The Best Job In The World or Adventures of a USGS Hydrographer In

Northern New Mexico

by

Arthur Scott

   Just imagine being in the high mountains of northern New Mexico on a sunny, crisp fall day wading a small rooky stream about 20-feet wide and a bit over a foot deep and surrounded with cottonwoods and pine forest.. The creek is loaded with trout that dart at the revolving meter you are using to measure stream velocity. There is  only the sound of the creek and the forest  and the clicking of the meter signal in your headset. The closest habitations are at least ten mile away over a dirt road and I am on a closed private game preserve straddling the New Mexico-Colorado border. Your closest supervisor is sixty miles away and the only communication would be to leave a note in the hotel where you are spending the night. The glory of all this is that you are actually getting paid for all of this. Just like a kid playing in the stream and getting paid for it. This was a large part of my life for several years during the fifties and sixties minus the two years plus I served in the US Army..

    A bit of background is in order to explain why the federal government was willing to pay me for having so much fun. As one example, the state of New Mexico is

An ugly Taos rebellion based on color, that few know about.

    In 1932 an African-American, Thomas Johnson,  was convicted of murder in Santa Fe. He was sentenced to be the first to die in New Mexico's new electric chair. In response the editor of The New Mexican (ten owned by Senator Bronson Cutting) , Dana Johnson, wrote a scathing editorial proposing that the entire black population of Santa Fe be expelled from town immediately.

   Although it never happened in Santa Fe, it was carried out in Taos in January of 1932. Taos had a black population of eight men and women. They were ordered to

Old Santa Fe Trading Post

by

Arthur Scott

    In later life James Seligman, Governor Arthur Seligman's brother,  was a well known Indian Trader and expert on Navajo weaving in Santa Fe. His shop was located in the old Magoffin house on  the corner of San Francisco and  Cathedral Streets across from St. Francis Cathedral. Shortly after this picture was tan, during the  1950's, this structure was sold, torn down, paved over and walled in to become a parking lot for the La Fonda hotel.

  My great uncle, James was born in Philadelphia, trained as a civil engineer, and got a job with the US Department of Interior in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1887. He

From Old Fonda To La Fonda

by

Arthur Sott

The above photograph is from my grandfather's (Arthur Seligman) persdional collection. There is no information other than the caption "Old Fonda" written in pencil; no date, location, or photographer.

   I have been able to identify the photo as the Exchange Hotel always known by locals and in newspapers as the "old Fonda." The photo was taken from around Water Street looking northeast up Shelby street toward the pl;aza.. It was taken prior to the May 1916 leveling of the building but sometime after the hotel was well dilapidated.  I would date it as being taken between 1914 and 1916. The photo is consistent with a photo looking the opposite direction toward Water Street dated 1910 (Source unknown) shown below:

Photo addendum to Our Cow Creek Cabin 1930's

by

Arthur Scott

   This is a photo addendum to the previous two articles that I posted on our cabin and lives in Cow Creek in the upper Pecos. Some of the happiest memories of my childhood. The following are links to the previous articles:

The first is about growing up there and the second is a present-day photo of the cabin, kindly furnished by the current full-time resident.

Alla En Ell Ranchito Grande

and

Our Old Cow Creek Cabin

All of the following photos and the lead photo are from my personal collection. Few included any type of caption so most information is sketchy and from memories long past.

New MexicoAerial Photos 1931

by

Arthur Scott

   The photo above is a Southeast view over Santa Fe taken on Apr 7, 1931. Central is the State Capitol. Peak in the background left is Sun Mount.

   The photo above and those following were all taken by the U. S. Army Air Service. These are my personal scans from the Governor Seligman photo collection. Below is the Army stamp on the reverse of photos.

   The following two photos are Ft. Union, New Mexico and were taken August 20, 1931. Santa Fe Trail wagon tracks are clearly visible as are the Officers Quarters (rows of chimneys in foreground).

First State Motor Patriol Training Class

by

Arthur Scott

  I perviously poste a picture of the Motor Patrol after graduationwih Governor Seligman on the steps of the capitol.

http://vocesdesantafe.org/social/index.php/explore-our-history/government/item/1011-new-mexico-motor-patrol

Here is the reverse of the above photo with names:

.

As a side note I am in love with my grandfather's car in the back gound.

Early Public School Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory

by

Arthur Scott

   There are several unknowns about this photo. I know my dad, Otis Seligman is third from right on the second row in the photo which was inscribed on the rear of the photo. He appears to be in the third or fourth grade, eight to ten years old. This would date the photo between 1906-1908.

   Exact location is unknown but his early schooling was in Santa Fe. There is a great diversity in this class including, based on facial features,  African-American,

by

Arthur Scott

Richard  C. Dillion served as eighth elected Governor of New Mexico from 1927-1931and first two-term Governor.. He was succedded in office by Arthur Seligman who was also elected to to terms.