The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1904-03-24
About the Mexican Trip.
Continued from last week

ty five thousand inhabitants sita-.
ated in the extreme western part
of Texas and in a very rich min
ing district. Many shelters are
in close proximity and the miners
al wealth so lavishly bestowed by
nature has done much to make
the city what it is. 1t is an inn
portant railroad point, as no less
than six different roads center
there. Very few frame build
ingsare in evidence, nearly every
thing being built of brick or
ston,, even to the residences, x
cept Gown near the river where
the 'dobe brick is used. Our
money was exchanged here for
Mexican at the rate of S2.1O for
every dollar. Thus, for twenty
dollars we would receive forty
two dollars, and al this rate all
crossed the border quite wealthy.
After a night spent at the pass
city we left the next forenoon
over the Mexican Central for the
city of Mexico twelve hundred
twenty four miles south and
some distance below the tropic
of Cancer. AS we crossed the
the river the customs officials
came through the carandinspect-
edour baggage. They were very
courteous in their treatment but
firmly insisted that each satchel
should at least be unlocked. Af-
ter the inspection and a short
stop at the station the train pull
ed out of Juarez at 11:55 and the
long trip across the desert was
fairly begun.
The railroad trayerses a pla-
teau or table land for the first
thirty hours out Of ElPaso. This
plateau is comparatively level and
IS bordered on either side by
mountains, from fifteen to seven-
ty-6ve miles from the track and
rising many thousand teet above
the generallevel of the land be-
tween. Through the breaks in
the mountains other peaks and
, ranges were visible at a still
greater distance and it was es-
timated that some of those the
farthest away must have been at
least one hundred fifty miles.
A part of this country is almost
entirely innocent of vegetation,
and sand dunes those variable
quantities that shift their location
with every change of the wind,
rising from five to fifty feet high
were to be seen on either side.
The greater part however is Sim
u1ar TO the western partofTexas
and, though at this season of the
year no vegetation is ~discernable
other than sage brush, mesquite
and the various kinds Of cacti,
during the rainy season it pro-
duces an abundant growth of
grass which furnishes pasturaee
for countless thousands of cattle
and horses. W. passed through
a range owned by one man, that
covered an area of one hundred
miles square.
Mexico, during our winter
months. is at its worst. It is the
dry season and but little vegeta-
TOMS to be seen ahywhereexcept
on the land under an irrigation
ditch. The china tie is very fine
the temperature being about the
same as that of North Dakota in
in June but everything is dry
and dusty. The rainy season
begins in May and lasts until
September and during this seas.
on vegetation springs up luxur-
iously on every ham and the very
desert is said to blossom as a
rose.
The monotony OF the desert
ride was broken at every station
by a group of dirty unkempt ha'f
clothed native childten who gath
eTeu TO peg Q CentaVOS VI WHICH
a liberal quantity were always
forth coming. The eager scram-
bic to lind and determined strug-
giles to keep the coins thrown to
them were a sourc Of much a
musement to the members of the
press gang.
The desert was left about four
o'clock Tuesday afternoon and
. the ascent Of the mountains to be
4 atossed began. Much beautiful
scenery was in evidence and we
here began to see crops growing
l,y means Of irrigation. During
the afternoon we were joined by
w. w. and Mr. $. VanMeter and
their daughter ''Bill" who made
the remainder of.the trip with u.
Mr.. VanMete a former North
sDakotan is acknowledgements
sent on the Sllio Mexico division
and Mrs. ". is a sister of Mrs.
EEH. II. Perry of Glendale.
&HA ~s.r 1N,4s, ,, r,o.s1 al Wait