Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1896-12-18
raj prospects back in the noun.


tains, would no doubt support a
large place at this point. "The
State of Sinaloa is said to he liter
ally covered with silver mines.'
This is from the history of Mexi-
go as found in the American Cy-
clopedia. ] am a number of miles
back from the bay. The soil is
excellent, and of great depth. In
sinking a we'll it was found to be
sixty five feet deep, and under it
sand with salt water, and this
sand no doubt is a layer forming
the original bottom or bed of the
gulf. The soil is of reddish col
or, and l believe is mixed with
fine volcanic matter. The noun
tains are seen in nearly every di-
rectiOn in the distance, and appear
of deep blue color. No doubt
this vast expase of land as form
ed in past ages by Washings
from the mountains, and in past
and later ages the process in filling
up no doubt ceased by the forma-
ton of rivers. All mountains j
believe to have been volcanic or
thrown up sometime in the long
past by heat.
The variety of products here to
quite an extent are the same as in
the States, with an addition of
other kinds making the varie ty
here greater than there. To item
ize upon what is and evidently
can be raised here would lengthen
out this article too long. Twill
state, however, that sugar cane
needs planting but once in fifteen
or twenty years, and cotton but
once in fonr or five, and that
sweet potatoes are perpetual. OF
corn, beans, Irish potatoes, grapes
etc., two crops year are raised.
Stock have green feed the year
round, though corn fodder is not
wasted.
Mexicans aud Indians, from
their color, l am unable to tell
apart. The higher class of Mexi-
cans are in general more intelli-
gent in features and some are
lighter in color. The indians here
are not a wild and savage people
as some would suppose. They
work like other people, and are a
means of wealth to those who en-
ploy them. Their standard wages
is thirty seven and half cents a
day. They care not for more than
bare living, and are satisfied with
the cheapest order at that To
give them greater wages stimulate.
Them to idleness, for then they
will work but pert of the time.
la passing houses of Indians
and low class Mexicans 1 noticed
! a cross erected in their yards.
inquired the object, and was told
: that it was to keep out the devil
| did not learn whether it was tc
keep the devil out of their yards,
: out of their houses, or out of them
selves. These people, though de,
luded, are no doubt sincere in
. their belief and mode of worship.
They have their religious en-.
: tertainments { Fiesta's) where they
have their sports,-dance, drink,
and gamble, and have fire works
at night. These entertainments
continue sometimes for two OF
three days They do not consider
these things to be antichristian OF
+ wrong. When drunk they are in
t no way dangerous or quarrelsome.
The stores In this country are kept
open on Sunday the same as on
other days in the week. Indeed it
is the merchants best day for
business, as the masses make this
, a day of recreation and pleasure,
, and day in which to make their
, purchases. This is no country for
) a common laborer from the States
depending upon others than him
| self for employment, for such
r would place themselves on level
= with the Indians, and would have
2 to work for the same pay. There
2 are now no Poems in this country,
/ the law has lately been abolished,
so | am told. Skilled labor OF
, mechanics, obtain good wages
4 here wherever needed. I con-
} versed with an American, direct
from a gold mine near by, and
employed there, and from him
e learned that wages in and pertain
ing to the mines was from seventy