Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1897-03-25

IL looked rather "steep" and
from the tone and gestures Of the
hotel porter who came in and acted
as interpreter, and because he went
and looked at a tariff sheet, we
suspected that we were getting a
roast" A day or two later the
suspicion was confirmed. The in
terpreter brought the subject up in
broken English aud profanity, say.
ing that Boniiace, to whom he ap.
piled vile epithet very common
in the United States. "stole that
money" But we had changed
dining houses and took our meals
six or seven blocks away.
Tropical fruits grow IN profusion
and are delicious. Luscious
oranges can be bought for cent
aud a half each, though generally
of a smaller size than sold in this
country. They have a dozen dif.
ferent fruits we know nothing
about, some Of which, after tasting,
we cared to know nothing about.
A cantalope which would sell here
for five cents, dealer modesily
asked 30 cents for az 1.2 in our
money! and a pineapple was
worth 16.
One thing the Mexican does
know and that is how to utilize
water and the fall of the land over
which it flows, and it is worth his
life to him. Wherever you find
water you find population. 1t is
said, in levity, that Mexican can
run water up hill. He certainly
can come as near doing so as the
laws of gravitation will admit.
You will see a hillside cut with
three or four bitches, each in turn
to be closed as the one above is
reached by the head of water.
All the farming methods en-.
ployed in this country are as old
as are the fields of Boaz in which
Ruth cleaned. A field which
farmer in this country would turn
in four or five days with one span
OF horses or mules had seven yoke
of oxen, followed by as many
sleepy poems and was il not for the
fact that they pillow and plant the
year around would hardly get a
crop this season.
To those Cherokees, DR.. Harris
and others, who off and on talk of
forming a colony in Mexico and
buying a large tract of land, the
writer's advice is, on your lives
don't you do it. The hardship,
toll and unusual privations re-
quired to produce a living would
cost the lives of half your colonists
the first year.
In sections of the country mines
Of fabulous wealth exist, but like
most all good things they are, to
all appearances, pretty tightly
staked down. Very seductive sto-
ries are told of the profits of coffee
raising in the country to the east
and south Of the city, notably on
the line of the Vera Cruz railway,
but as one of our sleepers was too
long for the curves OF that road we
were reluctantly compelled to fore
go a visit. | believe j. NJ. Hall
and J Forsyth, of Tulsa, have in.
vested in Mexican coffee planta-
tions and the industry is attracting
a great many Americans.
The City of Mexico is in many
respects a delightful place Of abode.
The climate is all that could be de-
sired, the average summer temper
ature for fifteen years being given
at Ga. For 3 or 4 hours in the
of the day it is very hot in
The sun, but in the shade is as
a. could be wished.
At night a pair OF blankets are
needed
| said the only cheap thing in
Mexico was labor. 1t is a mistake:
Hack hire is cheaper than any
where in the world that | ever
heard Of. The price is 50c., 75c.
and 81 an hour, graduated by the
luality of the turnout. They
count half hours, so four persons
may ride 80 minutes in a third
class cab for 6 IA cents each. The
to which each be-
.ongs is shown by a TIN flag three
DR. four inches square painted, blue
for first, yellow second and red
.hird class. If engaged, the flag is
turned down; if open to engage
nent it stands up. The hackmen
Di all three classes are busy most
1f the time, an object lesson which
Il seems as though the carriage
companies in our cities, that
,harge 81 an hour in our money,
might study with profit.
THE RETURN TRIP.
Few stops were made on the re-
urn trip aud the pleasantest one,
though short, was not in Mexico
At all but at San Antonio, Texas,
with its historic old Alamo,
and the memories of Crockett,
Bowie and Travis who died in its
gallant defense. The town, too,
which has all these years been the
home of Madam Candeleria, the
single survivor OF the slaughter. 1t
could hardly be otherwise that soil
. ll1.
''-s4a 57sf - -
M O~N>