Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-03
Railways Wrecked by War Be-
ing Reconstructed by the
Military Forces.
ACTIVITY OF GEN. VILLA
FEATURE OF OPERATIONS
Much of the Work Is Restoring
Lines Destroyed by His
Own Army.
BY CHARLES M. PEPPER.



ToRREoN. Mexico. May 29.-Recon-
structive railroad work under military
control has gone forward rapidly in
northern Mexico. The need of moving
the troops and getting ammunition to the
front with them was the impelling motive
but even in military administration
progress sometimes Is slow.
This has not been the case with Villa
He had the destroyed sections of the rail-
ways rebuilt with the same un-Mexican
energy and effectiveness that mark his
military movements When he ordered
that a certain section must be ready for
operation by given date, usually 1t
was ready
Villa an Adept.
DESTROYING the railway lines and the
rolling stock always has been the IA
yorite pastime of armed forces In Mex
leo. whether they were regular or revo-
lutionary. Villa himself was an adept
at il. though he preferred attacking op-
nosine troops When the federdis were
in control of the territory from fiedras
Negras and Laredo south, the consutu-
tionalists crippled them by tearing UP the
rails and making bonfires OF the rolling
stock. so that INSTRUMENTATION was
impossible.
Much of the repair and reconstruction
work on the lines to the border SINCE
Villa took Torreon has been TO Iepulio
what they themselves DESTROYED, atnouSh
the retreating federals made trelr con-
tribution to the destruction by Gripping
the lines wherever possible
The master hand In railway destruc-
ton in Chihuahua and the northwest was
Pascual 0rozco. When in COMMAND OF q
guerrilla band he destroyed the railway.
When one of Madero's leading generals
he crippled the movements OF the Dlaz
forces by his facility in interruptins rail-
way communication. When he started
his rebellion against Madero the de-
stroyed railways We're the most tellnS
evidences of his ability as Wrecker
II was to curb OroZco'S deStructIVeness
that Nadero sent Huerta to take COM
rnand in the north with the finest body
of troops ever seen outside the capltai
Huerta made his HEADQUARTERS at chi
huahua and attended the banquets given
him by the citizens while the smoke from
the burning rolling stock rolled in clouds
over the city
ono Orders"
Huerta's officers watched the wild de-
struction of Orozco's bandits through
their field glasses, and when asked why
they did not take their troops out to
stop it. shrugged their shoulders and re-
Piled mo orders"
Miles OF IW1SI6O TdliS anu ehSiCIoh SeA
and iron and steel debris are still the
mark Of Orozco's activity. The Mexican
Central line from JuareZ to forreon,
however. nearly 500 miles. has been in
operation for two months In taking
Torreon villa had to march his troops
across fifty miles OF Wateriess desert,
and when he got the city his flrst move
was to close up this gap In rail commu-
nication and to repair and rebuild the
broken lines between other gaps
1t was this effectiveness that enabled
him to transport the ammunition ana 10
concentrate his troops so enectlveiy IN
Torreon for the campaign against Sait1lio
A daily passenger train IS now run
between Juarez and Torreon. 1t Is
POSSIBLE to leave Torreon in the morn
ing and reach Juarez the next inorhihs
or TO leave Juarez one morning ana
he in Torreon the next forenoon. The
round trip with a daylight view OF all
parts of the intervening desert regions,
is rather too much OF landscape
feast
In peace times it used to be possible
To- get pullman car with windows
Of double thickness and even then the
dust sifted through; and after a rev
hours the compartment and the per-
sons in il would be covered with the
me gray powder of the desert. There
cause they would have SO Few oc-
cupants They will be put on later
when travel has increased.
Trains Are Armed.
IL is possible now to make the journey
in a day coach and pass the night with
d a modicum of discomfort in the midst
Of a numerous Mexican family as seat
mates-Mexican families are always
numerous-and the customary accom-
paniment of domestic animals. bundles,
packages and provisions for temporary
2 sustenance
While there is passenger movement
both wasy, the greater movement seems
to be toward the border. especially of
the wen-to-do or formerly well-to-do
families. The poems who fill the sec
ond class coaches apparently are
are In search of work.
Every passenger train has an armed
guard of fifty soldiers and soldiers are
stationed all along the way. especially
at the bridges. This is villa territory
and the military control is complete;
but no chances are taken of a sur
prise by rowing bands of federals or
II has been the experience in the
past that sometimes bodies Of armed
men appear quite unexpectedly and
burn a bridge or tear up the rails or
even attack the train. The greatest care
is taken in guarding the bridges.
have had experience in destroying rail-
ways and they know the points to
watch most carefully. 1t is the bridge
always that Is vulnerable
Freight
While Passenger facilities are not SUPER
abundant and some nights a proportion
Of tho occupants Of the coach have to
stand up or content themselves sitting
their baggass. there seems to be
more than enough rolling stock to handle
all the freight that is offered. Notwith-
standing Villas plea for ammunition from
the United States to aid him In the cam
Haign against Mexico City, considera BILE
Quantities appear to be going forward
rom Juarez along with other army sup
plies.
There is less outgoing freight. The cat
lie pens of the confiscated ranches con-
ain little stock for shipment, because the
constitutionalists want the beef for them
selves. Some ore is moved to the frontier
out most of the mines and smelters are
still closed, or are doing little, notwith-
standing that Villa Is able to afford their
cargoes the fullest protection
Possibly the cargoes will be ready later
credit must be given the constituencies
for their promptness in providing the
means OF transportation, which is the
first factor in enabling the war to be
forgotten and peaceful Industries to be
resumed.
Few foreigners are yet travelling about
On the train from Juarez to Chihuahua
I was the only American. except some
Young fellows who are in the capc