Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-06
258 MONUMENTS MARK
S.-MEX|CO BOUNDARY
Line Extending From Ell Paso, Tex,
to Pacific Described by
Geographic Society.

| That part of the United States-Mexi-
co boundary line extending from Ell Paso.
lex. to the Pacific coast is described
in the following war geography bulle-
tin of the National Geographic Society:
| After leaving the Rio Grande, the
natural boundary. and striking due
west from Ell Paso for 100 miles the
international line between the United
States and Mexico changes direction
hve times before reaching the Pacific
coast. AS If it had struck an insur-
mountable obstacle in the Big Ratchet
mountains it turns at right angles and
extends to the south for thirty miles,
then strikes west again for a distance
OF more than $50 miles to point be-
yond Nogales. Forming an obtuse an
gle, the line now runs in a northwest
erly direction for its longest leg more
than 230 miles, until it reaches the Col
orado river. which forms the boundary
northeast. At Yuma, near the juncture
OF the ella river with the Colorado, the
| line takes it's final change of direction
toward the west-terminating in the
Pacific. lao miles distant.
Marked by 258 Monuments.
This boundary is marked by 25s
| monuments, moro than 200 of which
are Of cast iron. weighing 500 pounds.
They are six feet tall and set in con-
crete. The expense Of their erection.
borne jointly by Mexico and the United
States, averaged $3.50 each.
with the exception of Bisbee, Santa
Cruz, Yuma and San Diego, there are
few settlements of any size within
twenty-mile zone on each side of the
boundary, embracing an area Of 24,0OO
square miles.
Although the boundary was chosen
arbitrarily, when the work of survey
ing began it was found that the line
between the Colorado and the Rio
Grande followed almost exactly the
summit of the divide separating the
waters flowing north into the United
Mexico.
THE highest point on the line is at
the summit of the San Luis range,
part of the continental divide. The
elevation is $500 feet. which is near
ly 5000 feet above Ell Paso. 1t is
in this high altitude that quantities
Of game are to be found, making 1t
one of the most interesting sections of
the line. Here antelope, deer. bear and
wild turkeys are plentiful, and the
acorns from the evergreen oaks of
the picturesque valleys attract great
focks of wild pigeons. Many years
ago there were a few struggling set
abandoned during the raids of the
ruthless Apache chief, Geronimo.
Bisbee, Ariz., Quite a Town.
"One of the most considerable towns
along the border is Bisbee. Ariz., with
a population of 5000. It Is situated
| in the Mule mountains, ten miles from
the border. Tombstone. which is TWEEN
| ty miles northwest Of Bisbea. was
| once one of the great mining camps
| of the world.
| ON a valley to the west of the Ba bo-
| auivari mountains, also called the PoZo
| Verde mountains, 200 miles east or the
| Colorado river, the traveller sometimes
| is so unfortunate as to encounter a
| torrid tempests of the Sahara desert
| In their report to the United States
| government the international tMex-
ican) boundary commission $40 it,, "ni nd
made the final survey OF the line ana
! erected the monuments which now
| mark the border, described such a
| storm, saying: In this valley on July
3 was encountered a sandstorm OF
| frightful violence. About o CLOCK III
| the afternoon a dense, dark-broWn
| cloud was seen rising in the south,
which presented a singularly threaten
/ ing appearance. The sun. which until
| then had been shining brightly, was
| soon overcast. and in few moments
after the cloud was first noticed the
| storm burst in all it's fury. filing the
atmosphere to a height of several hun
dred feet with the loose soil of the val
ley In ten or fifteen minutes after the
| storm burst it became as black as mid
night, respiration was almost impossl-
| BILE, and 1t was only by breathing
through a handkerchief held in front
| of the mouth that suffocation was
! avoided In about half an hour the
| wind began to subside and the dark
| ness to diminish, and finally, in little
| over two hours after the storm com
menced the setting sun shone family
through the particles of dust which
| still filled the air."
II n IN tn l00TnT