Frostburg mining journal., 1883-12-15


fill in the rest with dwellings to ac-
| commodlte at least n hundred thous-
and. But this would have to be done
by stranger
The Mexican National railroad has
some pretty fair depot buildings,
coaling station, round-house and quite
an extensive filed with side tracks fol
ae .ommodu ton in handling trains, |
will say right here of this road that ii
is by far the most pleasant to ride on
of any in Texas. The trains run at an
average of two kilometres every three
minutes, The ears are nicely fitted
the employees are gentlemanly and
consequently, one gets along with no
trouble whatever, unless you are both
cred, as l was, by Mexican for the
loan of dollar which he promised to
pay at the other end OF the road. |
think they must have learned the
trick from the Americans.
Just as we left the New Laredo
depot. saw quite an attractive group
of four standing watching the tram
move off. They were well dressed ana
as the largest, young woman with
glossy black hair, fine large dark eyes,
stood with her hands clasped over a
post, behind which her body was
nearly concealed, and three children
posed in different attitudes i'll front OF
her, formed really pretty picture.
We pass IN occasional corn-iield. the
long blades waving in the breeze, the
silk Just turning brown-telling that
harvest is near.
La .Jarita is the first station out and
is only few miles from the scene OF
the recent wreck and robbery. A
ranch with half dozen buildings, none
Of which are completed; a station
house and row Of ten houses for the
men. is the extent Of the town. These
houses have one room each, 1X9; are
built Of one thickness of boards, nailed
on straight up and down, and
dirt floor. All the cooking is done
outside, the women squatting around
on the ground, grinding corn on the
matals (stone with three legs,) or
baking tortias in the ashes. The en-
gineer now feels his way with great
care over the dangerous trestIe by
which the Salado river IS crossed.
This will soon be removed and Il
wrought iron bridge will take its
place, as they have at all the other
rivers over which the road runs except
the Rio Cirande. There is a large
force of men now at work on the
Salado bridge, and as the materials
are all on the ground it will soon be
completed. The waters Of this pretty
little river are Of greenish hue and
look beautiful and clear in the sun
light. We are now 90 kilometres out
from Laredo, and as | turned my face
towards the engine notice something
| think looks little more substantial
than cloud, and having been accustom-
ed, as you are aware, TO seeing high
mountains. | conclude that these must
be part Of the much talked OF and
much admired range which begin at q
point about l20 kilometres from Lare-
do, and which get higher, grauder and
more imposing rs you get nearer
to them. This conclusion was correct.
for now that Sc reach the hundred
kilo. post, they are more clearly de
fined. The first is long tiat-topped
mountain. on masa, completed isolated
! from the rest, it's peculiar shape tend
ing to show the higher sharp-ponted
elevations to much better advantage.
These latter are innumerah!e, and &
soft halo seems to form around them
caused, doubtless, BY the magnificent
sky. of u fine blue tint, merging at
ines into delicate pearl, anon as
cunning lilac line that is eXeelled
nowhere, except il may be by the
famous sky that has been the theme Of
Itaiia,s poets for centuries.
The farther we get into The interior
the gaudy nceoaes the tircss d tAe
natives. As small station Mojiiia,
Il woman and child appear IL a blood
red costume, made q; damast tabio
cloth. How do | know It 10 be table
I cloth Because saw her take If of
! the bed and wrap around both. You
may doubt this, but the bed was also
the rable; so that lets me out.
One hundred and ten Kilometres out
the bayouet trees commence to get very
high. Some grow Is fest and from
T. to 20 inches in diameter. The at
mosphore is very light and clear. The
mountains. which are Is kilometres
away, look us if they we're only five or
six. They are so high that the "Sltm-
mer Clouds" hoat below their pointed
SUBMITS. In tho valley below arc
fields of waving corn, and purple
morning glories cling 10 The strong
high stalks.
at Tampazos quite u crowd greeted
us, most of them horsemcn, who stood
beside their gaily caparisoned ponies