The Washington times., 1894-06-03
Nomen's Press Club Excursion to
California Graphically Described.
ATTRACTIONS OF THE FAR WEST
The Journalists Marvel at Intersecting Rail-
roads and Admirable System Of Irrigation.
They Traverse verdant Plains, Mountain
Heights and Sandy Wastes.


upon thousand hills seem to have followed
the buffalo into oblivion. but we are told that
owing to an unusually dry season the cow
boys have driven them toward the gulches
where water is found.
After breakfas.ing at Texarkana on Tues
day morning, We found ourselves looking in
vain for the big timber and beautiful flora Of
Arkansas. We had left the great Red River OF
the South, with its fertile fields and emerald
green valleys. The names of the stations, and
the face of the country indicated the mineral
and especially the coal regions OF northeast
Texas. Dallas, Fort Worth, and Cisco, thriv-
ing cities of the South. were closely scanned
from the observation car. Major Lewis still
stood guard over our best interests. At
Cisco is the crossing Of the Houston and
Texas Central railway and here we hoped to
see or hear from Mrs. Mohl and our Texas
auxiliary, the Woman's Press Club, at Hous-
ton, but no message appeared.
At Abilene, dinner station, about o'clock
p. m, We began to discover the change of
scenery. We missed the cowboy with his
long lasso wound about his arm. The vernal
green of vegetation assumed the dull gray
of the plains, with the low cactus and the
musquite tree, the latter making quite an
iilusivc peach orchard in shape, size and leaf.
The jolly little prairie dogs were the continual
delight of ali. When they shall have followed
the fate OF the buffalo, one of the most enter
taining and increasingly pleasant features OF
travel across the Texas plains will have been
taken away, for both young and old are in
variably charmed with their coquettich ways
OF gazing at US. at each other and Of flying
home. Their danger signal is sharp bark
like that of little dog. They leap like IL
rabbit, are a little smaller in Size. and are
brown in color. Rattlesnakes are often found
snugly curled up in the holes OF the rabbits,
with whom they live in peace, whether by
prc-emption claim is not fully known. No
doubt these strange bedfelIows are protec-
ton from the rapacious attacks OF other
animals, and especially from man, the most
insatiate oi all pillagers If the game happens
TO be desirable III the markets ior food or for
fur. There are millions of these little
gormands in grain fields. and why not con-
vert their skins into gloves or mittens?
Sierra Blancn is the junction of the Texas
Pacific and the Great Southern Pacific. Af-
ter striking the valley of the Rio Grande river
Mexico appears in the distance The Gaud-
alupe mountains to the far north, with the
foothills. vary our landscape ard break the
monotony of the vast plains Just passed. At
Fort Hancock we sisht adobe houses or huts,
around which Indians are sitting. The forts
are built near the reservations We break
tasted at the foot of the highest peak ut Sierra
Blanca station, and the conductor presented
the ladies of the ear with basket full OF res
urrect ion plants from the mountains. The
resurrection plant, like the country from
which it comts, dries up without moisture,
but when well moistened WHITES and takes
sand plains blossom with richest verdure, a
resurrection in nature quite surprising.
FL Paso is thriving American-like town
on the banks of the Rio Grande at bend OF
the stream with a toll bridge to old Mexico
Its rows of adobe houses. in which the Mexi-
cans. half-breeds, and Indians live: its Gus
tom house.. city hall, and other public build
inGs, some Of quaint design; its electric street
cars. city electric plant, waterworKs on
grand scale, its beautiful residences fine busi-
ness blocks. hotels ETC., with Fort Bliss near
by. make the place interesting.
Juarez pronounced Wharez) is the local
name for the Mexican town opposite. while
the name stands on the map as Paso del Norte
Major Lewis had telegraphed ahead, and car
riages awaited US to convey US to foreign
country i'll the Spanish language We crossed
the palm of u weazen-iaced greaser lad of
years. who stood at the door OF an old mission
church 800 years old. and he gave us little
single white periwinkle to press in memory Of
the hallowed spot-a sacrlleSe, as laws against
handling are strict.
The great solid walls of this old Spanish
relic are over four feet thick, and are COM
posed of hard adobe-hard az adamant. The
lofty ceiling of fine wood carving. done by |
deit hands long ago. was beautiful indeed. |
The old paintings of the ancient Spanish |
school, virgin heads and figures with gold |
intrinsic in value, are jealousy |
guarded night and day.
Our party invested in Mexican trinkets in |
the shops. AMI duty on these purchases was |
collected bya United States customs officer at |
the toll bridge. Spanish Bible 400 years old |
was placed in our hands for inspection as a |
special favor to press women, for as one of US |
they knew that such captures are
not in our line.
Never can we forget the old, quaint mission
church. the cid, curious streets leading to it,
the bell tower. the three bells striking the |
hour, the fat. dumpy, sleepy-looking children |
rolling in the sand, the gatekeeper. relic of
-he mixed races-all constituting a vivid pic
.ure OF a past civilization
HCrrying back through dust and sand to |
station, we found that the train had been held |
over ten minutes for US by tall. elderly gen.
leman, who seemed to have some authority.
Major Lewis. our gallant and faithful Iron
Mountain railroad agent. hurriedly bade us
IN adieu, and on we dew to ward the golden
sunset. We soon learned that the Southern
Pacific railroad had sent out a special head
quarters car in charge Of one OF their best
men CDR. William May, of Fresno), who had
orders to remain with us until safe at the
Golden Gate. Most faithfully he carried out
hese orders. giving us every desired infor-
nation and instruction en- route and answer
ng tho hundreds of questions that men will
and women always ask. The
,ranch roads to Silver City and the mineral
nf Nnyr md Av-ir ftaI
iames of the peaks of the mountain chain
vhereon the Aztec are supposed to have lived
md flourished in n prehistoric age; the ruins
ust a few miles from Casa Grande, the cave
iwellers' homes just north from Maricopa, on
III these topics we gathered information from
he eyer patient, ever genial host. and gave him
n return songs, until night gave the weary
est.
Mariposa is junction of the Phoenix rail-
Dad and feeder to Salt River valley. ada
ent to Fort Mcdowell. With snow-capped
Mountains ever III distant view, yet with
ne arid plain about Us, wej were annoyed
" alkaline dust throughout the night;
md we shook and busted in the morning
continually, until the noon station at Yuma,
223 feet below sea leveD. was reached at II
'clock on Thursday. Here actual desert
andS surrounded US and real Indians
and great palms and tropical flora
we're raised by irrigation. The waterworks
we're located on mountain south Of the
own. The Indians live in supreme igno-
ance of outward irrigation. The squaws
AIRY the babies in crib slung over the
ack. The babe is swaddled and hid by a
title headpiecc, but we could see the face of
ne for five cents. which was all we cared to
ay. Pottery. beadwork, trinkets bows and
rrows showed the industry and ingenuity of
his remnant of Apaches and Yumas. At
'ort Yuma, on Pilot Knob hills, across the
colorado river, IS an Apache school conducted
y Sisters Of Charity. United States troops
re stationed here also. A jolly looking,
resh painted river steamer pulled at the
,harf. The well-appointed dining station
nd hotel had an inner court, with fountain,