Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1878-01-05

toi anu iHfuiy
MAI. JONES INTERVIEWED.
Maj. Jones, the Ranger-I've been
there and can tell you all about it.
| Firstly, then, as to FL Paso (the Pass g.
The FL Paso on the Texas side of the
Rio Grande, now beginning to be called
Franklin, to distinguish it from Ell
Paso on the Mexican side, is small
village inhabited almost altogether by
Mexicans. There are but few Americans
in it. II is not the county seat OF Fl
Paso County, as is the idea generally
entertained
Correspondent-What, then, is the
county seat?
| Mai. Jones-Halt moment, and I'll
tell YOU. It's little place-a mere
Mexican hamlet called Yslete, II miles
below Fl Paso, or Franklin. This is
the capital Then again, further down
the river. is Socorro, containing some
$40 inhabitants, all Mexicans, with a
chance 'Gringon or American. San
Elizario, the scene OF the mob, is small
Mexican town, eight miles below Socor-
70 and % from FL Paso. All these
places are inhabited chiefly by MeXi
cans-for that whole region is nothing
but Mexican country, whose people,
with the exception of a few American
settlers, are. one and in unison with the
dwellers south of the Rio Grande. They
are related and intermarried together,
linked by other ties, and. indeed, s con-
siderable proportion of the Mexicans in
FL Paso County were born in Mexico.
To show Won the sentiment of this pop
ulation last October, when | was out at
FL Paso, | was ordered by Gov. Hub
bard to recruit a company of rangers
there, to serve for putting down the
marauders and thieves constantly in the
habit OF crossing over from Mexico into
Texas. | proposed to Senior Garcia, a
leading Mexican citizen of Ell Paso, and
the head of one of the oldest and most
influential families of the place, to give
the Mexicans the privilege of forming
the company themselves, and | guaran
teeing first-class arms, of the latest and
most improved style, to be furnished by
the State Government.
SENIOR GARCIA's COMPANY.
This pleased the Mexicans greatly. rs
they are all fond OF being soldiers, like
TO wear uniforms. and are in fact good
soldiers. Under the auspices of Senior
Garcia meeting was held, and the
rules for the government of the COM
pany and its purposes being demanded
of me, | wrote out brief summary ol
what they would be required 10 do.
Among the rest | stipulated that the
company would be held liable for serv-
ice in suppressing invasion from Msxi-
GO. This was sufficient for the Mexi-
cans, who could not bear the idea of
fighting against their brethren from the
south-side of the Rio Grande. That was
the last OF Senior Garcia's company.
Cor.-What sort of Il country is it out
there?
Maj Jones-Pretty wild, can tell
you. Ii is some 200 miles from the set
tiement of Texas. The country around
FL Paso, and in which are situated the
places | have mentioned. is a poor,
sandy, barren region, only the river and
creek bottoms being capable of irriga- |
ton. The soil of the plains out there
will hardly sprout cowpeas. Pretty |
poor, tell you.
Cor.-Ies; nearly as bad as the sand |
hills of North Carolina?
Mai Jones-But it has il sredeeming
features. South of the Rio Grande, land |
just back OF the town of FL Paso, rise |
the Guadaloupe Mountains, whose lofty |
eminences loom up in the blue distance
ike grim sentinels guarding the dim
gates OF the West. II some of our poets |
and painters were ont there they would |
90 crazy over it, | think.
THE SCENE OF THE MASSACRE.
Cor.-And san Elizario?
Maj. J.-lt is, as sa d, small Mexi- |
can town of 600 inhabitants The build |
ings and dwellings consist of low one
story adobe structures, with clay floors |