Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-07
MEXICO TREASURE
/ HOUSE Of WORLD
Vast Mineral Area South of
/. Rio Grande So Regarded
/: by Humboldt.

Pertinent geographical facts, about
Mexico are given In the following bulle-
tin of the National Geographic Society:
"Prior to 1886 Mexico. as Spanish
colony, and the United States covered
approximately equal areas of North
America, but the Texas secession and
the result of the Mexican war added
ritory, and the extent of Mexico now is
less than one-fourth that Of continental
United States,' says the bulletin, which
is based on several communications to
the society.
...But our neighbor republic still has
territorial expanse equal to the aggre-
gate of Austria, Hungary, Germany,
France. Great Britain and Ireland.
Total Area of Republic.
''The total area of the republic of
Mexico C767 900 square miles) is less
than that of our five largest states
Texas. California, Montana, New Mex
leo and Aforementioned, all of these
except Montana having been a part of
New Spain seventy-fve years ago. None
of the thirty-one political subdivisions
of our neighbor is as large as any of the
five states named, but four Mexican
states contiguous to the United States
aggregate an extent greater than that
of.Texas.
"Chihuahua. the largest Mexican state,
approximates in area $4,000 square
miles, that of Utah. Sonora t77,000
square miles) of Nebraska, Coahuila
$685. square miles) of Georgia, and
Durango 100000 square miles) of Ken
lucky. Nine subdivisions of the United
States Excluding Alaska) are larger
than Chihuahua. fifteen of greater mag
nitude than Sonora and thirty-two
larger than Durango
Border States Rugged Desert.
"The rugged and desert character of
the Mexican border states supports
sparse populations, Except where mining
exploitation and cities resulting there
from have concentrated settlement
The melting SHOWS from the San
Juan and Sangre de Christie ranges
of the Rocky mountains, in southern
Rio Grande. which. after flowing
south through New Mexico, bends
southeast at the western extremity OF
Texas, courses between it and Mex
leo for distance equal to that OF
st. Louis from New York, and de-
ton of $500 feet to sea level at the
Gulf of Mexico.
Rio Grande Er7atic River.
Except when in flood, the Rio
Grande is apparently an unimportant
stream and readily crossed, for the
normal flow is well utilized for irri-
cation in both countries; but it has
carved IN q part OIL It's course canyons
difficult of exploration. The changes
wrought by freshets, which shift the
channel demanded the attention of
an international commission, which
has adjusted the boundary along the
Rio Grande to meet the varying con-
ditions. The uncertainty of this is
Illustrated by chain spme years
ago that portion of the important
city of Ell Paso, Tex, was Mexican
soil.
"The remaining 700 miles of the in
ternational boundary to the west.
from New Mexico, Arizona and Cali
fornia, is through an arid desert sec
ton, much of which is mountainous.
This is not direct line, but has five
changes in alignment, which have
been accurately surveyed and >estab-
easily distinguishable.
15,0OO.0 600 Within It's Borders.
Mexico has an area approximately
One-fourth of that of the United
7 States, a fourth of whose area once
belonged to Mexico. 1t has a coast
line some 5000 miles long. although
its greatest length is less than 1000
$50 miles. Although it's areasissonlR
0ne-fourth that of Brazil, ft&bepulas
tion is approximately equal fos$hats OF
the largest republic of the septhsrn
-
~some $4,000, 900 souls live within
its borders. of whom more than two
thirds can neither read nor write.
of the total population only 10
per cent are white, 43 per cent are
of mixed parentage, while 50 per cent
corrupted. The foreign population in
1912 numbered 100000 souls, of whom
10000 were Americans. 10000 Spanish
and 5000 British.
Rangesof Vegetation Remarkable.
Mexico probably has a greater
range of remarkable vegetation than
any other country In the world.
NO other country in the new world,
south of the Rio Grande, was so we'll
supplied with railroads as was Mex
fco prior to the Madero revolution,
Then 1t had 10000 miles of up-to date
American railroad. At six different
points lines crossed the frontier from
the United States, and Laredo, Eagle
Pass and Ell Paso gateways handled
much traffic to and from Mexico. The
Mexican railroads carried 11.000. 600
passengers annually at that time, and
handled about 100000 tons of
freight Their total revenues amount
ed to about $40,000,000.
Humboldt once pronounced Mex
leo the treasure house of the world.
Before the world war it produced one
third of the worlds silver. a consid-
ninth of its lead and one-twen-
tieth of its copper. The country's min
eral production, exclusiye-of iron. coal
and petroleum. amounted TO 81 So, 000,-
900 in 1910. With the exception of
Campeche. Tabasco. and Yucatan;
every state in the Mexican republic
possesses mines, of which there are
81, 1000, covering $4,000 acres of min
eral lands, and giving employment to
half million men. Yet probably less
bflities of the republic have been ex-
plotted. Prior to the outbreak of the
Madero revolution upward Of 5000
mining claims were registered each