The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-08-24
TRIP TO BORDER
WAS INTERESTING
AN UNUSUAL SIGHT FOR PAL.
METTo BoYs.-MADE HIT
WITH TEXAS GIRLS.
MEN ALL SAFELY IN CAMP

Conditions In cantonment at FL Paso
Little Different FROM Those at Styx.
Weather Is Not SO Bad.-HiIls
and Mountains.
In Camp in the El Paso Patrol Dis.
trict on the Texas Border.--There
nave been many interesting things for
the South Carolina soldiers to see on
the trip from Camp Moore below CO.
lumbia to Ell 'Paso Texas. But no
part of the journey furnished as many
surprises as the long ride of 500 miles
across the, great Lone Star State.
The First regiment entered Texas
at Texarkana, splendid city about
the size Of Anderson, which lies half
In Texas and half In Arkansas. There
the farming country is good and the
girls are pretty. Dallas and Fort
Worth are big towrs, modern and
progressive, and both over 100000 in.
habitants. From Fort Worth, on
through the state over the Texas &
Pacific railway the country is rolling
and near El Paso mountainous. Mes
quite, sage brush and stubble make
up the vegetation and the principal
industry Is cattle. Great herds were
seen. One railroad man said that the
Hereford was the best beef cattle. At
several places fine herds Of Hereford
were passed.
The prairie dogs, jack rabbits and
the old familiar South Carolina rab
bits were seen in large numbers In
the western part Of the state.
The Mexicans live in large numbers
all along the way and increase as the
border Is reached. All the laborers
are Mexicans and they are very much
like the pictures Of them shown in
the movies. Friday morning the train
passed typical Western town with
its frame dwelling and old time
saloon pictured in all stories of West
ern life. The guardsmen have seen
cowboys, ranchmen and all the char.
acters of the West.
Just beyond Van Haren, about 130
miles from the border, the boys sight.
ed on the left OF the railroad Texas
ranger with his outfit. These in.
treptd watchmen are the terrors of
Mexicans and have done fine duty in
guarding the border.
At Sweetwater, which is on the
edge Of the long monotonous alkan
district, the men detrained for a few
minutes exercise and the band sere.
naded the inhabitants who had gath
cred at the station. The people all
along the route were very friendly
and the girls appeared to be struck"
on tho Palmetto prvates. They
wouldn't have much to do with the
officers but "made up at once with
the men and there was much exchang-
ing of addresses and promises of cor.
respondence. Like the men Of the sea
the South Carolina boys found sweet.
hearts in every town, and especially
in every Texan town. And they are
we'll worth knowing-good looking
and attractive in every way.
Tho elevation toward the border
gradually increased until at Allamore
It is 4,555 feet above the sea level
One interesting sight at this point
was the little Mexicans Several
families live in houses very much like
negro tenements and the inmates evi.
IDENTIFY do not have much use for
water. @
From Allamore the road descends
somewhat. At Cerro Gordo the train
switched over to the Southern Pacific
and followed that line into Ell Paso
For some distance out of Ell Paso
the train ran close by the Rio Grande
close enough to hurl rock into Mex
leo. The train passed through sew.
eral encampments OF soldiers who
are guarding the border. Most Of
them were National Guardsmen from
Northern States.
Alkali dust covered and colored
everything and everybody long before
the border was reached. E.
First Safe In Camp.
The First South Carolina regiment
OF infantry under command Of Col e.
M. Blythe reached the border and
went into camp on the mesa seven
miles out of El Paso and something
over mile beyond Fort Bliss. The
mon were put to work at once clear.
Ing the camp site Of mesquite, sage
brush and cactus and within short
space of time the brush had all been
cut away and the tents pitched
United States regulars and National
Guardsmen from all parts of the. coun.
try are encampad in and around Ell
Paso, 1t being estimated that there
arc $4,000 now encamped here, and
$4,000 more are expected within the
The Pennsylvania troops. $4,000