The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-03-18
RICH BUT unknown
Lower California Has Never
Attracted Settlers.
Vast Natural Resources Are Known
to Be There-Was Rejected by
the United States After the
War With Mexico.

Romantic Lower California again has
come into prominence through the in
PRODUCTION in congress of a bill looking
70 The purchase Of that unique PENN.
sula.
"Baja' California, rejected by the
United States after the war with Mex
leo as the tall-end OF an earthquake,
though recognized as rich in natural
resources, Is least known, according TO
the few who have made n scientific
study Of the peninsula, of any area of
similar size in ihe western hemisphere.
Lower California, Economically
styled "thc mother of California" has
figured in modern history for 400 years.
1t was in 1927 that the Spanish captain
general, Fernando Cortez. sent one of
l}aIhoa's veterans, Alvera de Saayedra,
from Tehuantepec, on the west coast
of Mexico, with Instructions TO try 10
find strait supposed at that time to
form Il link in route from Mexico, or
New Spain, as it was then known, TO
the newly discovered Spice islands.
known TO later generations as lie Phil.
ippineS.
From Cortcz' time down to the pres
ent there have passed in review
through the pages of Lower Californla's
history Spanish conquerors, Jesuits,
Domlnicans and Franciscans, and
plunderers from many lands; United
States troops during the war with
Mexico; filibusters, intent on setting
up an independent government, and
lastly. the contcnding factions for su,
premacy in Mexico's national admins.
tration since the overthrow of Porflrio
Diaz as president
1t was Diaz who bestowed on Lower
California title of "pobre Baja Cali
fornia,' descriptive of her condition in
recent years and which translated is
Poor Lower California;
Daz' description fits the country Just
rs well as TO its Typographical aspect,
and in some other respects, for 1t is q
Jagged peninsula, 760 miles long vary.
ing in width from 80 to 40 miles and
traversed throughout its length by an
irregular range OF barren mountains OF
volcanic origin, breaking off abruptly
on the gulf side and rambling off in n
series Of low hills TO the Pacific coast
II has been described by its most re.
cent explorer as "a land great in rs
past and lean in IFS present A land
where the rattlesnake and the side.
windcr the tarantula and the scorpion
multiply and whore sickness IS nm,
known and fiye-Scorc years no uncom
mon span Of life. 4 land of strange
contradictions"
While territorial state Of Mexico
it nowhere touches other Mexican soil
being separated from the mainland by
the waters OF the Colorado river and
the Gulf OF California. In 1910 Ia,
population OF the entire peninsula wa,
given at J2.2ii. There is but one rail
road in the country, aside from
"wheezy' mine tramways, and thai
one, from Mexlcall 10 Yuma, but 6.
miles in length The "caminos," OF
roads Of the mission days. have fallel
into a wrctched state and in many
places have been practically obliter
atcd.
The peninsula is rich in mineral
wealth. at least one Of its silver mines
in the southern district. having beer
operated since l7lS. Gold. silver. cop
per, iron, coal lead, gypsum and sal
are found, and valuable marble fol
building is everywhere abundant Min
ing experts agree that the mineral re
Sources have hardly hrnu scratched