El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-29

The distance we made was something
like 100 miles. 1t took US about eight
hours to go and the German was over
six days coming back.
Ship Creek has built w here a low valley
perhaps two OF three thousand feet wide
and bordered on each side by steep bluffs
The tops OF the bluffs are comparatively
level, and they run far back into the coun-
try. The land was originally covered with
woods and the new settlements have been
cut out Of the trees.
reserved by the government for the use OF
the railroad, and they will be the site Of
the freight yards and terminals.
The bluff to the right. as yod face the
town from the sea, is where the new city
is now going up. It contains the homes
and business establishments Of the settle
Resembles Summer Resort.
The bluff on the left is the official
residence section. II has many pretty cot
tages built in the groves and reminds one
a little Of a summer resort sit Will prob
ably look different as winter comes on.
II IS easy 20 see the enormous work that
has already been done in starting the rail-
road. The lowlands, which are 20 be used
for government terminals. were a dense for
places was severalt feet deep. The trees
had to be cut and the stumps taken out.
The moss was burned away and the ground
smoothed up for the tracks and the build
The whole Of this section is now covered
with tracks. There are great piles Of lum-
Der hLAmulME auOuA mere ana LueIts lies aAH
laid up like cord wood and there are steel
beams and rafters and all sorts OF struc-
tural material There are piles Of steel rails.
The machinery from Panama has begun TO
arrive and locomotives and steam shovels
arc standing about A great deal OF dredg-
ing will have TO be done to make the har-
Dor fit for the railroad. and some OF the
Panama dredges will probably be brought
Buildings Of Temporary Kind.
There are a number OF government build
ings on this lowland All are Of a temper
airy nature, the big machine shops and other
structures being left for the future. The
little two story frame house, which is 30
feet wide and perhaps 80 feet high. The
second floor is reached by a stairway out
side. It may have cost as much as $500,
but would be dear at that price.
Nearby is the log messhouse at which the
railway hands eat Many Of the government
clerks have their meals there. / know Capt.
Edes does. and that IL costs him the same
the track men. which IS 30 cents a meal.
The government stables are not far from the
mess house. They are great tents hundreds
Of feet long in which rude stalls OF poles
have been made for the horses. Adjoining
them are stacks OF hay and other horse
The government has a commissary IN con-
nection with this part OF the town. 1t sells
an sorts OF provisions and other merchan-
disc on much the same terms as at Panama.
one OF the best looking buildings is the
hospital. It IS Of two stories and is made
Of logs. It stands near the harbor facing
The Town on the Bluff.
And now let US visit the town on the
bluffs People began to settle here before
the government came. and they built hun
dreds OF tents and shacSs where the rail-
road tracks arc. The engineers changed the
site OF the town TO the highlands. They
set aside tract of $40 acres for the town
site and plotted out streets and lots. leav-
ing certain squares for schools and munich
pal buildings.
They cut the trees from 100 acres and
cleared the streets and roads az they we're
fit FOR use. They then sold the lots at auc-
tion subject 20 the cost OF tho clearing each
lot being assessed from SO to $40 for the
work upon II and the street in front This
was done about the middle Of last July.
Stumps Are Burned Off.
At that time the site Of the whole town
was on fire stumps and logs were every
where burning The arctic moss was ablaze
and II was impossible TO go over the coun-
try without burning your boots.
A little later the first auction was held
and the first lots were sold. Six hundred
and nfty-flve were disposed Of the first
week and they brought in $3.50, 900. About
month later another auction sale netted
$40, 900, and since then there have been 9TH