Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-09-27
CHIHUAHUA.
An Ancient Capital Opened Up to
the Outside World.
An InVaAIOn of 500 Americans
and 800 Mexicans.
Fl Paso Texas) Herald Or. NJ MeKie's pa.
perl 2 III inst.

anu "
Fl PasO Uexasl Herald Or. NJ MeKie's pa
perl 2 III inst -
/ Great expectations had been aroused
by 4 liberal distribution Of huge post.
ers throughout FL Paso and towns
along the line Of the A. T. and s. +.
road in New Mexico, advertising a
grand feast or celebration to take place
in chihuahua, commencing with the
completion of the railway to that city.
and to continue eight days. Conse-
quently people from as far north as
Las Vegas, besides a special train load
Of merchants and other business men
from Chicago, left Paso del Norte last
Friday morning for the capital of
chihuahua. Two locomotives with
out trains lead the way, followed by
the Chicago train with NJ. G. railway
officials aboard, then came the first
class train Of five coaches, followed by
the second class train. All the loco
motives were bedecked with American
and Mexican flags, and each bore the
lame Of some noted citizen of Chi
huahua.
About 10 I'm. the trains we're all
moving, and the way the two first
swept across the valley, rushed
through the sand bills and raced on
the plain had a most exhilarating eff
feet on the passengers, reminding one
OF the racing and chasing DER CANOPY
lea, when the clan Netherby was lett
80 far in the rear that it was soon lost
sight of, so it was with the last train
The road leaves the valley proper,
at Paso del Norte, aud for the fifteen
or twenty miles that intervene between
the sand hills and the town, there is
no vegetation save a little shrub that
is absolutely worthless, so far as any
one knows. 10 the sand hills desOla-
lion reigns supreme. The rugged
mountains on every side are bleak and
bare. A narrow strip OF green to the
north marks where the rolling Rio
Grande winds its way to the sea.
After passing through the sand hills
the ex%cursiOnists were greeted by a
five or six mile belt of green grass,
then a belt, three or four miles vide,
Of pink howers-nothing but flowers,
a sea Of flowers. whose stalks were one
to two and a half feet high. Passing
these the road enters fine grass country
that extends to the city OF chihuahua.
Much of this section cannot be pas
tured at any time during the year for
lack of water.
A few miles south of the sand hills
the railroad skirts the east side Of the
celebrated Candelaria mountains
one OF the Apache stongholds for many
years. This is where young Pugh, of
Indiana, and several Mexicans were
killed by indians a year ago last July
Black, Of Ell Paso, and three com
panions were killed in the same neigh
borhood last November. No Indians
have been seen between Ell Paso aud
chihuahua during the past ten months,
and in all probability they have made
their last raid to the Candelarias, for
the trail of the Indian mustang is
crossed by the trail of the iron horse,
and the surging waves of civilization
are sweeping down through Mexico.
From the Candelaria mountains to
chihuahua, the railway lies through
an almost level valley with a range of
mountains on each side. Sixty-three
miles from PasO del Norte is the
station OF San Jose, on n of DR..
Samaniego's ranches. From here to
chihuahua a great many horses aud
cattle are grazing. Water and grass
arc both plentiful. There is a fine
pond or small lake at San Jose, and
hot springs zeal there. About twenty
five or thirty miles southwest of this
station there is said to be some copper
mining at present. Two crude Mcxi-
can smelters are used to reduce the
ore.
About half way between San Jose
and chihuahua is a lagoon which is
at present some ten miles long, owing
to late heavy rains, but ordinarily it
is three or four miles in length. Not
far from this lagoon the San Francis
co river, a small stream of crystal
water, enters the valley, and flows
thence to its junction with the Chi
huahua river at the city o~fUhihuahua,
a distance OF eighty miles.
By twilight the excursionists had
reached a point about twenty miles
from Chihuahua, and as the train sped
through t~hegloaming, the wild peaks,
and ridges, and canyons of neighboring
mountains, twisted and writhed in
many fantastic forms. Darkness soon
developed the landscape and nothing
more could be seen until the illumined
city of Chihuahua burst into view
four or Eve miles away. 1t was a
beautiful sight, for distance lent en-
chantment to the view" The out
line Of the huge old cathedr | could
be easily traced in the hundreds of
bright lights that adorned wall, tower
and dome. Il 4
CHIHUAHUA
is a fine specimen Of a Mexican town.
IL was founded by the Spaniards over
$50 years ago, and at present contains