The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-07-27

Painted Cave cavern is rsaeAsd. aad . relling prairie country, framed im the Devils River mountains. is sesn oa ths rishs. aaa shs santA Rosa moantains of Mexico ea the left. sixty miiss away. The teariss now aseenAs a un- dulastng plain @ ths divide between tAe Devils river anA ths Peeos. elevea niles west of ths bead of Painted Cave creek; aflsr which . gradual desesat ls made of twenty niles. to the Rso Grade. whioh is sintsrsseted as sa point ave niles east or below tAs Rlo Peoos, with vertical limestone walls on each side. from TO to 70 feet in hslght and is treated to . sosale and engineering paradox Of travelling . long distance up the river on . down grAde Two miles further west the train enters . tunnsl l. tss feet Ia length and seventy Eve feet above the water lins. emernng from which It moves along for several miles upon wonderful piece of shelving cut out of the great ltmsstone bluG overhAnging ths river and about sixtv feet above il TAis is oas of the grandest pieces Of railroad travel h the world. and is very beautiful and very i'm pressive for quite distance. Two miles west of the tunnel is Painted Cave siding. O the right of which is the monstroas cavern from which the siding takes its name. an illustra- tIon of which is presented upon the arst page. This cavern has been hewn out Of solid rock by the Great Architect. and is frescoed all over with pictures and hieroglyphics by some unknown aboriginal master of art. The cavern contains an area equal to an acre. and was for many years . stronghold of the Comanche Indians. the brAvest of American redskins. !. oae mile beyond. and the Peoos is orossed at ita con uence with the RAo GrAnde. and which is shown in the com bination engraving. There are few grandsr places upon the American continent
 El Paso is place that will pleAss any one. if only on account of tts plcturesq ueness and quaintnesa. It contAins about aooo inhAbi- tants. and is situated directly upon the hank of the Rto GrAnde. which is about two hun. dred and afty yards wide at this point Across the river lies the old town of PAso del Norts in the republic of Mexico. The two places are connected by . trAmway called International. and said to be the only instance of An international tramway. The United states territory Of New Mexico commences aboat one mile above tho town on the west aide. but the state of Texas extends up nlne- teen miles on the east aide. The town is lighted by gas and electricity. has water works and an Ice factory. and ak hotelA The Mexican Central railroad hAs its American terminus at this point, and is in successful operation to the City of Mexico. Paso del Norte is good deal quainter than its neigh bor. and is thoroughly Mexican in every way. It's streets are crooked and irregular. unpaved and sandy and the houses are all constructed of adobe (sun burnt brioks). The objective point of all visitors is the old ehuoh, which has stood unhArmed for nearly three hundred years. and is one Of those edinces which stand out here and there all along this former span- ish domain. and mark the progress of the Franciscan brotherhood and the power and In naenoe Of sheir system of religious teach iag And moulding at all inviting points upon the soathwestsrn frontier. There are great many vineyards and orchards and gardens sx- tending down the river from Paso del Norte. all of which arc watsred by means of artificial irrigation. there being hundreds of miles of ditohss. or canals. Interesting each other in all directions. which receive their supply from the never falling. bat sometimes uncon- trollabls. Rio Grande. The mountain views which are presented in both countries snchant and tmpress-the Organ, Sacramento. Blancos and other ranges upon the American side. and the San. Bias. Portrillos. Candelaria, and other spurs oathe serrated Cordilleras on the Mexi can.