The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-05-10


something wonderful. Cactus are found
twelve feet high and so thick on the
land that a rabbit can scarcely get
through. This great country will be de-
veloped some day but the work will come
slow for awhile yet. The country here
is full of game. Deer ana birds of all
kinds all come here to pul1d their nests
and raise their young.
There are eagles, hawks, owls and the
chaparalA or Mexican cocks are numer-
Gus. The cuckoo doves live here, and are
to be heard all through the brush. There
are lots of wild cats and wolves here, and
the wolves would come and howl around
our camp of nights with a fearful noise.
Then the snakes-we had no whisky to
make us see snakes or to tell big snake
stories. nor did we need 1t; we could see
enough without it.
1 saw rattlesr axes eight feet long, and
the graders said they had seen them ten
feet. l saw a bull snake twelve feet
long at least, and there are thousands of
them, too. In the early morning the dusty
stage road in the brush was full of the
slides that the snakes made crossing dur
ing the night, and in many places the
roads looked as If boys had been playing
bicycle riding up and down the road.
This beats all the snake countries I ever
saw, and it made me think of what l
had read Of the jungles of Africa.
Is No Exaggeration.
There is no exaggeration about this, and
/ am not telling ii for a seasonable snake
story, but for information for the reader.
The biggest thing | found about Browns
Vile is its name, but 1t will soon have a
railroad; then 1t will begin to grow. One
thing big about 1t Is that it has one Of
the largest rice mills in the world. and a
Va hpiuo
rice and sugarcane Industry along the
Rio Grande is yet in its infancy, but
rapid development will be the order from
now on, as water is to be had.
Across the Rio Grande from Browns
Vile, on the Mexican side, Is the town of
Matamoras. The most remarkable thing
perhaps about this town is the Pauper
pit, or place where all Mexicans who are
too poor to be buried are dumped Then
there is an annual rental on all lots in
the cemetery, and when payment of this
rent stops or fails to be paid the body Is
taken up and thrown, coffin and all, into
the pit or dump. This Is a horrible place.
as one may here see all the skulls and
crossbones he wishes, and get more stencil
than is agreeable. The Mexicans inhabit
the country here on both sides of the
river. and are the only laborers and farm
ers to be seen. Brownsville is said to have
5000 people, and only 600 whites-the bal
ance Mexicans
They are a dirty shiftless set in my
opinion are far below the negro. Con-
tractors on the railroads are working
them largely but say that they do not
make as good hands as the negros. They
can't stand the heavy work that negro
can. This population will have to
change before this country is ever de-
veloped, for these Mexicans are poor
farmers and they have no stock suitable
to farm with. Along the stage line the
women serve refreshments for travellers
and one travelling soon gets an appetite,
and / got so hungry that l got our driver
to stop at one of these shacks made Of
dirt and grass. Here we ordered lunch.
Animals Under Table.
While l was eating I felt something
under the table. / began to kick and
kicked out three cats, two dogs and two
pigs. Dogs, cats. pigs and children all
eat and sleep together, and the Mexicans
are even more given to keeping dogs than
are the negroes. In fact they are nothing
more than a low, dirty Indian. In view
ing this dirty class l thought to exclaim.
o. Temporal; o, mores! Then again
thought multum in pureo. How little,
indeed, 1t takes to make them contented,
and they get as much out of little as
any people In the world.
but L could Wrlle pages on tflS TIP II
/ only had the time But one thing that
impressed me was the wonderful progress
of this age as we'll as the greatness of
our great country, for I had been able
In less than a week, with two days stop
out of this, to come from snow where not
a garden was planted and not furrow
plowed. to a part of our own country
where vegetables of all kinds are abun-
dant. and where green roasting ears are
found ready for use. and where all such
crops az cabbage. eaulifower, lettuce,
radish and other early vegetables have
been grown. shipped north and sold. and
other crops have been planted on the
land, and these second crops will soon
be on the market.
Then here ind last years cotton
stalks green and growing and full Of
bloom, making another crop. But l must
close only allow me to say that at
Brownsville found three United States
Inspectors who belong to the treasury
department. and we have been living out
In camp and travelling together for some
days. Two of them went out to Laredo
this morning and tho other one and my
sen will go in the morning and Join them
This guarantee between Texas and Mex
lee may prevent my going to Mexico at
this time, VIII known on reaching La
redo, Will let you hear from me again
soon.