The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-04-15
NEW MEXICO CORRESPONDENTS.
corresnondence of the Herald


TuIERosA, Dona Ana County, New Mex
leo, April 9th lSS2.-Being in this distant
mart of Uncle's Sans dominions, and find
ing much TO interest me, thought it more
than probable your readers would like to
know something of this at present little
known section OF country. now just begin
ing to attract attention through its mining
interests.
This place is about ITO miles northeast
of III Paso, and 10 miles east OF Las Cruces,
in this county, on the Atchison, Topeka,
4 Santa Fe railroad 1t is aboHt 33l
two degrees north latitude, with climate
always mild in winter and never very hot
in summer. 1t is Mexican town OF 400
or 800 Inhabitants only ten or twelve
of whom are Americans, and OF
course the Language, customs, habits
and peculiarities OF thepeople are all es.
sentially, Mexican. The little town is
traversed by innumerable acquias,
small bitches, fed by melted snow
from the mountains and which bitches are
skillfully used to irrigate all the land Gull
tiyated in the vicinity. The fruits raised
here are apples, peaches, pears, apricots,
figs, grapes, melons, ETC., there being some
as pretty little orchards as one would wish
see and the natives say they never fail
hahe bONu Nh'P' ,hS"S $500 S~sASyi
pumpkins, potatoes and vegetables of va
rious kinds are raised here and in the
canyons above here successfully. The val
lev adapted to cultivation .on this side Of
the Sacramento mountains | presume is
ten or Twelve miles long py Ten or
twelve wiue' Mhether lne supply
OF water Is suihcient 'or tnis quaint
ity OF land l do not know, put
1t is conceded lhat more lhtelllgeht
system OF water management Wouiu enapie
the, people 10 cultivate m9eh more Oh the
To one of your readers who has never
seen Mexican town 1t VIII no doubt, APP
pear very strange 10 be tod now they hve;
A little sugar ana colieei some laru ana
friloleS naive Deans, with oreau Oh second
or thlrd class hhour' constitute. their orul,
nary dlet. Olcourse they use quantities Oh
red pepper, an artlcIe OF ioou SO cohlliioh
WIN tlenl lhaI no meal Is GoilPiete Mnhi
out IT, ING mouse is Vi auooe, suu.u.le 9.
clay, made INTO square pieces from TWO 10
three ieet long eight lhches thlcK anu
are all one-story, about ilteeh 10 twenty
ieet hn,Sh,. hat-rooleu, coyereu "i.h
dirt. Inc interior Is very squat ulrty ana
unihYling, but many oil thein plaster anu
whte-Wash the inside ana put Ill WihuoWs
ana doors, ana they make very comfort
able house, When Wen mace lne auopc
Tor comfort lar eXcels the p0aru houses ol
Texas, In the house you VIII ma perhaps,
short bench, rarely char, ana when the
women sit-down it is upon the dirt floor,
rs this Is the only kind used. sometimes
there is bedstead in the room, ana Il so
the men Of The household SIT ON lhat ana
give thor visitors the bench Immediately
they all begin folding their cigarettes, wo-
men and men, and then the women, as
with us, show how handy they are WIN
their tongues. Two OF them Will talk at
once i'll such a slulce OF
bad Spanish as would make LIE
Sage ashamed of himself or drive Don
Qulxote, IN lit OF desperation, to another
tilt with the wind mills, They are always
polite, pleased to have an American visit
them, and show you all their possessions
In the yard, about the hrst tnlhs that strikes
your attention, Is II sow chained TO peach
tree, and perhaps three or l0ur hens, II III
early spring, staked out like mustang
ponies in Texas. Numerous holes IN the
ground from which they have made adobes,
somes scattering, Dyes (earthen Jors) Two or
three dogs, and the usnal quantum OF dlrty
children, complete the backyard
picture. They don't set very hlgh
value on their word, and ii Eegulus had been
Mexican instead OF Roman, the me eX-
ample OF preierrlng, death to breach OF
plighted faith would never have illustrated
the classics, You make your trade with
one carefully and fully as you may, ana ten
chances to one when you come 10 settle,
the don understands 1t altogether diilerent
from what you DO. You say, wen, won
settle any other way IMAM that agreed
upon-yon may take mat or nothing
"Bueno, says the Mexican, ana alter u
good deal OF dlsputlng ne comes TO terms.
This is about ne center oil the mining
district rom Whlte OAKS, slAty mites
north, 10 thes rgan ana Herla mountains,
sixty miles south. on the east OF toWh' AZ
distance oil twenty-five or thlrty mlles, Is
the sacramento range, rising III some places
10 an altitude OF IL ,ooo leess anu nellg AT
tnis time urapeu III snow me natives say
tne snow never melts till ABOUT the middle
oil july, rms range oil mountains contains
great deal oil SILVER, copper. etcp lhongh,
In consequence OF the vicinity OF Indians