Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-06-16
ECHOES FROM CHIHUAHUA.
A Jaunt to the End Of the Mexican
Central Track-The Concho
Valley.
The Agricultural SectiOn-The
Future Great City of
Northern Mexico.
corresI ondense 81 PasO Herald.

| ing It's fountain IN the capital, II trav
erses the land to the northern limits
True much OF the country is apparent
liy barren and worthless, but when yoU
look back but decade and see thu
wonderful physical changes worked By
the laying Of steel rails and the con
slant passage of the locomotive ovel
ihorribie deserts of the vast west OF the
| United State is it presumptlye to pre-
dict similar changes here. The Mex,
| ican Central after leaving Paso de-
Norte, passes through sandy and
desolate desert for about hundred
miles and then you enter the best
grass country that / have yet seen in
Mexico. This character of counA
try continues to chihuahua, the
road passing Laguna de Encinills
about sixty miles north of this city,
Leaving chihuahua a gap in the
mountains is passed and another some
fifty miles south, when you enter the
valley of the Concho, which in places
must be at least thirty to forty miles
in width This is the agricultural
section of northern Mexico. To Que
Just from the northwest, where the
improved agricultural implements are
in use, it is almost like going back
into the dream land Of the dark ages,
to see a crooked stick useG for pillow
and to witness the falling of grain
before a hand sickle. The amount Of
land under cultivation is limited
by the water supply for irrigation,
The principal crops are wheat, corn
and cotton, the former greatly in
excess OF the others and just now it
is ripening and presents a very fine
appearance. j never saw more uni
formIy good wheat in my lite, but
usually in small patches, the largest
field reaching probably not more than
300 acres. The houses are Of adobe
and about every ranch arctic be seen
passions with port holes, strongly sug.
eestiye OF wild times not long past,
One hundred miles from Chihushus
and at the confluence OF the Rio Flo
rido with the Concho isSanta Rosalia
with about 5000 inhabitants. 1t i:
| like all of interior Mexican towns,
built entirely of rock and adobe and
rather unattractive. About three
miles from the town are hot and
mineral springs, said to possess wonder.
full curative properties for chronic and
blood diseases. AS yet the accomno-
dations are very primitive. Leaving
the Concho at Santa Rosalla the road
follows the valley to the Rio FloridO
as miles to Huajuquilla, or Jimenes
as the company has named the station
| / arrived Just at dark aHd left at
twelve that night which gave me but
limited opportunity to see the place.
| liked the place and the location
better than Santa Rosalia, and also
the appearance of the surrounding
country. The town isfull Of strangers,
mostly Americans, and is enjoying a
veritabIe ''boom." What new and
wonderful sensation this "boOmn must
be to a Mexican town. 1t is claimed
that Husjuquilla has a very bright
future, its expected to be the point
from whence the branch to Parral
Vim leave the trunk line and also to
be the crossing point for the Eagle
Pass and TopoloVampa road. Should
this be the fact, it will undoubtedly
become one Of the most important
points in the State Of Chihuahua, il
Iaot 10 ell northern Mexico. Besides
having thsss railroad advantages. it
has . fine agricultural seggry. The
railroad track is now some DISTANCE
beyond this point, and about four
hundred niles from PssO del Norte,
and is being pet dow at the rate Of
about two miles per deg. Ia ell my
travels nsVeE have | seen Q country
Of same extent SO easy to build a road
through nor better built road. For
the entire distance OF 400 miles there
never was country apparently SO diff
ssult that offered so few obstacles to
the building Of g railroad. While the
country may be properly styled noun,
famous, yet the ranges run psrellel
with long level valleys and the rev
gaps are very easy. | am told that
this is the case the entire route with
few exceptions. With such road
what may be the possibilities Of THU
country There is certainly plenty o.
room for Improvement The railroad
has been completed 70 Chihuahua. bul
few months yet on every hand many
be the wonders worked by the modeEs
magicians magic wand, the steel rail
Almost every machanic is busy; OF
every hand may be seen fronts tori
out and new ones. more airy and
modern put in, stories added to those
already up, and a general air Of pros
perity taking the place Of the Ri
/ Van Winkle slumber in which tn
town was discovered by the irOr
horse. Not only here, but everywhere
| the screech OF the iron monster seem
to echo far and wide across mountain
and valley and awakens the dorman
energies and resources Of this sloV
country. If Mexico ever overtake
the other nations of the earth it vii
, be on a lightning railroad train. VIII
knows but what this country may ye
enjoy reasonable rains so as to moiste
the ground for the growth Of ell kind
Of products and fruits without irrigi
ton, and make what ere pow vas
! plains Of sterility blossom with peae
t and plenty. Railroads have cause
e and sVs causing these meteorologi
changes IN lspy parts Of the Unite
States and why skould not the SAN
agency work the same hefe2 At an
rate Mexico has already much
! thank railroads for, and in the net
future will haye much more.
SCRAPS OF NEWS.
II Little has transpired since my Jas
D The usual HEmber Of fights that he
: aided the approach Of dog days tai
place. A serious one toOk llace Il
j. latter psyt ef last week between IA.