The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1909-02-11
From San Antonio
to El.PaSO.
chas. Hicks Visits Old Mexico
and Witnessed Bull Fight

Deming, New Mexico, Feb. l, 'O9.
We left SanAntonio, Tex, Jan. 2lst
stopped at Uvalde, quaint old Texas
town of about 5000 souls, where the
famous old live oaks stand in the
commons everywhere for shade (for
they needed them the day we were
there the sun was so hot we could
hardly keep our coats on). We were
introduced to the superintendent of the
High School at this place by Mr..
Watson, an architect from Austin,
who had just completed the most con-
venient and best arranged school
building ever saw in any city or
town. This town is beautifully situat-
ed and the larger portion of the we'll
to-do people are wealthy cattlemen,
there being practically no farming
done near the place this country being
one vast cattle range. My Friend that
has been travelling with me, is a
wealthy man from LosAngles, Calif.,
and who has been looking for the
same kind of location that I have
been. Well we left this quiet old town
for El-Paso, where, as any of you know
thathas passed through here, thou
sands of strangers stop every day
during the winter season. We arrived
in El-Paso at 1886 on Thursday morn
ing located our hotel got our break
fast and went out for a stroll. The
first man we got acquainted with was
the U. S. Inspector OF Immigration
and he seemed exceeding glad TO have
some one to talk to. He told US that
his mother lived in Winnipeg, Canada,
but he had been in ElPaso. FIVE years
and of course his main business was
with Mexicans and he could talk their
lingo pretty free. This man told us
that he knew Lord Beresford, who got
killed at Enderlin; No. OAK, in that
r. r. wreck two years ago and Lady
Flo, the Negress that was claimant
to the Berestord estate, you will re-
member that the Sunday papers wrote
up this account in such glowing terms.
We visited the smelters, where ore
enough is smelted each year to net
Uncle Sam = revenue of one hall
million dollars. This ore is from Old
Mexico Ell. Paso has nearly $4,000
people; I was surely surprised fol
the last time saw it it was hardly as
large as Fargo. We saw an immense
cement plant under construction, also
large Touring mill; think of it, fol
there is no wheat grown within two OF
three hundred miles, but this immens.
valley west of El-Paso will produce
something, for this town is eighty
eight miles from El-Paz and beauti
fullevel valley all.the way and which
would bloom like the rose if anyon'
could devise any plan by which watel
could be turned on it.
On Saturday we went over to OF,
Mexico and took in the town OF Juarez
found out all about the great bull fgh
which is the way they have of celebrat
ing the Sabbath and if you will cal
at the Pioneer Office you can see
couple of their hand bills and ho,
they advertise the event. Sunda
afternoon came and we went. Gu
party consisted of three men from ol
No. Oak, one from New York, tw
from Minneapolis and one from Call
fornia. I should think there was fou
thousand people and aboutthree thou
sand were from the United State.
The band played and they came int
the arena, two matadors, and fcu
hufkies, two men on horse back, fou
bull dogs, two wrestlers (these wer
men from the u. 81, and the teal
they used to pull the dead bulls GU
Up at the top Of the grand stand sat
Greaser, who blew blaston bug
and the circus begun. In came a viii
range bull with horns about 81 #. fro
zip to tip and after the aunkies ha
tshtalixed him until they had hi
about scared to death. One OF the;
proud matadors made few dives I
him and run his sword between Il
BULLS shoulder blades and OF cour'
he. soon went down from bleeding
side. Each time a bull was brougl
into the ring two fellows on hor
blck came in with long poles poke
around awhile and went out. The
we're mounted on the worst specimt
of horses ever witnessed in my lif
the bull ran against one OF the hors
knocked him. over and it. took TO,
men to help him up, he didn't ha'
strength enough to5get up alone, th'