The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-14
Another Letter from Mexico.
New LoRADo, MEXICO,
Eabr,,or, 02S 1896

Well, I have been getting on all
right since my last letter, though the
weather.is quite warm here. [ have
seen no frost nor ice this winter,
though there were a little ice up at
Saltillo, 262 miles from here, and 5000
feet higher than this place.
The orange and banana trees have
not been injured and are now begin
ming to bud. The banana crop is pot
as successful here as it is down near the
City of Mexico, for the reason that there
is more water there than here. The
oranges are better than the Florida
oranges, according to my judgment,
and are much larger. They are getting
scarce now. When I first came here l
could buy the very finest for s and 10
cents per dozen, but now they are
worth from 90 to 25 cents per dozen.
Ifit would rain here as it does in So.
Ca, this would be the finest corn
and cotton country, I think, in the
world, as the land is as rich as it can be.
There has been several attempts made
to raise cotton, but with no success.
Some corn has been raised; but as for
wheat, man can raise more than he
cares to gather. Just SOW it down any
where and it makes fine yield.
The dry season has now set in and
we can expect little or 40 rain for the
next six months.
Well, some time ago had an invita-
ton to a Spanish nall, and for the
novelty of the thing, thought I would
60 to see how q few of "Uncle Sans"
boys would look among so many
Spaniards. Well, you ought to have
seen me. I started'to waltz at $50 and
kept it up steady all the time until 5
o'clock next morning, stopping only a
time or two for water. I began to get
tired and sleepy about 4 o'clock, but I
knew it would be over at o'clock, so 1
kept on until that time, and it was
over. But I guess it was a different
waltz from what you think it was. 1t
was & waltz with 18 loaded box cars, a
Baldwin engine, and Mexican fire
man, climbing the mountains. This
was the heaviest train I ever coupled
on to in my life, but 'got there all the
same" 1t was beautiful night, the
moon was shining almost as bright as
day, and it was a pleasant run. We
have quite different way of running
trains here. Every train that leaves
here has two custom house guards on
it, and before leaving here, or any
other point il Mexico, the cars are all
examined, and even the engine, are ali
gone through to see if anything is be-
ing smuggled from one State to an
other. Mexico is cut up into States
same as the United States, but no one
is allowed to carry goods from one
State to another, and if caught at it, a
place behind the prison bars will be
the fortune Of the offender for life. l
tell you railroading is carried on as we
would thipk, to perfection here. There
is three feet gauge road running out
of the City of Mexico, which is 1000
miles long, and has on it 1876 engines. 1t
does large business. In few months
the new shops that are being built at
Old dorado, just across the river in
Texas, will be completed. Then We will
move over there, and when completed
will be the best and largest in the West.
I told you the orange and banana
trees were budding, but I forgot to tell
you of another tree or bush that is in
bloom. 1t is the Palo Blanco. Its
grand sight! 1t has a lovely flower
that looks like wax, but has no odor
whatever. It is white, looks a little
like the jasmine, but is nearly as large
c1o es CO111LlOA WdUSI UuChGG.
Well, as I said before I am getting
on well. I like my position better
every day. When I came here, four
months ago, I first started with the
scoop and slashbar. In very short
time laid that down and took up the
throttle and lever, and now have laid
that down and am night foreman of
the shops, the most responsible position
l have ever had in my life, and while
can't but feel highly complimented on
my promotion, I am fully aware that
have agreat responsibility upon me,
but will do as I have always tried to do,
stick close to business, and never let
those who put me up regret what they
have done. I am proud to say I have
the confidence of the people here, both
Americans and Mexicans, and have
reasons to believe that I have made
friends here, which I have always
made it point to do wherever I have
gone, and I do not think I have ever
done kind act or spoken kind word
that have not been richly rewarded
for.
l must close. My mail has just been
handed to me, and among it 1 find The
Herald and News, and I must read it.
D. G. DICKERT.