The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1873-02-08
-, DES0
s-s-@ = --1S,
THE HOUSES-THE PRODUCTS
CIGARS-THE LADIES.


writes as follows, from the line
of the Southern railroad:
The houses of the wealthier
classes are built of adobe or
concrete, sometimes, though
not often, two stories high, and
with large, projecting, grated
windows. The floors are very
rarely laid with lumber, but are
Of either large fiag-stones or
concrete, and except in the
kitchens there are scarcely ever
any tre-plsces, but owing to
the thickness Of the walls and
of the roof, the latter being fiat,
and also of concrete the houses
are quite warm in the winter,
as well as cool in the summer.
The walls of these adobe or
concrete houses are on the out
side and inside carefully kept
whitewashed, and the inside
walls are decorated with Il pro-
fusion of representations Ofthe
CrucitiXion and images of the
saintS-these saints among the
the MeXicans seeming to be as
multitudinOuS as the sands of
the Rio Grande vatlcy-0r as
its tieaS, ! kLOw not which is
the stronger figure. The very
poor people live in mud huts,
the roofs being matched with
grass, and the floors being the
naked earth. But everything
in and about these houses indi-
Gates neatneSs and order sur
passing anything | have ever
before seen among any people
whatever, and this in the face
Of the fact that the men are,
with scarcely any exceptions,
lazy and idle.
In the coolest room of these
houses are suspended in the air
the water-COOler, called here
"orios." The manufacture of
these "OliOS" seems to be a
mystery, the knowledge of
which has decendcd from the
ancient Indian tribes of this
country, and which is still con-
fined to the MeNicans and to
their semi civilizcd Indian
neighbOrS. They are appear
emily Il species OF earth or clay
moulded into the form of Il YES
sci and baked hard. Their
merit consists in their exceed
ing porous character, in conSe-
quence Of which evaporation is
rapid, and the vessel being CX-
posed to the air. wafer con-
tanned i'll it becomes-ice cold.
\ great abundance and
variety of fruits grow in the
valley; but particularly diStiH-
guished for. their fine flavor are
the pears and the El Paso
grape. The wine made from
this grape is, in my estimation,
superior to any except the fin
est and most costly European
wines. The vineyards, which
are all irrigable, are beautiful,
being cultivated with Jealous
care. The vine, however I'M
fortunately, will not bear trans
portation; and have been told,
by those who have made the
experiment, that the vine will
not do we'll if transplanted any
where east or south; but | think
it probable that if transported
with railroad speed and planted
before its vitality has become
extinct, it would thrive. The
81 PasO onion grows to the size
of a common saucer, and differs
from the common onion in not
having its bitter, pungent taste.
Some six years ago l spent
some time in this place, and
having business with Senior
Ochoa, who resided in FL Paso
proper, and who was a graduate
of the st. Louis Jesuit COLLEGE,
upon his cordial invitation |
spent much Of my time at his
house. He was the wealthiest
merchant in the city, and | was
! aStonished at the character of
the business done by his house.
In one department bills of
goods amounting TO thOuSaudS