El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-25
GREAT SOUTHWEST
Interests the Millionaire, and
He Has Full Confidence
in Its Future
Greatness.

Frank Rockefeller, brother of John
D. Rockefeller, the Standard Oil mag
nate, is in the city. Though perhaps
feller has been as closely identified
with the wonderful development of
that company as his brother, and is to-
day one of it's leading spirits. Mr..
Rockefeller and his party arrived in
Ell Paso yesterday in their private car
Convoy, after an extensive trip through
the republic of Mexico.
During the trip through Mexico the
party consisted of Mr.. and Mrs. Rocke-
feller and their three daughters, Mr..
and Mrs. w. P. Cowan of Chicago, and
Miss Alice Miner of Philadelphia, but
most of the party returned yesterday
to their homes in the east
The reporter for The Herald found
Mr.. Rockefeller sitting in the ebserva-
tion end of the car this morning, and
was most courteously received. The
man who can write his check fer eight
figures is a very quiet gentleman Of
about fifty years of age.
He has a ruddy complexion, clean
shaven face with the exception Of a
moustache and looks at one out of a
pair of quiet but observant blue eyes.
He was simply attired in blue serge
suit, and wore but little jewelry. His
utterances were even and deliberate
and evidenced one who thought before
he spoke.
In reply to the questions of The Her.
aid reporter as to the purpose of his
visit Mr.. Rockefeller said:
There is absolutely no significance
in my visit. 1 am just taking a pleas
ure jaunt with my family over the
country. 1 have my daughters With
me, and travelling is a very good med
ium of education, you know. We left
New York some weeks ago and came
direct to Texas, visiting Galveston,
Houston, Dallas, Waco, and into Mex
leo by way of Eagle Pass. During our
south as Cuernavaca where we found
a most delightful climate and a very
quaint interesting old town. In turn
we visited most of the larger cities of
the republic and spent some time in
the City of Mexico.
From my observations it appears to
me that Mexico is susceptible to great
development. 1t is rich in resources
from every point of industrial endeav-
or, and needs only energy and enter
prise to make it one of the richest
countries on the continent. What is
lacking at the present is the American
spirit of git up and git The country,
however, is particularly fortunate in
having President Diaz at the head of
affairs. He is a progressive statesman
for the country than all others put
together. 1t would be one of the great
est calamities that Mexico could exper
ience should they lose him. AS peo-
pie their methods are crude in the ex-
treme as compared with modern ideas
and resources. But the eyes of the com
mercial centers of this and other eoun-
tries are undoubtedly being attracted
to Mexico and it's wonderful possibil-
tiles, and it's fuller development is only
a question of time. There are great
many American concerns there and
they are increasing every day. An
English syndicate has just taken hold
Of the street car system in the City of
Mexico and is rapidly converting it
from mule line into a modern up-tO-
late electric system.
In my Judgment not only Mexico
)ut this entire southwestern and west
srn country is in the process of rapid
and will be the theater
or the commercial enterprise of the
immediate future. The United States