El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-30
NUEVO LAREDO IS
GIFT Of RANGERS
Captured By Texas Border
Officers in 1916; Turned
Over to the Army.

Washington. D C., June 50--One OF
the chief centers or Mexican population
along the frontier to which the Nation
al Guard troops have been ordered is
Nuevo Laredo. The National Geograph-
ic society from its Washington head
quarters has issued the following bull
/ letin about Neuvo Laredo-
'Nuevo Laredo, the border city Of
Tamaulipas. is one Of the most i'm
portant gateways TO the southern re-
public, not on account Of its population,
FOR Fl Paso and Jaurez Mexican popu-
lation combined constitute a city more
than twice as large as Laredo (Amer-
lean land NuevO Laredo (Mexican). but
because the latter is the northern
terminus Of the shortest railway route
10 Mexico City. the distance being only
about 500 miles compared with 1900
miles by way Of Jaurez and 1000 miles
through Ciudad Porfirio Diaz Eagle
Pass
Were Once One Town.
with 5000 people. Nuevo Laredo Is
a little more than half as large as the
American town at the other end OF the
900 foot International bridge which
spans the Rio Grande at that point.
The two towns were one I'd to the time
Of the secession of Texas the settle
ment on the left bank Of the river be-
ing captured by Texas rangers in 1876
and occupied BY United States troops
under Gen Lamar a year later. In 1852
the northern city Cor perhaps il would
be more accurate TO refer 10 IL as the
eastern city for the Rio Grande flows
in a more southerly than easterly di-
rection IN this part Of its 1900 mile
course from the Gan Juan mountains in
Colorado TO the Gulf OF Mexico). re-
ceived its charter as a Texas munich
pality- The Laredos. named for a sea-
colonists during the decade preceding
the American Revolutionary war.
Rainy Season Starts.
From now until late in September the
region around Nuevo Laredo will pre-
sent fertile aspect for II is the rainy !
season. but beginning with October the
landscape will take on a dry parched
which il presented month ago when /
the mesquite shrub was the haunt of I
jack-rabbits, horned tOads and coy I
otes-
There are no mountains TO lend /
beauty TO the skyline in this thinly I
populated part of Texas-AIexico. but
shortly after leaving the valley or the /
Rio Grande the railway line begins its /
long climb Up to Mexico City which has
an altitude nearly a mile and a half
above NueVO Laredo.
About 20 miles southwest Of Nuevo /
Laredo the railroad runs through =
y dI ilst- lDIlE 4 RENDEZVOUS LOT border
riders who were supposed to patrol this
region in search Of Mexican sruugglers.
but now employed, It is feared. in a /
much less lawful pursuit
Queer Work Of WOOdDeckers.
"One Of the oddities which viii i'm
press the observant traveller on his way
TO Mexico City is the manner in which I
the telegraph poles II this section are I
riddled with holes, as if they ha6 been
pierced with high-power. large-calibre /
bullets The explanation is not that ]
the MeXicans have been engaged in eX- I
travagant target practice but that the
myriad woOdpeckers Of the region find
the poles admirable raw material out
OF which to drill their bird apartments.
a form Of feathered industry which
costs the railway company thousands
OF dollars year to replace the weak
ened wire supports
Onion Chief Product.
The chief agricultural product on
the American side OF the Rio Grands
In the neigh 5orhOod IS large white
onion which Yields as high as %. 600 (
pounds to the acre when the land is
properly irrigated, the waters from the Z
river being in such demand for this Z
purpose that bitter feeling. over alleged
on their relative ripa-
-ian rights. has been engendered fire.
luently between the Mcxicans and Tex
ans"