Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-20

exciting, and this episode doubtless did
him good The four smart young sports
were finally allowed to return to Browns
Vile. and since the bandages have been
taken of their heads they are gradually
regaining their customary cheerfulness.
The gambling houses at MatamOras
were formerly a considerable attraction
and were well patronized by fools on this
side of the boundary, but the government
closed them up several months ago, be-
cause they gave an opportunity for con-
spirators to get together secretly beyond
the vision of the police.
The only commerce between Matamoras
and the United States is in linen drawn
work. / am told that at least 500, 900
worth Is shipped every year to Houston.
Dallas. New Orleans and other points for
daughters of the Mexicans who have re-
manned there have been able to support
their husbands and fathers and buy food
for themselves. At the arrival and de-
parture of every railway train at Browns
Vile group Of sad-eyed Mexican women
with rebosas drawn over their faces APP
pear with neat packages of samples of
their work wrapped up in napkins. and
they sell it for prices that are amazingly
cheap. They learn the art in the con-
vents. and just now it is the most profit
able. and indeed. the only industry on
the Mexican side of the line.
Band Concerts Attractive.
Matamoras is a typical Mexican town.
with a plaza in the center. shaded by
palms and pepper trees. and decorated
with many Towering plants. There is
fountain in the center and beside it
bandstand. where two nights in the week
musicians from the military garrison dis
couse the sweetest Of music. The senor-
itas walk arm and arm back and forth
upon the pavement. while men of all de-
grees stand on the curb smoking ciga
rettes and staring at them.
There is a large cathedral on-one side
Of the plaza, which is we'll kept in COM
parison with the rest Of the town. There
is fine old opera house which has not
been occupied for a quarter of a cen
fury, although in former days company
three-month season every winter, and
were we'll supported. The hotels are
vacant and abandoned and only a few
shops and drinking places show any
But Matamoras has hopes. AS soon
as the present revolutionary movement
dies out everybody expects that the
Gu Coast railway will be pushed on
toward Tampico. and then to Vera Cruz,
and Merida. Yucatan. This will bring
into town large crowds OF workmen, and
it will Of Eecessity be the basis of sup
plies for several years, and the perma-
nent northern terminus of the road.
There is already a bridge over the river
built by the Gulf Coast Railway Company
for foot passengers and teams well
as trains, although old-fashioned people
prefer to use a little street car drawn
by pair of detected mules which runs
between the plaza Of Matamoras and a
little rowboat ferry which crosses the
river at Brownsville. good deal Of
machinery for mines. plantations and
railway construction was lying on train
Of fiat cars at Matamoras station when
We visited that deserted city the other
day. and 1t came from Cleveland. Ohio
brownsville is recOVarng little he
cause of the tremendous agricultural de-
velopment in the neighborhood. on the
lower Rio Grande. which may restore its
former prestige and prosperity, but.
unless the Mexican Gulf Coast railroad
is built, Matamoras is doomed.
Mr.. Doherty. the genial general traffic
manager Of the Gulf Coast railway. tells
an extraordinary story of an artesian
we'll at Sarita, a new town founded by
John G. Kennedy on his ranch, about 100
miles south of Corpus Christi.
Wonderful Artesian Well.
1.-THE flow OF this well is very strong"
said Mr.. Doherty. land forms deep
pool, which is incosed BY a cement wall
with a cement bottom. The cistern is
probably twenty-five feet in diameter.
Another and larger pool only a few feet
and is fed from the first The water in
both is perfectly clear and pure, but a
bunch of fine, green moss floats on the
surface Of the first pool under ordinary
circumstances. Whenever it is going to
rain that moss disappears from the first
cistern and reappears upon the surface
of the second cistern. Then, after the
storm Is over. it will go back to its olu
place and remain until the weather be-
comes unsettled again.
1T is very fine, beautiful clean moss.
There is nothing like 1t on any Of the
streams. irrigating bitches or reservoirs
or on any other water courses in this
vicinity, and where 1t came rom nobody
the surface Of the water i'm the FIRST els
tern ahuut three years ago. It has been