The Glenwood post., 1907-03-16
EXPERIENCES NET
IN OLD MEXICO
Austin Gavin Grows Reminiscent
Some Jokes on Himself


incidents which the Gavin party en-
joyed in Old Mexico Mr.. Gavin said
\ he was simply unable to give any sort
of connected story of their expert
ences, for there is SO much to tell
he added IN explanation. This state
ment was quite concession on Cav
ms part, by the way, for he has the
unchallenged reputation for being able
to talk more to the SOU are minute
than any man in town.
''As soon as you cross the river at
Ell Paso'' said Mr. Gavin when urged
to talk, ''it strikes you forcibly that
you are stranger in a strange land.
The train stops about the middle of
the Rio Grande river and the Ameri
can custom officials, clean cut. fine
looking, polite fellows. come through
the train to eXs mine the baggage and
every suitcase, telescope and travelling
bag has to be opened for inspection.
If you look square to the officials,
the search will be conducted rather
carelessly, but if suspicious looking in
the least, out go the entire contents
of your grip on the car seat and each
article Of wearing apparel Will be
closely examined, as was the case of
lady sitting across the aisle from us.
'When you get across to the Mexi-
can side. the work begins in real
earnest Every trunk is dumped out
of the baggage cars and each person
has to produce his key and open his
trunk to the mercy of the inspectors.
Funny sight, too, to see trunk trays
piled high on trunk trays, setting
around all over the platform with
every Imaginable form of lingerie in
view. And whether you gather up
. your belongings or not is matter of
small interest to the official, for he
walks Oft to play havoc with some
other passengers wardrobe and leaves
you to repack your own trunk or leave
it be, as you choose.
Zone of the first experiences we
had in the City of Mexico almost led
10 d ltuu. VIC ICdNuCu kAClO
about six o'clock in the morning and
| took the liberty of engaging cab
for our use in hunting for rooms, and
this is no small task, either, for de-
sirabie rooms are very scarce In the
city. We had ridden about hun
dred yards when down went one of the
horses on the pavement as though it
was done for, and l jumped out and
excitedly told the others to follow;
instead they sat still as statues, while
l called madly to them few more
times to get out of the cab expect
ing the other horse to become fright
ened and run away and tear things up
generally. After my excited requests
the rest OF the party decided it was
their move and got out of the hack,
when the driver had induced the
down horse to get on his feet again,
and we then proceeded to locate our
sevles again and tried to make our
selves believe that the poor old horse
could not help an occasional accident.
Well, we got just about twenty five
yards further when the beast sprawled
out on the street again, By this time
we were all endeavoring to suppress
our rising Indignation. but the rest of
the crowd couldn't resist the tempta-
tion to comment freely on my judg-
ment in hiring cab. We learned
later, however, that the government
doesn allow the horses to be shud on
account Of the corks leaving noles in
the asphalt pavement and that early
in the morning when the streets are
wet, horses are falling down all over
the city, it being no uncommon thing
to see horse fall and his mate drag
hi1n along on his side for fifteen feet
or more.
'Mexico is strictly metropolitan
city of about 900, 600 inhabitants,
three times the size of Denver, and
say. but you do get hungry for an
American sign over the business
houses. Everything in Spanish, until
the 81 ght and sound of the lingo makes
your head swim. ~
The Gavins also visited Vera Cruz,
a city of fifteen OF twenty thousand
population. AT this place they saw
DR.. W S. Cockrell, who formerly
lived in Glenwood Springs The doc
tor married wealthy Spanish senorita
down there and lives in Vera Cruz.
'Here it is much more tropical
than at Mexico City. The sun is
blazing hot and all the flowers and
fruits of tropical climate grow in
great abundance. There are so many
mocking birds that they are almost
- pest, but the birds of brilliant plum
age are further in the wooded country.