Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-05-18
DURANGO WEALTHY STATE.
Scene of punitive Expedition Possesses
Mineral and Agricultural Resources.

Mineral ana NSric"uurhI Resources.
The march of General Pershinp's p,ni-
tive evolutionary force to Durango.
Mexico. has focused public interest on
this State which has an area equal to
Virginia and a population not exceeding
that of New Hampshire. which is less
than one fourth as large. The National
Geographic society of Washington has
issued an interesting and informative
bulletin on this rich political division
of the Southern republic. which says:
Durango is surpassed in the number
Of its mining properties, aKgregating
more than 1000, by only two states in
Observation-Disclosures and Sonora. Its
natural resources include silver, gold,
lead, tin, copper. sulphur and rubies.
The states wealth is not confined to
minerals however, for there are extern
sive forests of valuable timber and the
agricultural resources are capable of AL
most unlimited development. while I oO0 :
coo head of stock find rich pasturaue ON
its fertile tableland.
"The Nazas river, which ompties in
to Lake Habas, is the principal water
way of the state. It is known as the
Nile of Durango In the spring. ms the
snow melts, the river mandates its VAL
ley, leaving a rich deposit of silt brought
down from the mountains. After the
waters have receded the land bursts
into bloom like a miniature Egypt. cot
ton. barley, and wheat growing IN great
luxuriance. while the whole landsca ps
assumes the aspect OF flower garden.
'One of the most interesting trees to
be found on the mountain slopes of
Durango is a species OF pine the needles
of which the Indians and Mexicans boil
and use as remedy for stomach
troubles. Its taste is like that of anise
seed. The wood of this tree is much
used by the Indians in the manufacture
Of their primitive violins.
"One Of the products INDIGENOUS to
Durango, but one Of which the state does
not boast, Is venomous species OF
scorpion whose sting is almost invaria
bly, fatal In the warm regions of the
state but which is more painful than
dangerous in the higher and cooler al
ttudes. In the vicinity of Durango city
6O,O00 of these reptiles are killed an
nually. some Of the natives making a
business of destroying them. collecting
i'o''' 'He '''uii'iP'h's bounty OF one
centavo per scorpion.
~ an e'eNatloi' OF o'W' rect the city
VI DuraHEo' c"PNat OF inc state, en-
JosS ha''niesS 'hnate which mas
earned IL the sopri'uet' town or sun
sumo III Is one OF the Oldest Spanish
settlements IN the republic having been
louhded ny captain ibsrra two years
before the followers of Don Pedro
Menendez de AviloS initiated the per-
nahent colonization or the United
states at St Augustine. The site of the
present city was reached by the ad-
Vehturer and silver seeker Mercado, who
III 1867 discovered tho famous Iron
mountain, of the suburbs When Ibarra
arrived with his colonists tho country
was occupied by nomadic savage tribes
one of the odd customs of the Dur
ango district is the funeral ceremony
Tor children. An angel is being buried
is the explanation which native will
give of gay procession headed by a
woman bearing alott on board bum