El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-01
Copyright, 1913, by Frank c. Carpenter)

Right here at Laredo / met a large
party Of HindoOs who were trying to
get into our country. They were on
the southern side of the bridge IN
the plaza which forms the center OF
the Mexican town OF NueTO Laredo
They were tall, dark faced, strong,
husky East Indians, and the chief was
a turbaned HindOO from the Punjab.
I asked him where they were going
and he told me he had brought the
gang Of 43 with him from the Panama
canal. They had travelled first to
Guatemala and had come by the Pan
American railway from there into Mex
leo. They had gone clear across that
country to Laredo, and are now hoping
to go through Texas to CalIornla 70
find work on the farms and railroads
there The chief complained to me that
the authorities at Washington had
kept his party waiting for two weeks
at NueTO Laredo, and that he could
not learn when they were likely to
During a part Of the past year this
crossing of the Rio Grande at Laredo
has been the only gateway to Next
co Veracruz was closed by the reFo-
luton of Diaz, and FL Paso had a
long period of interrupted traffic on
account Of the rebels of Chihuahua and
other parts Of northern Mexico. The
bridge at this point, over which the
railroad trains went, has been poorly
guarded. and I am told that the reb-
els with a few sticks of dynamite
might have blown II TO pieces. Uncle
Sam has a fort here under the COM
mand Of Col Brewer The force con-
sits of about 500 cavalry, who have
recently come from the Philippines.
They are husky, fine looking fellows,
and are ready to move at moments
notice In case Of trouble their first
work would be to seize and guard
the railway bridge.
lIexIeans in the United States.
I am surprised at the Mexicans I find
down here on the United States side Of
the boundary. The trains coming in are
packed with poems or indians, who are
coming into Texas to work on the
fS, 600 came into the United States last
summer and fall to aid in harvesting
the cotton and other crops Thirty
thousand came by way Of Laredo, and
more than $4,000 by way Of Browns
Vile These men were scattered all
over Texas, and they got good wages
during the harvesting season Many OF
them have returned home loaded with
money. The current wages for farm
work in Mexico are something like p
cents gold a day, but here in Texas the
price for picking cotton is from so
cents upward per 100 pounds. Many
man can pick 200. 800 or 400 pounds
in day, and these MeXicanss
with their families, often make from
IS to Sc a day and some even more
They spend almost nothing, and as a
result are able to 90 back home with
enough money to keep them for the
rest OF the year. The Texans are glad
to have them, and I am told that there
they are employed by the hundreds on
certain estates.
In addition to this there are many
Mexicans, who have come over to act
as servants in the towns of southern
Texas. I heard Of one who, with his
family vas so employed IN Browns
Vile His wages were about SIS gold (
he "a 10 M
at these wages for two years or more [
Last summer he asked his employer il I
he might have a vacation to pick cot
ton, and, this being granted, he left I
He took his family with him, and when /
he came back at the end Of three I
months he showed savings of $3.50 He I
then took up his old Job at SIS month ]
and viii work at that until the next 4
cotton picking season HeTspent his ]
money to buy lot at Brownsville, /
and his next years savings viii build /
him house.
A walk Into Mexico.
It cost me Just one nickel to get into I
the Mexican republic. This was the !
toll over the wagon bridge which !
crosses the Rio Grande into NueTO La
redo. I was stopped on the Mexican |
side by three officials and asked II ] |
had any guns or other ammunition
and in returning one of our customs !
officers asked me If I had any duti- |
able goods in my clothes.
The o1r1erence In the prosperity OF /
the two republics was apparent as /
soon as I left the bridge The first 4
man met was a blind beggar who 1
asked me for aims, and I met more ]
poor people as came UP into the town 4
and went through the narrow. unpaved |
streets Laredo, Texas, is a city Of the 4
rich. Many Of its people have money
to burn and they are raising gold \
dollars on the lands which lie al 4
around them The people Of NueYo i
Laredo seem to be just the reverse, /
although they are surrounded a coun- /
try equally good The town is gone I
to seed, and its houses of brick, COW
cred with stucco and painted all the
colors Of the rainbow, are battered /
and worn. The only sign Of active
life was in the plaza, where a gaily 1
uniformed. band was playing excellent
music I saw soldiers here and there, /
and now and then passed one of the 1
federal infantry patrOling the streets.
Killed For His Hat.
understand that there is need Of ]
the federal and local police just now
almost everywhere The unsettled con-
ditiens as regards the government have
made the thieves and other criminals
more courageous than they have been