Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-03-08

can not fail to stimulate trade and indus
| try all along the way. 1t will traverse CEN
trally the State of Chihuahua-the largest
and one of the most progressive States, in
the great Southern Republic. Untold
riches in Chihuahua alone will be uncov-
cred by it. and brought to the use of thu
world.
| Some idea of the resources of Chihuahua
may be gathered from the statistical facts
which mark its progress during the las:
| thirty years.
In 1877 the farm lands of Chihuahua
was worth no more than $4,000; in 1908
| it was valued at $5,1190 600. During the
same period the value of mining property
increased from 81, 100000 to $47, 500, 900. In
1877 there were no railways in the State.
while now the railway property is esti-
mated to be worth s2s, $50, O00 AS late as
1882 the mileage of railroads in the State
of Chihuahua was only AIS; now it Is LIB
miles. In 1879 the capital invested In
banks in the State was the small sum of
$50, 900; in 1908 it had risen to IS, 10000. In
1879 bank deposits and commercial &C
counts aggregated no more than 1850;
but they now amount to Sc, $50, 000 Mining
production has advanced from s451, 600 in
1877 to S1.5OO.OOO in 1909.
Only a 1.-THE of Chihuahua's resources,
] of agricultural mineral and forest pro-
ducts has yet been touched. When the
orient halfway Is HIllSncO, pdSollE
through this great commonwealth from
Texas on the East to Sinaloa on the West,
! it will educe untold treasures from the
valleys and mountains of Chihuahua.
The governor of the state of Chihuahua
! is a man of liberal sentiments and en-
lightened craftsmanship. He is descended
from an American father and a Mexican
mother, as his name indicates. In Mexico
he is called Governor Enrique Clay
Creel," which we would translate GOV
ernor Henry Clay Creel" He was for
quite a time the Mexican ambassador ct
Washington, and more recently was sent
by President Diaz on a special mission
to our government with reference to the
acute situation in Nicaragua. He speaks
English with great purity and force. and
is a man of charming personality. 1 had
/ q lengthy interview with him about
year ago to talk over the educational in
| terests of his state-a subject about
which he is profoundly and periodically
concerned. I found him especially alive
, to the Importance of normal schools for
teachers and schools for the development
of the industrial arts.
| The city of Chihuahua, the capital of
| Governor Creel's state, is quite an old
place, having been founded by Diego de
Iborra in 1889. 1t was at first called Ia
TaumdId, IdI6T San FSHpc cl INOdl,
and then chihuahua" which means "a
place where things are done" The city
for many years seems not to have de-
served its name, and IN those days, when
in il things were not done, 1t was re-
markable chiefly for the production of the
diminutive chihuahua dog" But in the
Chihuahua of today there is something
doing-very much, indeed. II is about
one thousand miles from the city of Mexi-
co, and being near the border of the
United States, 1t is considerably "Ameri-
canized.' as the word goes. 1t has many
fine buildings of a modern type of archi-
lecture, and it's streets are wide and
clean. 1t has fine monument and statue
of Hidalgo, the patriot priest on the
spot where he was executed July 81, 1871.
Here also were executed his compatriots
f-Allende, ALBANIA and Jiminez-on June
26 of the same year. Near the city of
Chihuahua, Col. Doniphan of the United
States Army, won a notable victory over
the Mexican forces in 1847, and after
wards made his famous march to the
south and Joined General Zachry Taylor.
For many, many years the city was the
trading point for all Northern Mexico,
being the chief station on the overland
route between Mexico City and ''old Santa
Fe."
But whatever historic interest may at
tach to it's past. the face of Chihuahua
is set towards the future. and like all
North America it is looking westward to-
wards the Pacific. The future of the
worlds commerce lies in that direction.
Westward the star of empire takes it's
way" said Bishop Berkeley, and West
ward Ho!'' cried Kingsley. Their words
meant far more than they knew when
they uttered them.
CixyiIi in q
milleniums 1t has been moving west
ward. The missionary Journeys of ST.
Paul were all towards the west Cen
turtles later followed those civilizing and
Christianizing migrations from Europe to
America. Now great commercial and
missionary movements are running to-
wards the East by way of the West The
next generation will see them girding
the planet, carrying round the world
plenty and peace which spring from the
reign of ''the Prince of Peace"