Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1919-04-30
MRS. r. B. SHOWALTER
TELLS OF LIFE
NEAR OLD MEXICO.

Mrs. n. ID. Reynolds, who lives six
miles from FL Paso, in the country,
and half mile from the Mexican hor-
der.
This point is guarded by inaces-
sible mountains and on the west by
large mesa several hundred feet.
high and so steep that footpath is
the only road to the top. This path
is used principally to smuggle opium
and whisky into the states.
A large marker indicates the bor-
der line between the two countries
and there is view for miles into
Texas, New and Old Mexico. This
view our party had to take for grant
ed as the day we intended to go a
terrific sand storm came up render
ing sight impossible beyond a few
feet. We took toboggan slide down
the path for 40 feet where shielded
from the wind we could see the
sand pile three feet thick with fresh
sand. The alternative was to be
chilled. through and have a lonely
sandhill mark our last Testing place.
Texas folks said this storm was the
worst in years. No more sandstorms
for me.
The valley is watched by soldiers
who are on the lookout for snug
glers. The soldiers stop the autos
and search them. Uncle Sam is
strict and it is halt or be shot There
were two raids along the border dur
ing our visit (not by u.s.. One was
cattle raid and a government horse
raid. The soldiers got some of the
cattle and all of the horses back.
Houses can at no time be left alone
as the Mexicans will break in al
though they are great towards. They
steal everything. Border farmers
lose poultry and an occasional COW
but seem willing to stay on. The up
per class Mexicans have nice homes
and dress we'll and are educated. The
lower classes are ignorant, greasy
and unwashed. The name "Greaser"
is no misnomer! The flu took thous-
ands of the lower class. The doctors
had an awful time with the filth, lack
of sanitation and ventilation. Final
ly the city government took hold
forcing men, women and children to
battle and be desloused!
There was some fighting-they said
water was for fish to swim in not
humans! What did they want with
water?
I was in the Mexican part of Ell
Paso after the cleanup but you
couldn't tell it. Along the valley are
small adobe houses large enough for
respectable COW but housing whole
families. Also-Heaven save the
mark-dogs and chickens. Several are
going up. They are built of limbs
coarsely woven and filled with adobe
"a kind of mud or clay. Occasional
ly one was checked in squares and
plastered looking rather artistic. Wo-
men do the work and there are half
a dozen greasy children in the door
way looking on.
The shabby men and horses light
wagons and dogs all correspond. This
is romantic old Mexico, land Of the
guitar and tabled romance! The har-
ness is tied with strings and no two
wheels on the wagon wobble the same
way. Wood strapped on a dimunitive
burrow amuses the tourist.
We also drove for miles along the
great irrigating ditch and visited the
retaining camp. We saw hundreds
of miles of land being reclaimed
The farms are irrigated from water
stored behind the great Elephant
Butte dam. The farms follow regu-
larly one after another. Water IS
thrown to one farm flooding it AMI
then the gates are closed and water
put on the next farm, and so on. Good
crops are certain on the. sandy soil.
At Ell Paso / visited Mrs. Hare, a.
former Lancaster girl Had a fine
visit and they came for me in fine
auto. L met Mrs. Cad Nathan Glenn
ents, Mrs. Tom Foster and daughter,
Fanny, a teacher in the H. S. After
a pleasant time here Mrs. Clements
took charge and while staying with
Mr.. and Mrs. Clements was motored
all over. miles. and miles of cement
roads and viewed the city proper.
beautiful business blocks on every
hand and miles of pretty homes The
pleasant visit will long be remem-
befed. Before saying goodby7 Mr..
Clements thought no tourist should
leave withoutfa real Mexican m6alg So
t0s4-the best Mexican restaurant we
went! Not knowing the language I
asked him to order what he thought
he would like me to try. The hot
pepper meal stayed by me for long
time.
The u. S. sold 1000 horses to the
Mexican government. We rode along
the street viewing the transfer at the
main bridge. The soldiers had deliv-
cred 200 horses when the horses not
liking the Mexican side bolted across
the bridge in mad stampede. A
free movie was staged All rushed
for shelter women screaming and
fainting, delivery horses catching the
fever and goods spilling along the
route. The horses never stopped un-
til back in their own corrals.
I left for Albuquerque in hur-
ricane and a torrent Of rain. Was de-
layed there by a snow storm six
trains being showed under. Had a
pleasant visit with Mrs. Frank Webb.
Took in the Pueblo Indian shops and
city.
At Kansas City l visited Clyde
Showalter and family and had a
pleasant time. Then the strike came
on the street car lines. Cars went by
with every glass shattered. Streets
full of broken glass. Purses snatch
ed and murder mixed in. | concluded
homo was the Mace for me-