The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-02

NOW JUST A NAME
&
Village Sprarlg Into Promi-
nence Overnight and Dis
appeared as Quickly.
J,(BY ALEX 4WANey) /.

4
llsN ALEX 3WANEy.)
Far 70 the southrest are the nsaies-
tic ranges of the Sierra Madre With
their snow capped peaks and timbered
sides. Stretching away to the north
east are the dry desertsI Of sand. cac-
tus and aikali over which the intrepid
Pershing led his foreas, and swelterinx
In the middle Of this southern desert
i Columbus. New Mexico.
Once 4. ssqualid and dirty sidetrack
Of q trAnscontinental railroad, now a
comparatively clean military post since
the soldiers arrived. this town was the
scene o. one OF the most treacherous
attacks that has ever been launched
at American subjects.
Stretching from the town far away
to the east and the west. two shim-
mering lines Of steel glitter in the in
tense heat and seem to float on the
heat waves. A Mexican dog OF UNI
known pedigree trots up the shady side
Of the main street and sinks under the
raised platform Of q squalid 'dobe"
storehouse An occasional soldier may
be seen sauntering up the middle OF
the dusty road to disappear in the
swinging doors Of some soda fountain
for the government sees to it that the
American soldiers have steady heads
and nerves. No liquor is permitted in
Columbus.
The town is quiet-seemingly dead.
There Is little activity: all is quiet in
this now historic place. The dope"
and frame buildings are battered and
SCARED by the bullets of that demi-
god Of northern Mexico. Francisco
Villa. It was from these buildings
that the soldiers Of the United States
army. tn the early morning OF March,
1916. saved Columbus and its inhabi-
tants from entire destruction.
Great dust clouds can be seen in
the south where the army OF motor
trucks are working their way over the
sand dunes and cactus to General Per-
shings column at Colonia Dublan.
Near the outskirts. Of Columbus, the
cavalry and artillery are drilling, and
little spirals Of dust whirl upward in
the hot Desert breeze from heels and
hoofs.
Not far from the misunderstanding
railroad station is a high barbed wire
stockade guarded by several men in
uniform with their rifles on their
shoulders. Inside this pen. for that
Is what it is. are some of the dirtiest
looking specimens of humanity that
could be imagined. They are the mur-
derers who aided in the raid. Their
shoulders are covered with dirty,
ragged blankets: their oyeralls are torn
by the sharp barbs on the sides of
the stockade: inelegant sombreros
shade their parched and blackened
faces from the srorching sun. These
men are waiting the pleasure of the
government against which they COM
mitted the crime Of March year ago.
Columbus will ever live in the men,
cries of the American soldiers. 1t
was here that one sentry upheld the
traditions of the American army when
he held the Villa raiders off in the
gray OF the morning until he fell dead
pierced by hundred bullets -Four OF
the enemy lay near him. and today
the bones Of these bandits are bleach
ing in the sun. an example to all who
dream of making raids on American
soil.
Such Is Columbus. New Mexico. dur
ing July, 1916. the middle Of the hot
test season OF the border states. Troop
trains filled with the national guard
OF the United States came through
Columbus over the shimmering rails
day by day.
When the troops are withdrawn
from this border town it will again be-
come squalid village, becoming only
a name on the timetables Of the rail-
roads and a memory to the troopers
who suffered there under the pitiless
sun during the critical days of Ameri-
cam Mexican relations
5R + / IS