Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-31
FL. B|sSELL SEES
CARRANzA'S ARMY
OTTUMWA MAN is VISITOR AT
NOGALES AT TIME OF OCCUPA-
TON BY SOLDIERS.
UNDER MARTIAL LAW
No Commissary Department in De-
tachment and Natives Are
Forced to Cook For the Men
and Officers. .
UNDER MARTIAL LAW

Fred l.. Bissell of Ottumwa has just
returned from trip in the south
western part of the United States and
northern Mexico. During his visit Mr..
Bissell had the rare experience Of be-
ing in Nogales at the time that Carran-
"a and his army were first stationed
there.
The OttumWa man was a member OF
a camping party which made an excur-
sion through the desert country about
$50 miles south and west of Tucson.
Arizona Upon reaching the border
line they crossed over into Mexico but
were told by soldiers who were
stationed at the. line that they were
doing so entirely at their own risk.
When they reached the city Of Nog-
ales they found some most interesting
sights awaiting them. General Car
rama and his men were stationed
there and everything was practically
under martial law. The Mexican
soldiers headquarters was at the city
hall and during the day the men
would parade around the streets. No
commissary department was included
in the army outfit according to Mr..
Bissell, any Of the camp followers be-
ing called upon to furnish the crowd
with food and in many instances the
residents of Nogales and the near
vicinity were forced to cook for the
men.
Constituencies Money.
The money used in Nogales is en-
tirely script, Mr.. Bissell says, and the
valuation shown in the fact that they
were given three constitutionalist
dollars for one dollar in United States
money. All of the people of Nogales
and vicinity are forced to use this con-
stitutionalistic style of money.
The life Of the Indians in the south
western part Of the United States
furnishes another very interesting
subject for study Mr.. Bissell says.
They were found to be living in their
crude primeval ways in much the
same manner as history tells of them
living five hundred years ago. The
country in general is very desolate
and barren. Yet in certain parts the
lovers of the hunt find pleasure, for
the Ottumwan brought back the pelts
and horns of two large deer. which he
succeeded in killing.
-~ Stop at Fort Bliss. o.
On the way home the party stopped
a few days at Fort Bliss and there
new and interesting sights were noted.
At this place there are now 4,SOO
refugees being kept and closely guard
ed by the United States soldiers.
These people have crossed over from
the Mexican side of the Rio Grande
and have sought shelter and protection
in this country. They are kept in a
huge Enclosure which is surrounded
by a heavy wire fence reaching a
height of ten or twelve feet. At night
every other wire is charged with a
heavy electric current. This not only
protects the people in the inside of the
Enclosure but keeps other refugees out
Of the place who are always trying to
seek the shelter that their brothers
and sisters have been fortunate
enough to secure. 1t is estimated Mr..
; Bissell was told that the cost to the
government for keeping up this sort of
thing is something like $5S,0OO a
month. -..,
At Nogales the army under the di.
rection of General Carranza is selling
| and shipping from ten to twenty Car