El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-05-20
Columbus To "The Front" By Truck
Shippers Shoot at American
Truck Trains on Trips
Through Canyons.

Through Canyons.
from me, 7 had TO guess as to the road
and consequently ran off and tore down
a few cacti, but finally found the ROAD
again. Just at the time when most
needed, the moon rose and gave me
light enough to follow the road without
difficulty The mountains on all SldeS
of us were beds of live Goals. where the
forests were burning and in some places
The flames stretched for miles ana ap-
peared as a great city in flames
At o'clock we reached the outskirts
OF Ell Vale and. as That is villa toWH'
we went around it. In the day time the
trains go through it. but not after DARK
as they have been fired upon from the
housetops Villas mother lives here, II
rs said. Being full of Villa sympathiz-
ers 1t is unframed. All the dwellings,
and stores are well kept and the streets
are clean The road around the town
is very rough; we arrived at FL Vale
camp at Q o'clock. and many went TO
bed too tired to eat. while the rest of
us waited until 1890 TO get our pOr-
lions Of bareback. corn beef and coitee.
Inc captain now carries supply OF
groceries on his car and lets a private
wash his dishes.
Man Is shot.
The next morning after meal or
stewed peaches punk" and bacon, we
AiAAtu OUT cars Win gas anu Oll OlAc
truck-master was cleaning his gun. and
accidentally pulled the trigger and the
bullet entered the right upper arm and
came out just under the shoulder blade
Of driver. We had to leave him in
care of the hospital corps and put an
extra driver in his place.
Train No. camped here also and
pulled out at 7:15 We left at o'clock
and passed them nine miles out. FL
Vale canyon, renamed 'snipers' can
yon' lies ten miles southeast of Ell
Vale camp. Eight out Of ten trains are
fired on while passing through there
though none have been hit, contrary TO
reports This canyon is considered the
most dangerous and the toughest part
OF the trip and all are on the alert
while ascending and descending the
steep mountain sides.
Hard Canyon.
Where the canyon proper COM
mences the road is between two noun
tains several hundred feet high. The
road is rocky and rough, necessitating
the use Of low speed in several places.
When the front of the train was at the
most dangerous point. seven shots rang
out and the rocks on the left side of
the train were shattered by the bullets.
The entire train stopped and the armed
guard rushed to the front and up over
the sides Of the canyon in pursuit OF
the snipers, but no one was seen. The
drivers remained at their respective
trucks and would have been easy prey
for the marauders had they attacked
them again, as we were unarmed: for
after the accident at FL Vale. the cap
tain relieved US of all automatics and
ammunition, leaving only the empty
rifles and no ammunition. No further
trouble arose. however. and we con-
unued on our way.
Shippers mt Las Cruces.
After crossing two more ranges Of
mountains and considerable rough
country We arrived at Las Cruces camp
where company a, Of the Sixth infan-
try is stationed. at 4:3O. We knocked
off work for the rest OF the day and
rested up a bit until next morning at
$50, when we left. The town Of Las
Cruces is about five miles farther on,
and is also Villa town. Trains have
been fired on here, too. but never hit
This place. like FL Vale. is unframed.
Travel was rather slow here on ac-
count of many irrigation bitches that
had to be crossed. In some places the
bitches ran down the middle OF the
road One car stuck in the mud and
had to be pulled out We met two
trains returning here.
On to Namiqulpa.
NamiQuipa camp lies 10 miles south
east Of the town and the road passes
about five miles east Of il, toward San
Jeronimo. We arrived in camp at
1890. 800 miles from Columbus.
After the trucks We're unloaded at
the commissary storehOuse. we started
on the return trip empty. with the
trucks joltinE about on the rough
roads. The return trim was made in
much better time, as the cars were
light. and we knew the road. The
round trip required seven days, break
ing all records and earning us the
name Of the Flying Squadron" We
passed three trains Columbus bound,
and met over four thousand soldiers
going southwark, in wagon trains. and
as cavalry, infantry, artillery and ma
chine gun platOOns.
Telegraph Line Often Cut.
Considerable trouble is found in
maintaining the telephone line which
runs IS far as NamiQuipa. In some
places it is on poles, but mostly on the
ground. The work crews are continu-
ally repairing the lines. which are cut
daily At one place two miles Of wire
was missing. orders to scouts I'm re-
gard to the wires are to let the guilty
parties be left lying across the wire,
which is frequently done.
Namiquipa. being the supply base for
the troops farther south, is a large
camp and steadily increasing. No. S
train loaded with clothes went straight |
through to San Antonio. The men at
the front had been without shoes for I
some time, and we were told that they
were almost barefoot and how they
tore in to the raw bacon when il
reached them.
Conditions are Improved.
Conditions are q little better now.
as the government has ten truck trains !
and they are on the road all the time. !
some trouble is encountered in keeping /
lrivers. The food is all right. but they |
10 not get enough of il. One must !
keep n hunk of punk from one meal |
10 eat during the day, or steal a few |
extra hard tack that taste like cake |
about 10 a. m. Civilian drivers are not |
used to the army discipline and conse- |
ueuuy dislike IT, Some quit because |
hey were refused arms and ammuni- |
lion. Civilians now receive SIS and |
-ations per month. and IL is expected |
hat they viii soon receive 500. En- /
.----L ---- mo L-ln-- -.lL m. arIu- |