The Oskaloosa herald., 1914-01-22


900. There are 40 churches and a
public library that cost $4,000.
- - - .r
FL Paso Del Norte is the whole
name of the city and as the name
suggests it is of Mexican or Spanish
origin. Texas was originally Mex
lean territory and Ell Paso has been
center of population for three hun
dred years. Great hills line the val
! ley of the Rio Grande for hundreds
of miles and lei Paso Del Norte,"
! the pass to the north, is the only ac-
cessible break for a long ways. The
river here is easily forded so that
the pass has always been on the
great north and south path OF COM
merce. The coming of the railroads
and the construction of the inter
national bridges have made the old
city modern and have firmly estab-
lshed FL Paso as the great port of
entry between the two nations.
The lazy old alligators in the pool
! in San Jacinto Plaza attract much
attention, children especially being
charmed by the indolent creatures.
The brass cannon on a pedestal near
by, is only very ordinary cannon,
but it has an interesting history. 1t
! is said to have been one used by
Santa Ana, and captured by General
Houston's forces. 1t was reposing
peacefully on its resting place when
the Madero revolution broke out.
When the hostilities reached the
Juarez neighborhood the rebels were
desperately in need of guns. A
squad of rebels silently crossed the
river, took the cannon and returned
| to camp without being discovered.
| Tho gun was used in the battles of
Santa ROsalia and Ojinaga and did
effective service. 1t was then re-
turned with due apologies and great
ceremonies to the United States. For
good measure the rebels brought
along a second gun which was pre-
scented to this government, and it now
reposes on the plaza at the city hall.
Near the smclter is stone mark.
| ing the spot where Mexico, New
Mexico and Texas separate, and just
across the river is where Madero
was encamped preceding the battle
of JuareZ which made him for a few
brief weeks the President of Mex
| leo. The old mission at Gsleta, at
! the end of the street car line, is the
oldest church building in the United
States. 1t has been in constant use
for centuries. In the older and low
er parts of town. one will see a
small tree here and there and just
a little vegetation that is not forced
| by fertilization and constant water
! ing. The town as a whole however,
and the country for miles and miles
! is nothing but barren waste of
stones and pebbles. Front yards are
: nothing but leveled off sand piles.
! The average rainfall here is less
than 10 inches per year, and it never
rains more than half inch at a
time. Labor here is cheap as the
MeXicans are numerous and they
live very frugally. AS one former
Iowan suggested-"This is the land
of the rich and the home of the poor.
The big property owners ride along
on easy street. while the man who
works has to labor hard for what he
gets"
At all large stations along its lines.
| the Southern Pacific maintains bur.
eaus of information. But we have
discovered the best place to find
things out is in the smoking COM
partment of the sleeping cars. Be-
sides it is easier. All one has to do is
to sit still, as some other fellow is
sure to ask the question that we
would want answered In going from
| Ell Paso to Tucson we found out that
any place in New Mexico or Arizona
is better health resort than the best
! OF them in California or Colorado.
Anybody living in either one of these
states will tell you so. But one fell
low was honest enough to admit that
! Phoenix is not as good as it once was.
The irrigation projects there have
changed the atmosphere. The humid
| ity has increased so much that suffer
ers from lung trouble or rheumatism
do not do so well Tucson and the
more southerly and drier places are
| better climate aud cacti seem to
| is nothing else here.
Our train stopped for few min
uJeS DIT DeIHlIB, I'VE" NeAlCU, anu we
went out to mail some cards. This
is the town where DR.. X. G. Hoffman
| is located. We did not get to see him
but we did the next best thing. we
met the editor of the local paper,
who lived up to the expectations
that he knew everybody in town. 1t
was Frank w. Mulock of the Deming
Graphic, also representative of the
Associated Press. He told us that
DR.. Hoffman was doing well and that
his family are all i'm good health. Dem
ing is town of 1000 to 5000 and is
well located and growing nicely.
There are three railroads here, the
Southwestern which connects Deming
Southern Pacific. the FL Paso ad
with Sonora, and here is the terminus
of the Chicago branch of the Santa
Fee with a stub line to Silver City.
There are mines and cattle and hay
here, and underground water from
the sunken river Mimbres is develop.
ing limited farming district
- - -
II Is the consensus of opinion of the
people along the Mexican border that
the United States must sooner or lat
er intervene in Mexico. In the star