El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-08-16
CASAS GRANDES
A Growing City at Our Doors.

1t is only little way down to Casa:
Grandes, in old Mexico. And after
the visitor gets there he soon forget!
how he came, in contemplating the re
wards of coming. Three times weeh
a we'll appointed train leaves Juarel
for Casas Grandes, over the Sierra
Madre line. The trip has little tt
commend it for beauty for the first
seveuty-ive miles, but after Guzmar
is passed the traveller finds himself in
an entirely different country from tina,
he has left or has passed through
Beautiful green fields stretch away to
the foothills and the blue mountains
Dotted over the meadows are cattle
and horses. Signs of life are frequent
and while the traveller would know he
was in a newly opened country, there
is every evidence that emigration is
large and that those who come into
the country stay and make their homes
there.
At Corralitos the railroad breaks
out of the hills and drops gradually
down to the level of the beautiful
Casas Grandes valley. The valley
begins at the south where the two
branches, the San Miguel and the
Piedras Verdes rivers, come together
to form the Casas Grandes
river The valley or basin
in is from five Ito fifteen miles
wide and perhaps thirty or more long,
being roughly ellipticsl. The river
runs through it from south to north.
The stream is q lovely river OF the
clearest sparkling water, ripping over
a sandy and psbblys bottom. 1t is lined
with trees and smaller growth, and is
q pretty sight after our chocolate
colored Rio Grande, with its mud
banks and bottom.
Near the southern end of this fine
valley the railroad at present ter
inmates. Near the terminus, at q spot
selected for its many natural advan-
tages, the town site of Casas Grsndes
has been laid off. On the north, ad-
joining, is the town of Dublan, one Of
the hourishing Mormon colonies.
Across the river is the old town OF
Casas Grandes, place of rather more
than a thousand people, the center Of
a large territory and the seat of gov
eminent for the district.
Six or eight months ago the visitor
to Casas Grandes would have seen lit
tie more than an ordinary railroad
town, built of box cars and temporary
shelters. The railway station was a
box car. The restaurant was q box
car. The store was sbox car. The
hotel was a box car. But things have
changed since LDeO. a very COHumO-
dious and suitable station has been
built by the railroad company. The
building is shown in the illustration.
1t is station and hotel combined. 1t
has been completely furnished. and
there are six large and comfortable
bedrooms for transients or others who
may desire to live comfortably at small
price. The restaurant in connection
with the hotel is conducted by o. D..
Matthew, who also owns the general
store.
The store is in building OF its own,
24x4O feet, back of the station. Mr..
Matthew has SO we'll selected his stock
that he can furnish anything one would
be likely to want there. His business
is large and is rapidly increasing.
There is q good building "A feet
square that is used for butcher shop
This shop will be fitted up with ice
facilities and cold storage so that fresh
meat and game can be prepared for the
market and shipped to all points along
the line and even into Juarez 1t is
rumored that a packing house will be
established before long.
j. II. James, the we'll known Nor
mon. is building fine two story adobe