The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-08-29
Letter From Mexico


Teziutlan Copper company at Aire
Libre, Puebla, Mexico. His dis
cription of the country and the
inhabitants is interesting and is
as follows:
This is a mighty fine place for
climate, scenery and nearly every
thing else except government.
The property is located on the
slope where the Great Mexican
Plateau breaks down to the Gulf
The altitude is 5400 feet; three
miles southwest it is 5000, and six
miles northeast it is 1000, with the
sea shore 40 miles further down
You see in very few miles, we
have all the climates of the tenn
perate and mi-tropical zones,
with their various vegetables and
fruits. The rain fall increases as
you approach the sea and decreases
to nominally dry climate on the
plateau. The lower, or locally
called Hot country is wonderfully
productive, as it is possible to
grow crops the entire year. Corn
and other crops are harvested
twice annually. and there is an
endless succession of vegetables
and fruits. Yet it is almost as
wild as when Cortez slashed thru.
There are no railroads between
Tampico and Vera Cruz, and no
wagon roads, for you never see any
kind of vehicle very far east of the
city. The railroad belonging to
this company is the only line
north of Puebla, and it don't go
below here. Everything is
brought up from the hot country
on pack mules or on men and
womens' backs, mostly by the
latter means, But few of the In
dians are thrifty enough to own
mules and most of them that did,
lost them to some of the innum-
cradle rebel or bandit fractions.
The inhabitants are Chignantle
Indians, who do not speak the
Spanish language, and civilization
has scarcely touched them, and
excepting the surrender of their
cannibalistic habits. they are quite
the same as 400 years ago.
The seaports are not naturally
good and have never been improv-
ed. Lack Of wagon roads, and on
account of the excessive mud,
makes it impossible to transport
anything to the ports except the
high priced crops, such as vanilla.
coffee and tobacco. There used to
be large exports of cattle, but the
revolutions have long since ended
that business. You can imagine
that the scenery is great on the
precipitous slope from the mesa to
/ the hot country. 1t is about like
the snowy range would be if it
was covered with tropical vegeta
tion and had innumberable streams
flowing over its crest. splashing
in countless cascades and falls Of
every form and height. In the
matter Of water falls it is one of
the most remarkable localities in
the world.
! A glance at the map will show
that there are no large rivers to
drain an enormous section, con-
sequently it drains off in countless
creeks and small rivers, flowing
over the rim of the mesa, or, as it
is called here, down the Baranca"
which means a nearly perpendicu-
lar canyon or wall. Three kilo
metres below here, we have a
power plant located at the bottom
of 2500 foot cascade, which in
one place has sheer drop of 900
feet, and l often think it would be
worth million in Colorado re-
sort.
The mine is the third largest
copper property in Mexico, owns
its own mills, smelters and rail
roads. Would like to remain here
if political conditions would per-
NIT, but at present we are not fig
uring on a long residence.