Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-17
A INSTRUMENTATION Town.

A INSTRUMENTATION Town
Ell Paso de L'Aguila, to give Eagle Pass
It's old Spanish name, is such a mixture of
Mexican and American that one can hard
ly credit that it was settled as recently as
1S49. Yet it was in that year that Gen.
W. S. Harvey established Fort Duncan at
this point, and kept his twelve hundred
men in health and happiness on the high
bluffs which overlook the Rio Grande.
The mexican government allowed a ferry
to be established across the river, and
here it is still-the hat-bottomed boats.
each with two Mexican ferry-men, the
propelling power being a pole. and its
guide rope stretched from bank to bank,
on which run two shorter ropes with pull
leys. On our side stands the American
custom-house official, or lounges lazily in
the little shanty erected there for his use;
! on the Mexican bank march up and down
the Mexican military, not imposing, not
soldier-llke, and very odd to American
eyes.
To Harney's men came over the Mexi-
cans from the other side of the river
(Piedras Negras then, La Ciudad Porfrio
Dlaz now to trade and barter and sell
their many commodities for good United
States gold. They came too as servitors,
andhewers of wood and, literally drawers
of water, for to this day may the men be
seen toiling up the banks OF the Rio
Grande burdened with yoke-l1ke wooden
bar across their shoulders, from which on
either side depends a filled bucket In
| this manner do all the poorer families re-
ceive their water supply. There are no
wells, and only the Americans patronize
the recently established hydrants; to AL
others the Mexican carriers come daily, be-
ing paid a certain price per bucket
Around Fort Duncan, then, sprang up
the town-a town of jacals and abode
houses, of dirt floors and grass roofs.
Gradually American traders came there
from San Antonio and Goliad. and many
were struck by the gold fever of that year
and started ior California, choosing the
route through Mexico, were harassed by
Indians and Mexican banditti, and so
turned back and settled here under the pro-
! tecting folds Of the United States flag.
! Thus it grew, and now it presents a won
derful mixture of poverty, ignorance, and
dirt with wealth. culture, and refinement
1t is tumble Of all classes, but Spanish if
anything. Every store is tienda borata
Cheap store), and all have names, as
Tienda del Gallo (store of the cock
Tienda de los MericanOs, and so forth
They are one-storied and aat-roofed, the
most modern ones built of brick, and
the others of abode, which last forever;
they have earthern floors, or cemented
ones, perhaps Here and there can now
be found wooden building, but, though
more notwithstanding, they do not
have the solid comfort and immunity from
fire which the more primative structures
enjoy.
The town looks as though the skies rain
ed buildings, and they fell wheresoever
they pleased. Everywhere are the jacals,
and the houses of the Americans are but
little more regularly placed. The jacaIs
Eagle Pass are vastly superior to those of
any other part of Texas. Here the straw
roofs are laid in regular overlapping tiers,
impervious to the elements. and lasting in
good repair for thirty years. Nor is there
danger of fire. for this peculiar grass is
hard to ignite, and even when once caught
does not blaze, but shoulders sullenly, and
may be extinguished with the bare hand
1t is well that it is so, for many of these
dwellings have no chimneys, the fire of
mesquite is built on the earthern floor, and
the smoke goes out of little hole left in
the roof above, or an opening just in the
corner where walls and roof meet. The
jacal itself is made by driving four mes
quite posts in the ground; then poles are
nailed across inside and outside of these
uprights, and slender branches are wattled
between these poles at certain distances
All the spaces are then filled with the
limestone and rock indigenous to the place,
and a clay cement is made with which it is
plastered In and out. If chimney is
added, it is constructed in the same way.
1t is all fre-proof. it lasts lifetime, takes
but few days to build, costs nothing for
material. and keeps out both he at and cold.
All Of these jacals have dirt floors and only
one or two openings for windows. Here
live the Mexican and his wife and their
innumerable children, who seem to swarm
around every door. Here also are found
the dog and all the chickens, as well as
goats without number, which are the
mich cows of there primitive folks.
In and out of the open door stray the
poultry and animals, while the family sit
contentedly on the floor, smoking and talk
ing. Most of these houses are innocent of
furniture; in some a bed is found, or
chair or two; but drygoods boxes seem to
answer their every purpose. and skins are
spread on the hard earthen floor. and
there, wrapped in their blan-
kets, they sleep. Above them from the
roof hang strings of chile (red peper) and
ierked goat S meat and outside against the
house are fastened bird-cages of their own
make. with different kinds of feathered
denizens. for they are great bird trappers,
and the bird sellers are feature in the
plece. The jacals are all clean swept, and
the yardways as well; indeed, their clean
illness seems to show itself in this partic
ular manner, for a broom is constantly in
the hands of every Mexican woman
From Texan Types and Contrasts, by
Lee c. Hardy, in Harper's Magazine for
July.
10 A SfoI