El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-05-01
WEST SIDE AUTO
TRIP WONDERFUL
H. B. Stevens Says the Trip
Through Hillsboro Is One
Through Wonderland.


A wonderland opens to the auto tour
! list who makes the west side trip from
I Elephant Butte back TO FL Paso, HO-
race B. Stevens declares after making
this trip in his National touring car
last Sunday, accompanied by the mem
I bers Of his office force.
The Animas valley with its walnuts
Z and sycamOres, the beautiful PalOmas
Hot Springs, Lake Valley with its
Bridal Chamber mine of fabulous
: richness in past days. the many lit
tie streams and brooks that are
crossed, the wildflowers and the seen
cry makes this trip one of the most
Z beautiful to be found in the southwest,
Mr. Stevens adds
1T takes a level head and careful
driving TO make this trip for there is
one 26 percent grade and many 20 per
cent ones with the road winding in and
QUO of the canyons. up to the mesas and
down into the valleys" said Mr.. Stew
ems But the trip IS more than worth
the effort, for IL opens up a country
that is little known TO Ell PasO peO-
PIE and one that is rich in historical
lore, as well as wonderful scenery.
Gasoline at PnlOmas.
Leaving Elephant Butte at the ho-
tel we crossed the river below the
Dig dam on a bridge which has been
constructed there. This took US to
the west side From there We went
Up a hill, wound around over a curvinE
road and back TO the river. This
brought US to PalOmas Hot springs,
seven miles below Elephant Butte.
Gasoline may be bought there and there
are ample accommodation there. Leav-
ing Palomas springs we encountered
a big sign II miles from the dam
which was located on the mesa and
which gave the direction to HillsborO.
The road going up on this mesa is
steep but is not bad. There are many
turns but no sand and no rocks On
this part Of the trip we crossed many
small streams which are more beauu-
full because they are found in unex-
pected places.
AT a point % II miles from Ele-
plant Butte we cross the Animas river.
This was the most beautiful part Of
the entire trip. The river is as wide
as my office and is lined with wal
nut and sycamore trees Looking
down on the valley we could see farms
and the winding river with the green
trees and marshy river banks ma king
a picture that was beautiful. Getting
out Of the Animas valley we went up
a % percent grade to get onto the
mesa This IS the steepest grade
on the road 1t is - miles from Pa
Tomas to HillsbOrO and from HiIls5oro
10 Lake Valley 1t is is miles.
Famous Old Mine.
Lake Valley is another interesting
place. There is where the old aoan-
doned mines are located and II was
there that the millions were said to
have been taken out Of the Bridal
Chamber and there is much historic
lore about these old mines. From
Lake Valley to Mutt it is IS miles
along the branch Santa Fe line From
Mutt we followed the railroad to Flor
eta. a distance Of u miles
From FlOreta We left the railroad
and struck the s P. at Myndus. which
is on the Borderland route. FlC-eta
is 81 miles from the dam. Myndus IS
so miles from FL Paso on the Eorder-
land and my total mileage for the trip
was rs miles Gasoline can r.. o
tanned at PalOmas Hot springs. Hills
borO. which is a quaint old town and
at Myndus- We had no trouble except
a little tire trouble and a few pune
lures and il was more than worth the
effort although we did not get home
until > o'clock Monday morning after
leaving here for the dam on SATURDAY
morning"