Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-16
INVADERS READY.


Ell Paso, Tex, March 15.-The Dor
der awoke today to the conviction that
before many hours had passed the
stars ard stripes would be carried
across the Mexican frontier by the ad
vance corps of the army gathered at
Columbus to bring "Pancho" Villa to
account for his crimes.
What part would be played in the
approaching drama by the large bodies
Of troops under Carranza commanders
who are gathered In the region
through which the expeditionary force
is expected to make its way was
causing much speculation.
For the last few days reports have
accumulated Of serious disaffection
among the Carranza soldiers in the
neighborhood Of the Arizona border
who are under the command Of Gen
Gales. Many of these reports have
been extremely circumstantial and
they eliminated early today In a story
from Preside. Tex, that the Carranza
garrison at Ojinaga has revolted and
murdered it's commander, Gen. Rojas
Many Villa sympathzers.
The stories brought from the in
terror Of Mexico by American refugees
served to confirm the impression thai
at least a section of the Carranza sol
diery was far from unfriendly to Villa
and was decidedly hostile to the Amer
lean expedition. Refugees told Of be
ing insulted and cursed by soldiers
they encountered in their flight but nc
act Of physical violence has been re
ported.
At the same time other Americans
especially those who came from
Sonora and the western part of Mex
leo, declared that conditions in those
parts we're quiet.
Fifty Americans from chihuahua
City who arrived here last night BY
train reported that there were forty
or fifty Americans left in the city. Ar
escort of fifty-six Carranza soldiers
rode on the train.
One of the difficulties in catchine
Villa, as pointed out by these Ameri
cans was the superiority of the horses
his men ride over the other mounts
available in northern Mexico. Villas
horses were described as race
horses" The fugitive has made prac
tice Of selling or buying outright the
finest horses available. Another prob
lem, the Americans said, lay in the
fact that through fear or ignorance the
Mexicans residing in country regions
of Chihuahua give allegiance to Villa
In the cities they considered the Car
rama sentiment dominant but said
Villa was free to travel without dan
ger in the rural regions unless ha
came in actual contact with Car
rama troops.
To Invade Through Desert.
The point chosen for the entrance
for the punitive expedition into
Mexico is at the verge Of dreary
desolate plain, inhabited principally by
coyotes and prairie dogs, swept by
sand storms and denuded of vegeta
ton except the cactus and few other
spiky and Objectionable growths.
For at least thirty miles the soldiers
of the United States must make their
way across this desert. They then
reach the lowest range of the Sierra
!! Madre mountains, rising to a height OF
5000 to $500 feet, broken and twisted
into all manner of fantastic shapes by
volcanic action and as barren OF any
| verdure worthy of the name as the
desert over which they frown.
There are no roads of any kind II
all this region. An ancient track
| known as the "smugglers' trail" is
used by such traffic as passes through
The expeditionary force must carry Its
own provisions and must in a large
measure rely also on it's base To-
water.
Natural Handicaps.
After fighting it's way agains
nature, assisted by whatever guerill;
troops Villa may be able or care tt
muster for about 1875 miles through
this country, the punitive expedition
will reach the Sierra Madre proper,
range of mountains rising from 500
to 10000 feet. Americans who hav'
penetrated these Businesses claim tina
the region is the widest, most barrel
/. and desolste that Is possible to fn'