Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1909-02-20
Back from the Tropics of Old Mexico.
To the people of Wa-Keeney and
vicinity:


To the people of Wa-Keeney and
vicinity:
AS several people requested
me to investigate that country
and write them or let them know
the prospects and possibilities, /
Thought I would tell them the
easiest way, through the Wa
Keeney World.
Now first, as to health, I am
sure is more healthful than here,
and to your surprise would be
safe to say that there are more
poisonous snakes in Trego coun
ty than in fifty times that much
territory in tropical Mexico.
There are very few flies or bugs
comparatively none, there are
mosquitoes and ticks. The coun-
try is all that has ever been
claimed for it and the natives are
very friendly, or were to me.
Now / was alone and gone a
month and was among the Next
cans and Indians for two and
three days at a time with proba-
bly, no Americans within twenty
miles. l stayed with them in
their palm and bamboo houses,
watched them grind their inaize,7
or corn, on the old stones, for
breakfast, and ate tortilles with
them You may know | was
getting next to nature and this
is something that very few Amer
leans did, as most of them were
in crowds and stayed at Ameri-
can hotels. / had Indians to take
me over a 10000 acre tract of land
on a pony. | had gotten prices
on this land and we had good
time We made each other I'M
derstand by signs and motions
and | could understand them
somewhat. We rode down along
the Rio Obispo several miles and
through jungles over the land
[ was also with the Kansas City
Land Co. of Mexico and their
land is all that they claim for it.
They sold $1,000 acres while [
was there at So so an acre and
will sell the next tract further
south at 1913 per acre. They
are nice people but I never feel
like plunging in when everybody
is tumbling over one another to
buy land, so | Sauntered around
here and there and got with some
Americans that had been living
there for three or four years and
found out about the climate,
health, crops, snakes and taxes,
which are very low. | consider
e.
here.
I called on our United States
Consul, Mr. Kennedy, at Vera
Cruz, who is a very pleasant gen
tleman and answered all of my
questions with the greatest OF
pleasure and [ consider such in
formation as | got from Mr.. Ken
nedy as good authority.
1t was surprise to me to see
the people of that country stand
ing barefooted and nearly naked
in the creeks and rivers washing.
On Christmas day l rode through
parah grass their native tame
grass) over my horses back and
it was as green as grass is here
in June. l ate green corn and
beans, bananas, oranges, lemons
and pawpaws for Christmas din
ner that were raised on the place.
Everything is green and there is
no limit to roses and flowers.
1 saw corn in one field that was
four inches tall, four feet tall, in
tassel and fully ripe.
This parah grass planted in
July in the corn, stood higher
than my horses back on Christ
mas day. / brought one straw
back from that field that was six
teen feet tall 1t sounds pretty
big but you can see it for your
selves.
The first thousand miles into
Mexico You would surely say
was the most God-forSaken coun-
try on earth, nothing but desert,
barren mountains and cactus of
every description. The noun
tainS are rich in silver and cop
per. After you get two or three
hundred miles beyond Mexico
City and get into the tropics, you
n a - - u