The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-12-13
Mexico: Some Timely Facts.

geographical facts about Mexico are
given in the following bulletin in the
National Geographic Society:
Prior to 1895, Mexico, as a Span
ish colony. and the United States
covered approximately equal areas OF
North America. but=the Texas seces-
sion and the result of the Mexican
war added nearly a million square
miles to our territory. and the extent
OF Mexico now is less than one-fourth
that OF continental United States.
says the bulletin, Which is based on
several cQmmunicaJions 10 The So
ciety
But our neighbor Republic still
has territorial expense equal 10 the
aggregate OF Austria. Hungary. Ger
many. Franco, Great Britain, and Ire
land
The total area of the Republic OF
Mexico t767 900 square miles is less
than thatzof our five largest States
Texas. California, Montana. New
Mexico. and Arizona-combiGcd. all
OF these except Montana having Ec"a
a part of New Spain 70 years ago.
None Of the 81 political subdivisions
of our neighbor is as large as any Of
the five States named but four Mcxl-
can States contiguous to the United
States aggregate an extent create!
than thatof Texas.
"Chihuahua. the largest Mexican
State. approxinates in area $4,000
square piles) that Utah. Sonora
C77.000 square miles) OF Nebraska,
Coahuila (63 900 square niles of
Georgia. and Durango (40.0oo square
miles) Of Kentucky.. Nine SUBDIVISIONS
OF the United states excluding Alas
ka) arc larger than Chihuahua. -
OF greater magnitude than Sonora.
and 30 larger than Durango. The
rugged and desert character of the
Mexican border States support sparse
populations except where mining eX-
ploitation 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
Colorado form. the genesis of the Rio
Grande, which. after flowing south
through New Mexico. bends southeast
at the western extremity of Texas.
courses between ii and Mexico for a
distance equal to that of Saint Louis
from New York and desc>nds in l.
feet TO sea level al the Gulf Of Mex!-
co.
Except when in food. the Rio
Grande is apparently an unimportant
stream and readily crossed, for the
normal flow is we'll utilized for lrri-
cation in both countries: but it has
carved in a part of its course canyons
Difficult, of exp ton. The changes
wrought by fr lets Which shift the
chanel. demanded the attention of
an international commission. which
has adjusted the boundary along the
Rio Grande to meet the varying condi-
tions. The uncertainty of this is il
Illustrated by claim some years ago
that portion of the important city
of Ell PaSo. Texas. was Mexican soil.
The remaining 700 miles Of the inter-
national boundary to the west separat-
ing our neighbor Republic from New
Mexico. Arizona. and California. is
an arid desert section. much
of which is mountainous. This is not
a direct line. but has five changes in
alignment. which have been accurately
and established by 25S per-
manent monuments easily distinguish
able.
Mexico has an area approximate
" one-fourth of that of the United
States. fourth of whose area once
belonged to Mexico. 1t has a coast
line some 5000 miles long. although
it. greatest length is less than 1000
miles and its greatest breadth only
$50 miles. Although its area is only
one-fourth that Of Brazil. its popula-
ton is approximately equal 10 >that
of the largest republic of the south
ern continent.
Some Is. .000.0 souls live within
its borders, of WHOM more than two
thirds can neither lead nor write.
OF the total population. only 10
per cent are white. 43 per cent are
mixed parcntaee. while 3S per cent
still maintain their Indian bood un-
The foreign population in
1912 numbered 100, 600 souls. Of
whom 10000 were Americans. 10000
Spanish. and 5000 british.
Mexico probably has n 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
Mexico prior to the Madero revolution.
Then it had 10000 miles Of up-to-date
American railroad. AT six different
points lines crossed the frontier from
the Cnited States, and Laredo. Eagle
Pass and El Paso gatewass handled
much traffic to and FROM Mexico. The
Mexican railroads carried 100000
passengers annually at that time, and
handled about 100000 tons Of
freight. Their total revenues amount
ed to about 100000 900.
Humboldt once pronounced Mex
leo the ueaSure-houSe of the world.
Before the world war it t=produced one
third Of the worlds silver. consider
4 !,