The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-15
VILLA MARVEL In
MOVING HIS TROOPS
Torn Rails, Caved Tunnels and
Destroyed Bridges Impede
Him Little.
cABOOSE HIS PRIVATE CAR
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p. pAso, Tex, June 1i.-1f the United
s,,,e, army Is called upo to Invade
,,.xico IL will encounter one problem
m. military forces Of the several revo-
,u,icnary factions have solved through
,.ces.ity and experience. The problem
a, transportation.
Villas military trains and the appar-
ant ease with which he can move them
ana comparatively large bodies Of troops
from enc end OF his territory to another
q, a marvel railroad men familiar with
IN. situation can compare only with the
,,markabl- transportation efficiency Of
An. German military machine. Indeed.
some OF them declare that Villas trans
variation difficulties are even greater
Than those encountered by the Germans
during their frequent and speedy trans
s,rs Of troops from one distant theatre
Of war to another.
The railroads OF Mexico have been
torn M and relaid and torn up again
,e many times all over the turbulent re-
pubIic that both the army and the rail-
,o,d men have lost count Of the numer-
,,s distinctions and reconstructions of
the properties,
BRIDGES have been blown up by the
dozens, tunnels caved in. depots de-
,,royed, shops reduced to ashes and
freight Yards put to the torch. Twisted
rails and the blackened skeletons Of
fre sht cars line the tracks. Before the
~,-ayeller into Mexico goes further than
tire ars, station Ave miles south Of
Juarez he upon the evidences of
N. yastefulness that has followed In
the tracks OF the four years OF revo-
Luton.
Road Destroyed After Defeat.
That first station II called TERRA
blanca. II was at that place that villa
lied up his small army and defeated the
Federal army sent north from Chihua-
hus to dislodge him from his stronghold
on the northern border. The Federals
we're driven back. They were forced to
burn their trains and destroy the track
after them to prevent pursuit by the
man from the hills.
Al tina, time villa had in his posses
slon two / comotives and two trains OF
box cars. His private car was a small
red caboose belonging to III Kansas
Ci,y and Orient Railroad. He had OBJ
kained them when he captured h city
bf Juarez,
Now he has siNty-two military trains
under his command and about 5000
miles Of tracks In his territory. There
Is hardly a mile Of II that has not been
destroyed and rebuilt at least twice.
He mas the railroad shops at Aguascali-
entes. which can be compared in size
with any in the United States.
villa moves his military trains as he
rides a horse. He spares neither. n
Mexican idea Of a horse Is much The
same as the Mexican idea of q machine.
The horse is ridden until II drops the
machine Is pushed until II reaches the
scrap heap.
III theory is good with the machine.
&C. Their, it SHELLS efficiency. There may
" Hlenty of disIb,ed rolling stock in the
territory he controls, but zone hat IL
!dl,
When the viilista army moved from
MoGter y TO Celaya to contend with the
AMY q Obregon several months ago
thirty-two military trains formed the
hrt section hat headed over the noun
ta!ns and into the central plateau coun-
ny.
soldiers on Carst HOraes Inaide.
The troops ride on box cars. The horses
se inside, the men and women and chill
d'en with their saddles and camp bag
gage ride on the roof or on the rods be-
reath the cars. The latter place Is con-
odered the more choice.
wires or ropes are laced back and
forth between the rods and blankets or
meets OF corrugated iron aid over them.
Ahotner blanket tackled to the car floor
Ano falling down on the side screens the
uhnerneath Pullman and makes II In ef-
tect a stateroom, somewhat dusty bu,
quite private. and at night not so cold a
perch as the roof.
me m cook on the roof tons or
sh me pallets slung beneath the cars.
me Mexican woman can build a IRE In
.ther OF these difficult positions while
te train Is In motion. Inside the cars
.e women fortunate enough to be at
aened 10 dignitaries possessing interior
s.c~ommodations place mud bricks on the
floor for the fires.
49, not an unusual sight to see
emekens with strings about their legs
r'cned on the brake beams or roostins
w 'ne running board In the centre OF
The car roof. Va
coats and young sheep that have been
Manapped from wayside fields are car
aIons In the same way until
asses adorn the side Of the car or the
pieces OF jerked meat are hung IN 10
gIy on a rope running from one end OF
w roof 10 another and propped IN
blankets. '''p0