The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-05-24

Here We encountered the Mexican Gus
Tom house officers who were very genteel
looking men. We expected there would
be- a general search among the few
trunks, the many yalises. and the ear
Iull Of lunch baskets. but after a little
iabbering in . language that was all /
Spanish to rs and the examination of |
one basket the officer aud interpreter told
as they would be liberal ami lot us go /
ahead.
We Enter Mexico.
II was now 80 p. In. and we were |
desIrOus of seeing Chlhuahua that even |
ing. The conductor .Ssaid he would |
skip oyer the 225 miles that lay between |
us and that city by Z 80, but unfortu-
nately the engine sprung leak which |
caused yexatious delays, and it was
II p. m. instead of 80 when we arriv-
ed. The state of Chihuahugis one of |
the northern border states of the Re
public; its area is about lis, 900 square
miles and its population 200, 600 A
large portion of the state Is absorbed
by desert lands and mountainous brok-
en- regions, yet, there are fertile valleys
and table-iands Of considerable extent
covered with q luxuriant growth of
short grass, furnishing grazing for i'm
mense herds OF cattle. horses, etc. The
land Is owned in great part, at the pres
ent time, by few men who have from
tim 70 fifty leagues square, and use 1t
as stock ranch-and being wealthy
and satisfied with their income so deriV-
ed are not anxious to sell any part of
their vast possessions. We made the
acquaintance of German who owns g
little patch 80 by 100 miles square. But
since the advent of the Mexican Gen.
trail railway the president Of the repnb-
lie and other prominent and wealthy
men, with commendable Judgment and
forethouGht, have formed q company
tor purchasing 100000 acres of rich
lands in the northern quarter of The Re.
public, and will hold them tor sale to
American immigrants. Irrigation is
necessary in all parts OF the state. The
soil is fertile. especially on the water
courses between the mountain ranges
and along the Rio Grande. Mining and
grazing form the principal pursuits,
although wheat. corn. peas, beans, bar
ley, cotton, coffee and sugar-cane are
cultivated to some extent, and grapes,
pears, peaches. pomegranates and ap-
pies are abundant and of excellent
quality; also vegetables of various
kinds. Near the city of chihuahua are
located extensive ranches, some of
which haYe as many as 100000 head of
cattle, sheep, horses and mules.
The mines of the state constitute fea-
ture of great importance. There are SIS
mines, about half of which are idle.
The state is extremely rich in mineral
wealth, the principal minerals being sill
yer, iron and tin. The Santa Eulalla
silver mine is the most notable one.
This mine is situated about 80 miles
from the city of chihuahua. 1t was
worked as early as 1905; it is said to
haYe produced nearly hundred mill
ions. The great cathedral at the city of
chihuahua, costing $3.50, 900, was built
with money realized from tax levied
upon this mine of 1919 cents to every So
produced within a given time. The
mines of the state, however, have not
been by any means thoroughly develop
ed, and it only remains for the intelli-
gent application of labor and capital to
make this marvellous country one of the
richest on the globe. The climate of
chihuahua is varied. In the mountain
districts the temperature reaches the
freezing point in winter and snow falls
to q considerable depth In the valleys
the temperature varies from cool and
pleasant in winter to extreme heat in
summer. On the whole the climate cap
be said to be agreeable, as, excepting in
the mountainous region, no snow is ev-
er seen or excessive cold experienced,
and in the summer, although very warm
during the middle of the day, the morn
Ing and evening are delightfully."- cool.
The climate is very healthful, no partic-
ular form of disease being prevalent;
the pure mountain air and equable tenn
ature combine to produce that result.
the first seventy-flve miles after lesv-
ing the Rio Grande is through the most
desOlate, dEsary and detestable country
imaginable. In fact, we had never even
imagined anything like it. The air was
good and pure, but one could not enjoy
it on account Of having to keep every
thing closed up tight In 100 miles
there was not a human habitation or a
living creature to be seen. Nothing but
sand and sage brush and scrawny cactus.
Some of the sand hills must be fifty feet
high, while the whole surface of the
earth is covered with RIDES and beds OF
sand from two to five feet high. The
relief from feeling of utter despair was
i n the rapid time the train made and
the knowledge that the drearY scene
must soon end. 1t did end and we came
out finally onto the table-lands, covered
with short, dead grass, where We saw &C.
casional habItations and droves of cattle.
MAJOR Bancroft informed US that after
the rains commence in June these pas
ture lands become green and fresh. We
ran long distance down these table
lands between two ranges of hills, which
gave the country the appearance of a
wide valley. and the further south We
got the better the country looked. The
mountains of this region look like great
piles of finely crushed rock mixed with
dirt, and there is hardly vestIge of a
tree upon them.
We Get There.
When the CITY was reached there was