G. railroad on the Alamosa division is proceeding rapidly, and will be extended to Creede from Alamosa.
A good deal of wool was handled at Chama this season, the amount being estimated at about 1, 500, 000 pounds by Mr. Burns, who himself sold about 500,000 pounds. The sheep growers have sold their wool, and there is very little of it held back in Rio Arriba county. Prices were satisfactory. Upon the whole, the people of the county of Rio Arriba have done very well during the past season, and are contented and happy.
