El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-01-15

az said L c. GaaI. mayor OF
YsIeta in the early days, THE
FL Paso Of today is some diff
ferent from the FL Paso Of 81 years
ago I came here in 1850 II Paso
then had a population Of probably 1900
souls, Ysleta was a larger town and
7 located there, establishing a mercan-
tie business. Ysleta was the capital
OF the county.
While there was not = paved road
or street in the county. there were a
number of fourishing orchards. vine
yards and small farms. for in those
days the Rio Grande did not so dry
and we had plenty Of water Tor irriga-
tion throughout the summer Those
were the days when the mission grape
and the famous E1 Paso onlon-noW
extnct-flOurished IN this valley
Ell PasO Becomes Ambitious.
In 1881 the railroads began building
into FL Paso and this city became am
bilious and asked for the county seat,
and then as now. FL Paso always got
what IL wanted. But the county seat
election which was held in 1854 was the
hottest election This county ever eX-
perienced. The bulk Of the county
population then resided in 1sleta-
Socorro and San Elizario- Nsleta and
san Elizario each had a larger popu-
lation than FL Paso-
More Votes Than Residents
But q Paso always was a strong
voter and in that election II polled
22OO votes about 400 more than It's en-
tire population, counting women. chll-
dren and babies. and won the county
seat
-Of course I was for Ysleta in the
fight and I sent committee or i
from Tsleta TO E Paso on election
day to challenge illegal voters. When
] reached FL PaSo at noon Charlie Lut-
terloh was the only member of my
committee in evidence ana ne haa been
fighting mobs until he was almost
ut seems that when the Ysleta men |
showed Up at the polls IN FL Paso they |
were invited TO drink and those who /
could not be persuaded 10 imbibe were !
hog tied and whisky poured down 4
them until they were unable 10 walk 4
or even 70 stand on their feet
Yrlefa Scheme Fails-
When we learned that Fl Psso was
bringing hack loads OF men from Juarez
10 vote. we sent recruiting otIicers
2 cross the river to Zaragoza for voters,
but il didn't do US much good for as
soon as the ZaragOza men voted IN
Ysleta they were put IN wagons by
Fl Paso agents and sent up here where
they voted again II was a money
They liked il so well that IL is claimed
they have been voting in FL Paso ana
Tsleta ever since FL Paso had great
the night of the election
Holds Two Offices
In 1880 I was mayor of YsIeta and
was also elected county commissioner I
Judge J. z Townsend refused 10 recog-
nize me as a commissioner on the
ground that I could not serve as com
missioner while holding another cleo
tive office Judge Falvey sustained
Judge TownSend's ruling. but the court
Of appeals reversed both. holding that !
there was no law against me holding Z
both offices"
Recalls YsIeta's "War."
Mr. Gals story recalls the Ysleta
war IN the nineties- One morning
Capt. James White. then sheriff. re-
seived infOrms tion to the effect that
/ pitched battle between the armed
followers of Benigto Alderete. father
II Frank and Ike Alderete. and the |
armed followers Of 1 G. Gaal. was i'm
nineut. as the result Of a quarrel over
De- question as Ia who controlled the |
irrigation ditch. without saying any