The state herald., 1920-12-10
ALONG OUR TURBULENT
BORDER

more frequently mentioned or more
widely misunderstood, perhaps, than
the Mexican border."' writes Frederick
Simpich, formerly American consul at
Nogales, Mex, to the National Geo
graphic society.
"From the Gulf OF Mexico up to I'll
Pnso, along the Texas frontier, the
Rio GraDde forms The boundary be-
tween the United States and Mexico;
thence to the Pacific coast the line Is
marked by stone or Iron monuments
(save Il short break at the Colorado),
so set that one Is supposed to be WIS.,
ible from another. BY this plan SOL
dcr, miner or cowman Eyes, nnd
smuggler. tool can always tell which
side of the line he is on; or, II wholly
lost and he comes suddenly on mon.
ument, he soon can get oriented.
Adventurous, colorful and full Of
contrasts us 1t Is, the 1,SO0.mlle trip
along this crooked, historic line is
rough and difficult and has been made
by a few people.
"The Rio Grande part of this border
has caused both Uncle Sam and Mex.
leo much work and mental anguish
During bad floods the line as formed
by the river squirms around In so as
tonishlng and lively manner that
what is Mexican soil one day may be
In Texas the next. and vice versa.
Railroads cut this long border line
at Brownsville, Laredo, Eagle Pass
and FL Paso, Tex. at Douglas, Naco
md Nogales, In Arlzonn, and at Calex-
leo and Tia Junna, In California. Only
four of these railroads, however. are
main lines Of through traffic that pene-
trate the interior OF Mexico; these
start at Laredo, Eagle Pass. III Pnso
and Nogales.
mo section of the border has seen
so much Of adventure, tragedy and
turbulent activity us Texas. The flags
Of France. Spain and Mexico have
waved over II: for time II flew Its
own Lone Star and also the Confed.
crate flag.
AS you follow the border west,
oaks. pines and underbrush decrease,
aridlty Increases and cacti lift their
thOrny heads. Border counties like
Brewster, Preside and FL Paso are Of
amazing area-larger than some of
our small Eastern states. Windmills
are everywhere-"bIg electric fms to
keep the cattle COOL waggish cow
boy once explained to London ten.
derfooi.
"El Paso Is the only large city from
San Antoine to Los Angeles, u ride OF
1900 dry. dusty miles.
''The largest irrigation reservoir
anywhere Is the great Elephant Butte
dam. which stores more water thuu
the world famous Assuan dam on the
Nile.
From the point a, Monument No
], where the boundary line crawls out
of the Rio Grande lat the southeast
corner of New Mexicol. II strikes west
Into n wilderness Of singulnrly dry
md empty aspect. For 40 miles along
this march the traveller must carry hls
own water.
ITO the west lie the rough. hostile
foothills Of the Dog mountains: near
here. in the San Luis range, the line
reaches point of 5000 feet above
the sea, marking the continental d.
vide.
in the San Bernardino valley the
line strikes the first running water
after quitting the Rio Grnnde-192
miles TO the east. Here rises the
famous faqul river. that long. crooked
stream that meanders through the vast
Mexican state OF Sonorn and through
the turbulent Ynqul Indian zone, final
ly cmpiylng Into the Gulf Of Cnllfor.
nln below Gunymns
"ln the whole 7O0-mIle stretch from
the Rio Grnndc to the Pacific this line
crosses only i've pcrnnnen, running
streams, and the average rainfall
throughout lts length Is only clgh,
Inches
"Snye the hnmlets OF Columbus and
Ilnchlin, tie New Mexican section of
this border IL almost nnlnhablted."
Precious.
"Nvhoi'x Tim tnnffar tnv daarS Aro