The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-05-25


fly. The baby began to cry. Mr..
Riggs covered the baby's mouth with
pillow and went into the closet
where he warmed some milk which
made the baby forget the battle.
Then the family lay under mattresses
until the battle line was moved over
into town, when Mr.. and Mrs. Riggs
slipped across the street to the hos
pital where their assistance was help
full in caring for the wounded. Mr..
Riggs home is well decorated by
Villa bullet holes. The piano and
dining table being badly damaged.
/ had pleasant little visit with
Mr.. G. f. Parks. publisher of the
Columbus Courier and saw his pretty
little two-year-old Gwen, who has got
ten her name and picture in the maya
zines. Mr.. Parks office is about as
big as McEniry's real estate office
The telephone exchange is next door
and is about the size of the refresh
ment stand next to McEniry's. Mr..
Parks was at his farm, 10 miles away.
on the night of the raid. Mrs. Parks
and baby Gwen sleep at the office
and Mrs. Parks takes care of the night
calls These offices were right in
the heart of the battle. When the
firing began Mrs. Parks called her
husband and told him OF the raid. then
called Deming. the nearest town and
told of the raid, warning all not to
ring her until she called again, which
she promised 10 do as soon as the
battle was over. Then she and the
little one lay fiat on the floor. All
around were Mexican bandits. shoot
ing. and killing and burning and loot
ing. but by some strange good for
tune for the Parks family they did
not get into the Courier office.
Mr. Parks. ten miles away, saddled
horse and made record run to
town-to look for wife and baby He
arrived in IS minutes, when the
worst of the battle was over, but rifle
balls stiIl raining in town.
international Gateway.
We uiOfG Out tO lut luNeTudltOiidl
gateway to see the gate thru which
Gen. Fershing and his army went to
Mexico. The boundary line is
three miles south of Columbus. The
line is marked by strong barbed
wire fence. The gats is 2o-foot cut
in the fence. On the Mexican side
are two little adobe huts. back from
the road. On guard are ss Mexican
soldiers. This number varies. They
sleep and swear and drink and curse
the United States. An American sol
tier told US that when they were
sober they talk for Carranza. but when
they get drunk. some Of them talk for
Villa. wanted to go over and find
out who they were supporting the day
we were there but my friends wouldn't
accompany me-
On the American side hundred
yards back. twelve U. S. sharpshooters
tent and some trenches. A telephone
connects them with the camp at
Columbus. A lone L. S. soldier stands
at the gate and will permit no one
to pass thru without pass from the
commanding officer We walked
around In Mexico little while but
didn't get very far from the gate. =
We drove along the boundary fence
a few miles west. to the point where
villa and his men came across into
the U. S. and went back again. His
line OF retreat is plainly marked by
the carcases OF dead horses, and old
shoes and clothing from the dead
Mexicans. A Mexican doesn't like to
die with his shoes on so he usually
kicks them OF. or his friends take
them OF and few were left in the
field. New made graves showed where
several Mexicans had been buried by
their native friends after they had
lain out in the sun several days.
A little hill near this point proved
good vantage ground for the pursuing
party on the morning OF the raid. and
quite a number OF Mexicans bit the
dust. so TO speak, as the raiders
passed by on their way back into
Mexico.
A few days before we were there.
the Mexicans at the gate protested
against a supply truck carrying the
Y. S. flag into Mexico. The sergeant
on duty told the Mexicans to take The
flags on IL they didn't like them there
But they didn't take them on. And
another crisis was averted.
Such cordial hatred as exists be.