Middletown transcript., 1891-05-21
A Letter from Mexico.

The TRANSCRIPT for number OF years,
now travelling in Mexico, was handed to
us for publication
PIEDRA BLANCA, CoAHUILA, Mexico.
Dear Friend II received your letter
and the papers last Friday, the oath, and
I was very glad indeed to get them, as
they were the latest papers received here
since April Sd, and was glad to hear
from the United States again. The mails
are very irregular here; and you can't tell
anything about them, they have to come
in the first place one hundred and twenty
five miles by stage from Santa Rosa, the
station on the railroad leading to the
mines, and then from the mines over here.
This is a wild, unsettled country, and
nearly all are Mexicans on the ranches
here, but on this ranch only few are
Mexicans, the others being Americans.
There are on this ranch at the present
time Messrs. Cheeseman and Otes, Wood
Warrick, four American cowboys, one
family of Americans who work around the
ranch, an American cook, Mexican cow
boy, and two Mexican families. The ranch
house is situated in hollow among the
mountains, and you would pass by the
gap, going along the plains, and never
imagine there was any house near. Every
body wears broad sombrero hats, cartridge
belts, and always carry revolvers in the
belt. Iiust wish you could see Tim and I
when we are equipped and mounted and
ready for trip across the mountains
If I should appear in Delaware City in
this costume the boys would think Bar
NUNS circus had come to town, sure. My
costume is large Sombrero, flannel shirt,
boots and spurs, buckskin leggings, a
cartridge belt with pistol and knife. When
I 90 out horseback, on one side of my
saddle is strapped carbine and lasso, and
on the other side canteen filled with
water. If we are going for over night our
blankets are tied On behind our saddles,
and rifles and camping outfit on the sides.
The principal food we have is goat meat
and freolies, Ia kind of beam, bread and
coffee. They keep large herds of goats
here just for their meat, and kill one about
every other day. Goat meat is pretty
good, only little tough, and we are glad
to get it. There are no roads here, and
much of the riding is through briars,
cactus and mosquito grass, and one is
obliged to wear leggings. We have cots
for each man to sleep on, and each owns
his own cot and bedding. I have not slept
on sheet or pillow since left the U. S.,
but sleep between blankets and double up
our coats for pillows. L have ridden
several of the horses, and had no trouble
with any of them except one, and that
time I thought was "gone up" for sure.
They are guided and governed altogether
from Northern horses. They
know nothing about the bit, but are guild
ID by the bride, heels and hand. When
first mounted mine, not knowing this, I
tried to get him to go as l had been used
70 doing, but could not get him to do as I
wanted. After while happened to touch /
MS sides with my heels, when I shot across
hose plains like an express train, the
morse leaping over the bushes like deer.
pulled and hauled but could not stop
him. After while I saw in front of me a
ungle of prickley pear, cactus and mos
quito bushes The horse was making
straight for it, and knew that if he reach
ID it I was gone up, sure. So I tried to
pull him down, and just happened to get
5he right pull, stopping him within two
eet of the mass OF bushes. When I got
pack to camp they informed me how the
lorses were used to being managed, and
sfter that l had no further trouble.
1 was over to the Fronterza Silver mines
IN Sunday. They are owned by an Ameri-
an company. They are thirty-fi7e miles
rom her by the regular trail, but by a
hort cut over the mountains they are
about twenty. We went over the noun
aims, and you can hardly imagine harder
limb, but these horses can climb almost
ike flies, and we went up and down some
places where the horses had actually to dig
heir feet into the ground or in between
he cracks of the rocks for footing, and we
IN their backs. A single misstep or slip
would have sent horse and rider down the |
ide of the mountain. would not think |
# dare to take horse such place alone, |
md no horses but these could possibly get |
long. Just before getting to the mines |
We passed through dense pine forest and
lot of charcoal beds, and beyond this |
anne to peak of the mountains, which |
vas almost straight up and down and
bout two thousand feet high it was
limestone rock with no growth on it what
,ver. At the foot of this was the mines I |
lad met Mr.. Noble, the superintendent of
he mines on my way out here. We took
Inner with him and looked over the
works. The shaft is two hundred feet |
leep 1 thought I would like to go down,
,ut after looking down and seeing man
owered in a bucket 1 changed my mind |
md did not go.
The mountains here are terribly
'ough, rocky and steep. did not
that any place could be so
'ough and rugged. There is a val
ey about or 10 miles wide on which
most of the range, and when you
ret off of it it is nothing but climb.
rhe valley is 5000 feet above the
evel of the sea, so you can imagine
What some of the mountains are at
1000 and 10000 feet above sea level.
We certainly get pure air here.
These are a part of the Rocky Noun
aims. Cowboys get here from $40 to
$50 in Mexican money, month.
Mexican dollars are only worth rs cts.
n United States money, and a United
States dollar in Mexico is worth $1.33 |
n Mexican money, at present market
'ates. Every man has to shoe his
,wn horse. Remember me to all the
people in Delaware City.
Yours Truly,
W. w. CHEAIRS.
April 26, 1891.