Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-30
American Cavalry Unable
to Catch Up With Fast
Ponies of Bandits
SEEMS CERTAIN HE
WILL REACH HOME
Once in Waste Lands, Task
of Getting Him Will
Prove Enormous

Washington, D. c., March 2s.-
Gen, carranza has agreed to per-
nit the movement Of supplies to
the punitive expedition In Mexico
over the Observation-Disclosures
railroad. The supplies will go as
commercial freight to concerns in
Mexico with which the army has
contracts.
The permission for use Of the
railroad is not granted In a mill
tary sense and does not cover the
movement Of troops for which the
American army has not asked. 1t
will, however, enable Gen. Per-
shinas force to got supplies In
abundance In a country where
motor truck trains can not carry
them and will thus aid imnneasur-
ably In the pursuit Of the Villa
bandits.
Ell Paso, Tex, March 29.-Some-
where amid the grim and forbidding
extinct volcanoes OF the great con-
tinental divide, Pancho Villa Is flee-
ing southwark today. Hard on MS
trail, the cavalrymen of the United
States army are straining every nerve,
to catch up with him before he can
reach the wastes, almost unknown to
any but Mexicans and Indians, In
which he began his career as bandit
years ago.
In the absence of any Official news
of the chase, the border has settled
down to speculation. Little optimism
is expressed regarding a speedy ter
mination of the task before Gen. Per-
shing's columns. Americans familiar
with Mexico are unanimous In their
opinion that the troopers of the north,
operating in an unfamiliar country
and riding the corn fed horses of the
plains, are tremendously handicapped
against the Mexican bandits on their
mountain bred ponies. 1t Is not a
question Of nerve or courage. 1t is a
problem of climatic Topographic and
other natural conditions against
which the stoutest heart and strong
est muscles are helpless.
An American rancher, one Of the
few foreigners familiar with the coun-
try through which Villa is retreating,
said:
Have Speedy Ponies.
villa and his men, mounted on their
Mexican ponies. can travel forty miles
day with ease and fifty miles If
pressed. All his men need is little
dried beef and some cornmeal,'' said
this American. With this and blank
ct strapped behind their saddles they
can travel indefinitely. Compare this
with the equipment of an American
trooper who makes thirty-five miles
a day at best.
This rancher was asked what diff
ference he thought the introduction of
aeroplanes in the chase was going to
make.
''I hardly think they will prove Of
any great assistance" he said. "In
the first place the aviators will be
starting from an altitude Of 5000 to
10000 feet. They will then be flying
over the country of rugged hills Of
granite, split in thousand ways by
gulches, ravines and great canyons.
On the calmest days you can climb
from a valley where not breath of
air is stirring and encounter wind
on the top of the hills which would
take a strong man off his feet. The
hot air rushes up the slopes and turns
into small hurricane when it reaches
the colder levels" a..-.
Has Lost Pursuers.
Commanders Of the Carranza troops
now in the chihuahua region appar-
emily have lost trace of Villa and his
men for no report has been received
by Mexican officials here for some
time concerning Villas whereabouts.
Armed bands of villa forces are re-
ported in various parts Of Chihuahua
and in some numbers around Torreon
but they are operating independently
Of the main Villa command.
Carranza officials in Juarez ezaRess
their belief that Villa will try to es.
tablish main base at some point
after he has thrown the American
cavalry off his trail and then recruit
his command.
Villa. the Carranza officers think,
will then engage in marauding cam.
paign that would give the American
and Carranza forces no end of trouble.