The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-07-19
M E XICO.
The Character Of the Population
'1gl Along the Rio Grande.
INTERVIEW WITH Mr.. lAREz, CASTRO
Anew Boundary Zine Mineral Resources fths
Territory Proposed To Be Annexed.
FACTS AND FlGU E s.

SAN ANTONIO, July II, 1877.
Tho people Of Texas or al least OF ibis portion o II
bordering on the Rio Grande, have most assurcdy
desire to SEQ any Mexican territory annexed to tho
United States. While tho better class OF Mexcans
can boast of q much higher degree OF culture than s
generally accorded them by the American press and
white Il is q tact that the Indian eiemeut, which IS
numerically very strong. forms an industrious and
honest aborpg Glass; yet, nevertheless tho class OF
Mexicans that aud would continue TO be In the
ascedancy in tho States precludes any posi-
bio advantage accruiag permanent possesson OF
tho country While the country Is perfect paradise
tho natives for the most part theves or slaves,
manipulated by crafty dcinagosuea There can 6s no
doubt however that THIS vitiatcd condition oil society
is duo In great measure TO tho demoralizng innu-
ences OF the frontier lie II Ia but just 70 add that
the condition OF society this slde OF tho river is
not much better. But for tho United States to annox
several OF tho Mexican States would be equivalent TO
putting on palsicd garment
3 II is cmphsticsIiy country where "overy prospect
plcases and man alone IL viIc.v II the plan Of tho
English statesman Tor reforming Ireland could be real
lied In this instance acquisition Of the bor
der States would be most desirable. Tho plan OF the
English Statesman was. may remark passa'a, 'to
put Ireland under wafer for lerty-eght hourA" But
because the population on the south bank Of the RE
Grande would make very undesirable addition to oui
cosmopolitan popuattonit does not follow that thu
United States may be compelled and At very dis
tantday to assume kind Of jurisdiction them.
Hence the question OF the best boundary limo comos
the iropt at once.
ixrERviEw WITH L. CASTRO
Mr.. Lorenzo Castro 10 tho son OF Mr. Horny dc Chs
tro who founded The aourishiug town OF Castro
vile in the county OF Medina, twenty flour miles dis
tpnt from san Antonio, and IL is today one Of the
mos, nourishtns agricultural settlements in rexas the
inhabitants being Alsacians and their descendants.
Mr. Lorenzo Castro is the best posted man in Western
Texas about Mexican afars. lie Ia a perfect walking
encyclopedias OF facts and figures about the bord%
States having lived therc many years, speaking the
language perfectly, and being well acquainted with the
history of tho country ns vol with the and
customs of the inhabitants.
PROPOSED NEW BOUNDARY.
Being DESTROYS of obtaining shs views OF tho best
authorities this question. your correspondent called
on Mr. Lorenxo Castro this morning and requested
expression OF opinion on this topic, to which the Gin
tervlewcd'' made no serious objection
Your correspondent asked Gin case II should become
necessary tor government to change tue present
boundary line, do you think the Sierra Madrc range
would form q better oneY"
~ do not. After abandoning the limo OF tho RE
Grande frontier boundary between the United
States aad Mexico no natural boundary can be formed
west OF that river. TO the stretch OF country
between tho Rio Grandc and the Sierra Madro Noun.
tans would be oil little real benefit to the United
states US We would annex very little country
would be valuable for any except grazing purposes.
..But would not the Sierra Madre Afford the United
States troops much botcr chance TO prevent hostile
incursons; could 1t not be hold with . mYch smaller
furccY
'.rnat opinion that is very general, but is very
far from being d correct Que. Difficult as tho limo OF
the Rio Graudc cork up, It much easier to do
than would be range OF mountains pierced by innu
q S " Sa 70 atn 70 p:
history oil the country rho hostile Indians who in-
habited the present States OF Nueva Leon, Coahui!n
and Tamauiipas In Mexico, when she was viccroyay
OF Spain carried with tho spaniards Tor more
than century alter the Stale then called The Kingdom
OF EXTERN inalion, was ony ended by the colonial
ton OF New Santander, or AZ " Is now
termed, Tamaulipas. Ultimately tho Indian tribes
destroyed or driven To the rolling pralries oil
Texas This demonstrates how difficult u would be TO
clear the mountains OF robbers. 1t would DO almost
impossible drve them from the hundreds oil secure
strongholds thai they would anongihe Scrras,
unless, OF course the Americans we're " annex tho
country on both sides 0i thcm."
''whal are the character Of these mountains As to
rsIhey contain many very valuable mines. which
could be worked 10 great advantage Gold, silver,
copper aud lead abound Besides these mountains are
for the most part covered With nnc TIMBER, and be-
tween them arc rich, fertile valleys, where crops OF
small gram. sugar cane corn, &C., could 90 Essed that
would astcnish YOU Again, there Is superabundhnce
OF water power for manufacturing purposes, In
country loo where labor "a rldculousy cheap"
THE MOST AVAILABLE BOUNDARY.
mr. Castro. will you be Kind enough to point out
which line would be the best and most available houn
dairy limo IN necessity should arse Tor modifying
tho present onc?' t
First take the lines OF thu States 10 BIO annexed as
they exist part OF tho Mexican Republic COM
menciag at the mouth OF tho Pauuc0 River, on mo
Gulf vi Mexico, thence up SAID river 70 APPOINT where
boundary line OF the State OF LUIS Potos
oil state 10 tho most s0uherly Of tho State
OF Nueva Leon, IN the Sierra Madre mountains thence
northsriy course with the western boundary line
OF the State OF Nucva Leon to point on the northeast
OF the State OF Zacatccas thence with the north
line IN Westerly course 10 the southwest corner OF
the State OF Coahua, northwest OF Xacatocas, the
present boundary me oil The state OF Duraugo thence
southwest, following the southern boundaries oil tho
States oil Durango ana Siuaoa 10 the Pacific coast at
the mouth Of Rio de Canas in Ihe Boca dc Tecapan,
the northwest boundary OF tho State Of
Jalisco This line could modified little, but be.
lieve 1t is the BEST as IT would give US territory OF
PAL 500 square miles with population ot not mucn
more than million We would thcn have thc ports
Of Mazalan ana Guaymas, the Pacific, and Of
Jesus Maria, Soto Ia Marina and Tampco on the Gull
coast ING ns Of the Ir9p pic O. Cancer which would
as II would leave out tho port OF Aazatlan, which ID
How would the line Of the twenty second parallel
do?'
''rhat would slve very large and rich country
Zacatccas half OF Aguas Calentes and part OF ascc
The great objection is II is too dsnscy populated"
Your Scnsa Iron MT
the country included In the proposed new boundary
line
State. Ddle ~ Censu& foputdtion
Chlnuahua. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 1871 1792l7
sonora :. ..................... 1869 109,3S7
Coahua ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1871 0s,347
TanauIipas 1871 10S,7SS
sinaios. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1873 l6s,03l
Nucva Leon Observation-Disclosures. 1873 1881
The proposed new boundary contains within tts
the following mints which coined from July l. 1873,
to Juno so, 1874, the following ainounts:-
Mints States Surer Gotd 1ofdL
Alamos zee SOL ora .s772,352 $500 $7a99s2
Chihuahua. .Chjhuahua... e3l,O00 27,760 y5S, 700
Cnlacan .Snaloa tg2 Dol 2t,2z0 40, ~
Uermosiilo. .Sonora. ...... 61O,54 586N I30 III
These figures give but faint idea OF tho real mineral