The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-03-19
ACROSS THE DESERT
BY MOONLIGHT
Continued from page L.

! Continued from page IL
Reports that Villa spies were watch
! ing Columbus, resulted in the GEN.
sorship being frightened. Correspon-
dents who visited the camp there
were threatened with federal prosecu-
ton if they gave out any vital infor-
nation of troop movement Tele-
graph messages were limited to
harmless descriptions OF camp life
and thrift Of Columbus pioneers who
have boosted the price of foodstuff
| and turned the front parlor into a
lunch room.
Near Mormon Garden Spot.
Ell PASO, Texas, March IS
Emerging from the northen Chihua-
hua desert, Brig. Gen. J. ]. Perish
ing's main division Of the American
expedition after Villa, was tonight
approaching the garden spot OF Mex
leo, reclaimed from the barren plains
by the American Mormon colonists.
Col. Geo. A. Dodd's cavalry column,
which made memorable forced
march from Hachita, n. NJ, to the
relief of the colonists, was believed
TO have resumed the pursuit after
Although the tortuous desert trail
win cease to be the main supply
route for Pershing's division after he
reaches the rich Casas Grandes coun-
try Monday, the hardships OF the
chase will not be over Villa today
was in full flight some 200 miles
south of Pershing toward his noun
tain stronghold at Babicora ranch.
seventy miles from San Geronimo.
Dodd was considerably nearer villa,
but was not expected to attempt to
enter the Sierra Madres until Perish
ing's column comes up.
For fifteen years Diaz rurales,
familiar with every inch of the Guer-
zero district in which the Babtcora
ranch is located, pursued Villa with
out being able to make him fight
The American forces face super
human task In accomplishing in a
few weeks what the rurales finally
abandoned as impossible.
Villa knows nearly every spring
and cave in the desolate Sierra Aadres.
He could travel them southwark al
most the length of Mexico.
With water in abundance and the
fertile Casas Grandes river valley as
a source of supplies. the hunt for
Villa win be prosecuted in earnest
next week. The Mormons, grateful
over their deliverance from threat of
massacre by Villistas, offered Dodd
the colony's entire supply of alfalfa
and provisions.
Civilian scouts worn out by hard
ship Of desert march with Pershing' 8
column, were making their way back
to Columbus and Ell Paso. The first
arrivals under orders to observe sill
ence regarding their movements, hint
ed that the expedition was farther
advanced than is known on the Dor
der. Pershing sent call to Ell Paso
for a dozen cowboys and other Amer
leans familiar with northern Mexico.
Enough volunteers INN ediately were
taken to Columbus to join the e1pe
dition. The returned scouts reported
successful use Of seven aeroplanes OF
| the San Antonio corps in scouting
with the expedition. Their work was
done in a novel manner. Soaring
southwark from Columbus at a speed
of fifty to seventy-f1ve miles an hour
the machines easily caught up with
the main division Of infantry and ar
tillery. Passing the cavalry in the
vanguard, the areoplanes sailed some
what nearer the ground to make OBJ
servations Of the country in advance
of the troops. The aviator then turn
ed for Columbus and on alightine
there made a report of his observa
lions which were sent back over the
signal corps field wireless to Per
shing.
The seven aeroplanes were In then
hangers at Columbus tonight AL
have made flights with the expedt
ton since it entered Mexico last Wed
nesday. AS long as the main divi
| sion is within easy reach Of Co!un
| bus, the machines will be maintained
at the base camp. 1he birdmen ex
pect to engage in real scouting fol
Villa when a permanent base for the
expedition is established in Mexico
| Opera ton Of the field wireless has
not proved entirely satisfactory. Foul
Of the FIVE outfits with the main body
were out OF commission tonigh
porzhjnrz