The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-03-13
MkGDALENA CITY IN GALA AT.
TIRE FOR SAILORS.
new TOWN SPRUNG UP
With News That Fifteen Thousand
Sailors Would Remain There for
Three Weeks, Energetic
Mexiesns made Ready"

City of Mexico, March 13-The
American battla ship fleet under Ad.
miral Evans arrived at Nagdalena
Bay yesterday to begin its taget
practice. and the officers and sail
ors found awaiting them a city that
has almost literally sprung mp in a
night by declaration of the Mex
lean government. Magdalena Bay is
now port Of entry and Scnor y.
Rafael Castro Montana mas been
made captain of the port and admin
istrator of the customs house
Until recently only a few scatter
ed novels comprised the town OF
Magdalena Bay. with the news
that $1,000 men of the American
fleet would make a stay OF three
weeks there. the Mexican CONNER
cial houses scented an opportunity
for trade and barter that would
likely be immensely profitable. Tenn
porary structures went up by the
scores and few permanent build
ings have been erected. Salesman
and stocks of goods of all kinds have
been sent to the new city and all
were in readiness to supply Jack
with anything NE may desire, and,
incidentally to separate him from
his coin.
In the wake of legitimate bust.
ness enterprises. many of the out
casts, gamblers and dive keepers
of this and other Mexican cities
have flocked to Magdalena City, and
the men and women who prey upon
humanity for subsistence are there
in large numbers to greet the sail
ors.
In character of its buildings and
buEnpss enterprises, Magdalena
| City now bears close resemblance
to Coney Island. remodeled along
| Spanish-American lines. Tamale
stands, dance halls, chile con carne
| 'parlors" and saloons Jack will find
| i'm abundance, as well as the newt
able arena for bullfights. The new
| municipality lies in a valley of the
/ Coast Range of Baja California,
! where the mountains come down 10
| the sea. The bay is large enough
to anchor a whole navy, being In
reality an inland sea formed by Mag
dalena, Santa Margartia, Creciente
\ and other islands.
The American navy department
has made arrangements to ship large
food supplies to the fleet at Mag
dalena Bay As Magdalena City Is
now a port of entry, IT will not be
necessary for vessels TO clear fol
Enseneda and have their cargoe'
thence sent to Magdalena Bay. The
contracts made include 35O,OoO
pounds of flour. 100000 pounds o
fresh beef, $4,000 pounds of frank
furters and 5000 pounds of condens
ed milk.
In addition to the hundreds of en-
thusiastic Mexicans who WELCOMED
Jack upon his arrival at Magdalen
| Ray. the sharks and snakes abound
ing in that vicinity will also be OF
| lookout for the gallant Dilorme
; and II he should attempt any Sc
. bathing he Is likely to be sent HON
i'm pieces. The bay is full of shark
and the beach produces an equal
abundant crop Of rattlesnakes of IN
most yirulent and vicious kind. TIL
native indians of. the district ca
uhe reptiles 'El Muerto Blanco,' q
The White Death" since they hay
no antldote for the poison excel
j mescal, the native whisky. MeXica
physicians, however, declare thi
permanganate of potassium If iajec
ed in time, will save the victims
the snakes
Little less numerous than II
sharks ana the snakes are the tn
Ties. which grow TO enormous si'
q in the bay and which have a WI
reputation among epicures The
are usually captured by rushing
9 them on the beach and turning the
over on their backs.
Old soldiers declare that it is
L. times impossible 10 take sounding
in the bay, because the sharks a
so thick that there isn't room
u heave the lead through them.
: The morning plunge oversize re
= ularly enjoyed by The officers al
u men in many of the tropical por
= is quite out of the question in 4