Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-03-12
INTO THE HEART
OF OLD MEXICO
Chihuahua. Feb. Il.

cars at Ei Paso at 10 O'Clock Satur-
day morning at the Santa Fe depot
In El Paao. We ask the baggageman
10 place our trunk In the baggage car
but we can not cneck II. After leay-
ing the depot several Imposing Mex
lean officials pass through the car
and examine our valises and other
baggage Finding nothing dutiable,
the baggage Is So marked and they
pass Into the remaining cars. Arriv-
ing at Jnarez the train stops for an
hour. All baggage is removed from
the car-that Is. trunks and yalises
In the baggage car-and taken into
a large room in the depot, where they
have to be unlocked and the Mexican
customs officials given an opportunity
OF inspecting. The party attending
TO this duty only made a dive into
one end of the big trunk, when he
concluded there was nothing worthy
of his attention. Locking the trunk
once more 1t is marked o. X and
then we check for desired destination,
but no checking until thus marked.
All baggage Is weighed and weight
placed on the baggage check. We
are delayed half an hour and 1t is
1856 before the conductor gives or.
ders to "Vaminoese." The railroad
folder tells us 1t Is 225 miles TO Chi
hunna, and we arrive on time at
y. m. The day is fine. with bright
sun. The country through which we
passed is chiefly stock raising re-
eion. The land is level and looks
rich, but lacks the essentials to make
IT productiye-water. In fact, we
never trayersed finer looking sec
ton for agriculture if watered. Some
day great reservoirs may he con.
structed to impound the flood waters
and then there will be millions of
acres open Tor settlement. At Mon
tezuma we stop for dinner and pay
a dollar Mex. The country shows
more signs of fertility than appear
further north. Not far away is a hac-
ieGda in a grove under the hills. The
sight OF living green is evidence OF
water. Here we begin to see some
of the great herds for which the state
of Chihuahua Is noted. No land Ia
richer than this Unlocking plain, but
it must have water, The soil Is said
To be deep and very fertile and like
much OF the land of Mexico would pro.
duce two crops each year If watered
This plain is from ten to twenty miles
wide On each side of the road most
of the distance. A little further along
aobut in the afternoon, the road
parallels lake about 10 miles long
and from one to three miles wide
Across the lake is the fortified haci
enda of the great estate of Don Bn
rique Muller and Don Luis Terrasas
ex-governor of the state of Chihua
hna. The estate is encumbered with
between 10000 and 100000 head OF
cattle and the whole country for
more than eighty miles along the
track belongs to them. This family
is at the head of the state govern.
ment at the present time and owns
more than half the buildings in Chi.
huahua, silver mines. great cattle
ranges. etc, and the wealth under
control Of the head man is placed at
over $500, 100000
Arriving at Chihuahua we take
conveyance for the Iturbide hotel
conducted on the European plan. In
the party are two men, one railroad
man who has resided in Mexico a
number of years. who is returning
from visit to the States, and anoth-
er railroad man from New York state
VINO Is en- route to the City OF Mexico
on brief pleasure trip. Our railroad
acquaintance is genial. good-natbred
and willingly gives us much informa-
tlon regarding the country, the peo.
pie and their customs. He secured
our accommodations, which proved
mighty satisfactory. and cost us So
Mexican for the room. We have to
hnnt restaurants. The first is a Chi.
nese joint that takes away our appe,
ute Our second attempt is quite an
improvement having been recon-
mended by nm American as the best
eating place in the city, and we fare
very well at 80 cents Mexican per
meal All restaurants are presided
over by Chinese and the hotels have
Chinese cooks in every instance in
this place
chihuahua is said to have a popula,
tion of 10000 and this must be so.
The city is built upon an elevated
plain and can be seen a long distance
before reached by train. 1t is known
as the American city of Mexico. a
good many Americans being success.
fully engaged In business here While
so many Americans reside here, II Is
in this place we obtain our first in.
PRODUCTION to Mexicans and Mexican
life. Upon alighting from the cars
one imaginps the uhole rity &c dnu,