South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-05-01
Columbus Sleeps With its Boots on,
And Carries Guns on Hair Trigger

COLUMBUS. X NJ May L.
Columbus slears vith It's boots on
nd carries its suns on the hair trig-
ter. columbus is in a state OF var.
bne approa2hes the scene OF Villas
nurderous raid which occasioned
he invasion o. Mexico by United
atss troops. with a feeling thu,
thrilling scenes are 20 10 Witnessed.
The visitor is not disappointed.
II would require the pen OF Lew
wallace or Kipung. and the brush
IF 2 Remington TO adequately por-
tray the picture presented
Aged but stalwart Indian chiefs
uho fought against Gerinomo.
EtoIidlv view the scene. Tall. bronzed
cowboys stalk about: aviators min
cIe with broncho busters; chauf
feurs wrangIe with mule drivers.
and pioneer settlers sell ham and
eggs 70 the influx OF eastern trades
men
Instantly the train pulls out OF
1sl Paso tie Mills Of Mexico are re-
realed seemingly but "A stone s
throw distant. SO clear is the air
great range Of traeless crumblinz
mountains that slope ruggedly 10 the
very edge Of the rio Grande river.
The mighty Rio Grande. YOU dis
cover. rs but an apology FOR a rive.
Jts bed is wide and deep. but, alas.
the water is not there You could
dangIe a piece Of bIotting paper
on a string. sop il all up and take
the river along with YOU.
A pyramid Of stones on the river
tank marks the dividing line Of
Texas. New Mexico and Chihuahua.
THE train swings across a high tres
ste over the stream" and plunges
into the mountains. United states
troopers. with guns siung on shout
ders or dragging along by their sides.
alertly pace the trestIe and track.
A short tunnel is encountered. and
troopers are noted at the entrance.
with a cache Of supplies just in
side.
The cars speed along For while
white pyramids few miles apart
mark the federal boundary. Final
IS you note their presence.
lot. the land is so useless no one
gives a hurrah where the line is, -
fellow passenger remarks.
50 A table Iand-mesa they call II
aat here-it extends i'm unbroken
barrenness as far as the eve can
reach. with ruined mountains here
and there around the edge.
The rocks are lava. the soil pow
dered lava, the bushes grow sage
cactus.
one-story yellow building is
reached. with "A sign on il indicat-
ing it is a station. and you note that
the city Is doubling its number Of
buildingse-twO instead Of one. A
half mile or more away heavy wing
cd black buzzards are seen flying
above a heap Of ugly black objects
on the desert sand. the charred re-
mains OF some of Villas bandits and
their horses.
.ssColumbus as reached. The rail-
road track is tie main street. At
the north lies the village OF scat
tered frame. brick or of 'dObe houses
end stores and huts.
At the south extends a square mile
or more of the main base OF supplies
for Gen. Pershlng's Punitive Expe-
dition Against Villa CCthat's it's Of
fetal name).
a thousand or more soldiers line
the track.
Picture postal card men storm the
tourists.
Half a thousand army mules bray.
A glance at the town indicates
that there Is but one building big
enough to he a hotel and that looks
10 have about six or eight rooms.
II you are wise YOU jump from
the observation platform. circle the
water tank and rush for the hotel"
The late conner has 20 sleep stand
ing ~.
TIL mild hammered Mr.. Hoover
il is the Hoover house-hesitates
when YOU ask for a room and al
lows he suesses'' he can give you
n bed. bu. he aims 10 put two peo-
Tie in a room so as to accommodate
as many as possible
The rest Of the arrivals show up
soon-mostly FL Paso business men
who are selling TO Uncle sam sup