The Detroit times., 1914-05-09
Troops Must Gross High Noun
tains and Thread Ravines To
Reach Capital
MARCH WOULD FOLLOW
ROUTE OF CORTEZ
Lears Later, In Days of AZ,
Scott Led Troops Through
Same Businesses
BY WILLIAM O. SHEPHERD.

: (StdH Correspondent United PTess.)
VERA CRUZ, April &c By mail
10 New York How TO get to Mex
/ leo City is the question which Gen.
Fred Funston may have TO solve. lie
must get there in the quickest way
and with as little bloodshed as pos
sible in order not TO arouse MeNicans
10 slaughter Americans who may re
main in the country. Should Funston
De ordered 10 advance on Mexico
city. il Is historic and romantic
trail that his troops must follow
The Mexican capital lies 1900 feet
above the sea level and is 24O miles
from Vera Cruz. The army at one
point will reach an altitude OF l,OOO
feet From the tropiC heat OF Vera
Cruz the soldiers. within few days
viii reach climate OF autumn days
and November nights They must
pass under the shadow OF the huge.
dead, old volcano OF Orizaba. with It's
snow-covered top.
II will not be the first time-that is
II Funston finds Il impossible to pro-
coed on steam trains-that an army
mas clanked It's way through the great
VI
eenth century, these same passes
rang with the rattle OF the armor or
Aortezs Spaniards Il There AXIS o3tl
4 handful of them and they had heard
aftly az q .,VaeDe Indian legend that a
great and rich city was ahead OF
them beyond the mountains. A few
ears later Cortez fled by these same
passes and even today the MeXicans
nate a Spaniard more than any other
foreigner
Along the trail OF the narrow gauge
railroad, which Funston may use II
engines can be obtained, Gen. Win
field Scott, in 1S47, led mis- army to
Mexico City. II took him many
weeks TO reach the great capital. His
only task was TO reach and take the
city, progressing slowly and with
caution. Funston's task may be far
different, because, If possible, he
must advance swiftly and as peace
FULLY as he can, TO save the lives OF
Americans who may still be in in
terror cities.
Later, in 1862. French army
whose duty was 10 place Macmillan
on an emperors throne in Mexico
City, passed through these same
mountain defles, and by the same
pathway departed. leaving MaNiniil-
liam 10 be executed by the hand OF
GEN. Auerlanio banquet who today
is Huertas secretary OF war.
AS the American army approaches
Mexico City, the atmosphere viii
grow more and more rare because OF
The altitude Mountain fever, which
5 only a passing nausea, viii affect
some OF the soldiers. but within a
hort time this will pass away
Whichever way they reach the city
by the narrow gauge the broad
,uage. or by foot marches-they viii
zee as they near their destination,
the peaks OF two giant, snow-covered
mountains. standing side by side,
sentinels through the ages OF the
weird, beautiful. mountain-hemmed
Mexico City One of the mountains
il known in the Indian language as
the white Sleeping Woman. There,
high in the sky. the American sol.
diers viii see the vast form OF
PROSTATE woman, lying race up
turned, her hair stretching down the
sides OF the mountain in square miles
OF white snow Nearby they will see
The snow-covered. pointed peak of the
dead volcano OF Popocatepel. which
school boys for many generations
have been spanked for not remember
ing or Hronouncing--an the soldiers
will find after they reach the capital
that their teacher didn't pronounce II
correctly either
At their feet lying in vast basin.
trimmed by mountains. they will see
the beautiful valley of Mexico. In
me center OF the valley, the white
stone city. with its cathedral domes.
It's miles OF boulevards and mansions.
and its acres OF parks where violets
OF spring roses of June, and golden
rod OF autumn bloom every day OF
The year. and where the half-million
people who live there content them
selves in the most wonderful climate
the world.
Then. into the city. There are some
:. cal soldiers, too in the Mexican cap
81. Generals who have studied in
rle schools of Europe. and who have
fought in Indian battles almost every
year OF their careers. Already the
American troops have had a taste of
the Mexican military strategy For
days before the Americans landed at
Vera Cruz, the Mexican government
lad been withdrawing as many rail-
Dad engines as IL could obtain. When
ne Americans finally put foot on
hore, they found only two very
ancient yard engines. one o. the mar
row gauge road and the other on the
broad. There are cars enough Of both
Gauges to transport 5000 soldiers TO
Mexico City.
. 1t Is by the narrow gauge route
that Funston is most likely TO pro-
ceed to the capital-if he should be
ordered--as on the broad gauge,
Which Is one OF the most daring
pieces OF railroading in the world.
there are several steel bridges which
The Mexicans would certainly destroy
with dynamite on the narrow gauge
road there are only a few eHlyeFts
which might easily be repaired and
no tunnels which the MeXicans might
dynamite.
The Rev VI. s. Rice will be the
speaker OF the u w. c. A. vesper ser
vice sunday afternoon. al 4 O'Clock.
Mss sophie b. Clarke. soprano, vii
sing. During the social tea hour 10