The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-07-13
The Mexican Border.

Many interesting facts about the
border states Of the United States and
Mexico have been compiled and issued
by the National Geographic SL"iety AS
war geography bulletin on that sec
tion Of the continent TO which our Ma.
tional Quart has been ordered. The
bulletin gives the following compare
tive statistics:
"Whle the whole of America is Vi
tally concerned in the present Mexican
situation, the great human drama is
being enacted along the l,Sl0.mile
boundary line which separates the four
American border states OF California,
Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, and
the five border states and one territory
OF MeXico-Lower California, Sonora
Chihuahua, Coahuila, NueYo Leon and
Tamaulpas. The area of the Amerl-
can border states is a little more than
one-siXth the total area Of the United
States, including Alaska, while the
area of the Mexican border states is
more than three-seveuths the total ar.
ea Of that republic, yet the territory
EN- braced IN the bounds OF The Amerl
can states is almost twice as extensive
as that Of the six political divisions Of
the smaller country.
"The population OF the six Mexican
states is |, 700, 900, compared with $500
900 on the American side, the former
constituting about one-ninth the tOtal
population Of Mexico, whle the four
American states have only about one
fourteenth Of the total population Of
the northern republic.
sit is an odd coincidence that the
four American states on The border
are, with the exception OF Montana
and the territory OF Alaska, the four
largest political divisions n the Union,
while three Mexican border states
Chihuahua, Coahuila and Sonora and
the territory OF Lower California are,
Likewise, the largest divisions OF that
republic.
"All Of the American border states
were part OF the Mexican nation up
TO the middle OF the last century when
Texas seeded from the southern re-
public and subsequently cast her lot
with the United States other terri
tory was acquired in the war Of 1916,
the boundaries being fixed by the
treaty Of Guadalupe lIIdalgo which
followed, and 10y the Gadsden purchase.
The RIO Grande forms natural
boundary line Of more Than 100 miles
separating Texas from the Mexican
states Of Chihuahua, Cuahulla, NueyU
Leon and Tamaulipas, while the arbl-
trary boundary OF nearly 700 miles,
IlIg'zagglng from FL PasO to point or
the Pacific coast about ten miles south
OF San Diego, separates New Mexico
Arizona and California from Chihuahua,
Sonora and Lower California.
Five great railway arteries, over
which has flowed the commerce of the
two republics and which are Of vital
Importance IN all military operations,
cross the border at Brownsville, Lare.
edo, Eagle Pass, FL PasO and Nogales.
The corresponding Mexican towns are
MaLamoras, Nueyo Laredo, Cludad
toriirio Dlaz, Juarez and Nogales, the
last named being bisected by the boun
airy line. The man lines OF four of
these railroads run IN general north
and south direction through the states
Of Sonora, Chihuahua, lOahuila and
Nuevo Leon, but The line which cross
ed the Rio Grande at Brownsville runs
west from Matamoras through Tamau-
Ilpas, Nuevo Leon and Coahmla, turn
ing to the southwest at Turreon and
extending through the state Of Duran
20
The mouth Of the Rio Grande,
which marks the eastern eGd of the
, boundary, Is more than 40 miles near.
er the equator than the western end
OF the line. ~ Washington STAR.