El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-03
AMERICANS HOLD
CITY
Account of Its Occupancy
by U. S. Troops p
Years Ago.


rates" When Inc action commenced
the cannOnading was distinctly heard
iu Chiluahua- The tide Of battle was
known TO be ragings but the event
was doubtful When the first can
| nOnading ceased it was announced
that the Americans were defeated
that victory had perched on the Next
Z can 1lag- The resident Americans now
lost all hope The rabble triumnhed.
and eNulted over them. In fit Of
I immoderate excitement, the grea sers
seized slaves. knives. stones and
I whatever else chance had thrown i'm
Z their way. and threatened to Kill them
/ without distinction But harkl the
] thuHders Of the battle are renewed
The merchants hearts began TO re-
| Tlve- The lannon's roar. the Vollias
OF musketry. and the sharp shooting
I yagers. are heard until darkness en-
| velopes the earth. At length a cour-
I the city and exclaims. "Perdemosl
I PerdemOsE we are lost defeated,
] ruined. Then the generals. the gov
I ernOr. and the retreating host came
I and in hot haste passed on to parral.
! and thence 10 Durango. scarcely halt
ing in the city to take q little refresh
! ment- The star OF the northern re-
] public was in the ascendant. and fu
/ the pride Of their hearts the Ameri-
] cans resident shouted victory and
/ Aiagoffin. a Keutuckian and a nat
l uralized Mexican. was retained a pris-
] oner. and sent TO Durango. The rest
Z were liberated
On the 3rd OF March. the funeral
] ceremonies OF Mai Owens were per-
I formed in the Catholic church in Chi
/ huahua. with great pomp. The Mex
! lean priests officiated on the occa-
I sion His corpse was thence conveyed
: TO the cemetery. and inferred with
HanH
] following day sgt. Kirkpatrick died
l and was buried with similar honore.
"Dulce ct decorum est pro patria
Z mort"
The same day Lieut. Col Mitchell.
| accompanied by several officers and
Z a file OF men. went into the public
/ buildings TO take possession OF such
public property as might be found IN
I the city. for the benefit OF the United
/ states treasury. When he called on
1fr. Potts. who claimed 10 be acting
I English consul at Chihuahua. he re-
fused 20 give him the KEYS OF the
mint. alleging that he had a private
claim upon the mint and did not in
tend 70 permit the Americans TO go
into e." HereuDon great excitement
prevailed among the soldiers: for
upon the consurs REFUSING admittance
into so spacious a building. q was
con1ectured that the governor and a
body Of troops might he concealed
Al.FN NaAA- A0N4N NN'N EUlN.IETr ran 10
their arms and made ready for the
emergency- Capt. WefEhtman sent
FOR his section OF howitzers 20 be
used as keys in entering the building.
When their uuzzles were turned upon
the doors. and the port fires lighted, I
the consul. seeing no other alterua-
tive. delivered up the keys
II has been said. with much Justice
that the Mexicans both in central and Z
northern Mexico. have an unconqCer- |
able propensity for amusementS and /
gambling Their thievi1g nrOueusi- I
ties are equally irrepressibIe. THIS {
rem ark is more especially Intended TO ]
apply to the lower classes. among /
whom there IS but little OF either /
rnodesty. truth. virtue. intelligence.
quently detected in stealing mules. I
horses and other property from the I
American camp while in Chihuahua /
and from Jackson's camp At the Bull j
pen in the suburbs OF the city. No I
argument less potent than a team I
ster's wagon whip was sufficient to I
restrain them They were therefore |
often scourged for their Offences, and I
thar sometimes publicly. This was /
necessary even 10 the preserving OF /
tolerable order amongst them
The people OF central Mexico. how 3
ever. are upon an average much more I
enlightened. and possess higher de- I
gree OF moral honesty than the In /
habitants Of the more northern pro- I
Viuces. yet their complexion and Ian
-uage are very much the same The /
MeNicans generally. both men and /
women, are exceedingly viTacious, ]
snowy and facile. and AZ the same /
time shallow in conversation; eU- !
tremely fond OF dress and TOYS; hos /
pitable when the humOr prompts i
them; vet INDECENT and addicted TO /
every extreme Of vicious Indulgence. /
cOwardly. and at the same time cruel; i
serving rather their appetites. than 4
following the admonitiOns Of con- i
science: and possessing elastic and ac-
commodatinE moral principles. Mod I
est. chaste. virtuOus, intelligent fe-
males are rarely to be met with. yet. I
Notwithstanding they are Few, there 4
are some SUCH Many OF the females
Of that country, are gifted with I
spriEhtly minds. possess rare per
s0nal beauty, and most gentle and I
winning grace Of manners Their /
lustrous- dark, sparkling eyes, and
tresses Of glossy, black hair. con-
stitutes a fair share OF their charms
Bathing is regarded, in Mexico. as
one Of the choicest luXuries OF fash
iouable life, to which practice both
sexes are much addicted In Cllnua-
hua there are many bath houses and
pools Of beautiful water. conveniently
These are constantly filled by the
young and gay Of both sexes. promis-
cuOusly splashinE and swimming
about with their long. black hair
spread out on the water, without one
thought Of modesty-
The city Of Chihuahua. and the cap
ftal OF the state, was built during the
Spanish viceroyalty by the spanish
capitalists and nabObs, who are al
lured thither from the south, by the
rich mines Of gold and silver in the
neighboring mountains. At present
IL contains $1,000 inhabitants The
streets about the plaza are neatly
paved and curbed.
The exterior Of the plaza. next the
streets, is paved beautifully with
white norDhyrv in such manner as to
form a promenade. furnished with
numerous seats carved out OF solid
masses OF the same material having
hacks to rest against as a sofa This
promenade was constructed for eve
ming gossip and recreation
In the center OF the plaza MAYOR
stands a square structure OF hewu
marble. about 10 feet high. having
four jets supplied by a subterranean
aQueduct. which discharges an ahuud-
ance Of cool and delightful water into
an Octagonal basin. about 30 feet in
diameter. and three IN depth. con- 7
structed also Of heWn stone. laid in
cement, and bound firmly together by
a Joint work Of lead, rendering the
whole perfectly impervious TO water.
The houses in chihuahua are chiefly
constructed Of the adobe cOrnered
and fronted with hewn stone. having
flat roofs. and being two stories high !
Many OF them are in good taste and
furnished In a costly manner The
Catholic cathedral. a magnificent
b. fHr|