San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-01-04
From Ei l'nso County.
YsLETA, EL PAso County,
H TEXAS, Dec. 20, 1873.


subscriber to your excellent paper, and
prcsumiug that lew items from our
county for publication in your paper
would be acceptable, enclose them
to you. - ..n Yt.aN III
The new county officers have all
been duly qualified aud installed with.
out any difficulty or trouble, with but
one exception. The retiring sheriff
refused to turn over the documents
and other things pertaining to the
sheriff-s office to the new encumbent,
Benito Gonzales, whereupon Gonzales
demanded the documents with pistol
presented at the breast Of the ex-
sheriff; deeming discretion the better
part of valor the ex.otiicial comprom-
|i,ed by turning over to County Judge
VIM. Leahy, and now Gonzales Is q
full-hedged sheriff. Hri.a ns ls
The Fiesta Grande or feast Of Ssnto
Guadalupe is now in full blast in FL
Paso Just across the Rio Grande; it
will continue until Christmas and has
already been garnished by q bull.dght
or two. So far everything seems to be
under pretty good management ms re-
CARDS law aud order. There are scores
of Americans visiting the least from
our side of the river, end they all
seem to enjoy the entertainment huge
ly during the day, but one thing Ii
noticeable, they all with one accord
return to their own side of the river to
repose for the night, which shows con
clusively that it is not discreet to trust
our belligerent neighbors too much at
their own entertainments.
Apropos of belligerent neighbors,
warIlke talk and demonstrations have
somewhat subsi sd within the last
few weeks, slumbering as it were, un-
J til spring opens and warns up the
, blood of the dark eyed Dons on the
other side.
A few days ago two young men, we'll
} known in this community, were found
t dead out on Whitewater desert some
fifty miles from the river. They we're
of the kind who patronize the turf >
as they say here; they were no doubt
passed out by some irate cattle owner
or his agent.
A few American emigrants are COM
! ing into the valley; several large farms
are being opened out; new acquias are
being taken out, and many other i'm
provements are being inaugurated pre-.
paratory to bountiful harvest, both
in field and vineyard. Writing OF
vineyards, we venture the assertion
that nowhere in the United States do
such delicious grapes and snch abund-
ant crops of fruit grow as in this val
ley, save perhaps in California.
Peace and law and order have pre-
vailed in the valley for sometime past
among the Inhabitants of this side OF
the river, but the Indians make their
accustomed raids from the Mescabero
reservation ia New Mexico, and some-
times clean out an entire rancho Of
horses and mules. As there are but
fifteen men in the detachment Of State
troops stationed at this place it is ut
terly impossible to prevent the Indians
from stealing stock, when the immense
territory to be secuted is taken into
consideration. During last month q
scout of men, FIVE in number, pursued
band of eleven Indians for two days
, and halt through the snow even on
to the reservation and succeeded in
capturing several head OF horses and
J mules from them, that they, the lndi-
ans, had stolen from ranches along the
river. The United States troops have
been removed from the point OF the
Guadalupe mountains to Ft Davis
and that leaves . scope of country
three hundred miles long ~ two hun.
dred wide TO be guarded and ps,rolled
J by fifteen men. besides doing duty as
sheriff, posse and escort. The de-
tsehmsnt is at present under the CON-
msnd Of the 6rst Sargent Consider
able interest is being manifested both
By rangers and citizens IS TO who will
be the next commanding officer. and
everybody in the country that feels