The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-11-16
YANKEE
OF MEXICO
Old Sonora Being Aroused From Centuries Of Slumber-Mae
ie Wand Of American Enterprise Working a Won
derful Transformation.
(By Ira e. Bennett)

NA-oAS ~ Sp6l SC1s SCIIc0 l1SAI-
can state. The student Of civilization
will find here an absorbing field
OF study, for here he will find ciyiliza-
ton in the making. This is one OF tic
last OF the old frontiers, and the admix-
ture of Mexican and Indian population
ADDS color TO the drama as il anfOIds.
Upon the crumbling ruins OF the old
Spanish occupation and the tottering
Mexican succession, is being butt aEeu,
modern community, full of oddities ard
incongruities.
Like most of the western
ties which are now reckOned as civil
lied, Sonora begins by attracting atten-
ton to her mineral wealth. Miners
are the real pioneers. They go where
rme and traders fear TO treal.
There is nothing like gold to attract
men-nOt the money made in trad
but real, red gold, the stuff itself. dug
out of the ground. The miner does no.
know, when he starts for a new field,
whether there is little or much gold TO
be had. He has a notion. however.
that there will be much. He knows
that GOlcOnda exists somewhere. Why
not in the new field? Suppose the new
field should be GOlc0nda, and he should
lose it by reason of doubt OF a faint
heart? The thought tortures him, and
he plunges into the wilderness. lie
cares nothing for isolation, or Yaquis,
Or thirst.
Sonora has always had a fascination
for the old Ca~lifornians who have
0 n up and down the world seeking
gold. They heard six years ago of the
! old mines worked by the Spaniards and
deserted because of the Indian wars.
Many of them carry tattered maps III
their pack, showing just where these
rich old bOnanzas are. Some Of them
| have realized the dream of years by
actually penetrating the SonOran wilds
and locating IN antigua. These 10
cation have led to other explorations,
covering a dozen years Or 50, resulting
in discoveries which have attracted the
attention of capitalists in the east and
in England. Thus there have been
built up such big camps as Canauea,
Nacozari, Minas Prietas, and others,
The development Of mines have led
to the opening Of ranches and cattle
ranges on a large scale, and it has been
demonstrated that the agricultural re-
sources of Sonora are very great. Cattle
have been bred up from the native
stock until an excellent grade has been
evolved. Now it is announced thar d
packing plant will be established at
Cananae, which viii handle native
meats. This plant will find a ready
market for it's product, as the duty on
American meat products is very high.
For years the only railroad in Sonora
was the line running from Nogales to
Guaymas. Locally and in Arizona this
road is known at "The Burro''. II was
renowned all along the Pacific cOas as
the finest sample Of j~erkwater railroad
in the world. The fireman and engineer
often found themselves shy of irewOOd
and it was their custom to get out AMI
cut a lot at the head of a grade, and
then, after steaming up, to rush pell-
NELL down the grade, in the wild hope
that Providence and momentum would
lift them up the hill again. Usually
they were disappointed. 1t is said that
burros were employed occasionally to
haul the engine to the top Of the
grade, while the conductor played
monte with the passengers and the
engineer took a nap. The trip from
Nogales to Guyamas, a matter Of less
than 200 miles, was entirely problem
atical as to the time CT departure, ard
questionable as to the time Of arrival.
Now his jerkwater road is becoming
part OF an enormous line stretching
from British Columbia to the City OF
Mexico. A struggle between E. Fl. Har-
riman and the Mexican Central for the
rich coast trade of Mexico has devel-
oped, and the sOmnolent valleys Of So
nora are ~resOunding with the activities
of railroad building. The YaQui is
being pushed back into the Businesses
of the Sierra Madre, and he will never
reappear again. Among the Indian!
and Mexicans have appeared gangs OF
p~ig-tailed Chinese, armed with picks
and shovels, digging and smoothing
the path of civilization.
The operations of the Hartman in
terests in northwestern Mexico are on
a great scale. The headquarters of the
work are at Tucson, but there are
branch headquarters here and at Quay
mas and Alamos. The official name of
the railroad is the Cananea, YaQui
River and Pacific. About $50, 900 900
has been appropriated for the work
already outlined. The road begins at
Empalme, about nine kilometers north
east of GuaymaS, on the Gulf of Cali
fornia and runs s~outheasterly TO the
Yaqui river, near Cocorit, a distance
of seventy miles. 1t then branches, one
line running northward and the other
southwark. The north line runs from
Cocorit through the Yaqui valley, tap
ping the rich mining district Of la
Dura, Soyopa, and ~Sahauripa, and con-
Meeting at the American border. near
Douglas, AriZ., with the Hartman
| lines. This road will open up the Va
Qui river valley to agricultural devel-
opment and enable the development OF
many rich mining fields. That section
of Sonora abounds in gold, silver, cop
per, lead, and other minerals.
The southerly branch of the new raj
! road will run from Cocorit TO Alamos,
at which point the old Southern Pacific
; concession will be utilized. Concession
guarantees payment Of So, 500 Mexican