The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1920-02-26
MEXICO
Some Facts About CaTanza's Home Country
Selected
nERTINENT geographical facts about
Mexico are given in the following bull
letin of the National Geooranhic society.
Selected

HEX 1NENl geographical facts about
II Mexico are given in the following bull
letin of the National Geographic society:
prior to 1886, Mexico, as a Spanish
colony, and the United States covered ap-
proximately equal areas of North America,
but the Texas secession and the result of the
Mexican war added nearly 100000 square
miles to our territory, and the extent of
Mexico now is less than one-fourth that of
continental United States, says the bulletin,
the society.
"But our neighbor republic still has ter
ritorial expanse equal to the aggregate of
Austria, Hungary, Germany, France, Great
Britain and Ireland.
"The total area of the republic of Mex
leo (767,000 square miles) is less than that
of our five largest states-Texas, California,
Montana, New Mexico and Arizona COM
bined, all of these except Montana having
been part of New Spain IS years ago.
None of the 81 political subdivisions of our
neighbor is as large as any of the five states
named, but four Mexican states contiguous
to the United States aggregate an extent
greater than that of Texas.
Chihuahua, the largest Mexican state,
approxmates in area $4,000 square miles)
that of Utah, Sonora (77,0OO square miles)
of Nebraska, Coahuila 10000 square miles)
of Georgia and Durango 100000 square
miles) that of Kentucky. Nine subdivisions
of the United States excluding Alaska are
larger than Chihuahua, IS of greater magni-
tude than Sonora, and 81 larger than Duran
go. The rugged and desert character of the
Mexican border state support sparse popula-
tions, except where mining explorations and
cities resulting therefrom 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 flow
ing south through New Mexico, bends south
east at the western extremity of Texas,
courses between it and Mexico for distance
equal to that of St. Louis from New York,
and descends in 100 miles from an eleva-
ton of 4,5OO feet to sea level at the Gulf of
Mexico.
Except when in flood, the Rio Grande
is apparently an unimportant stream and
readily crossed, for the normal flow is well
utilized for irrigation in both countries; but
it has carved in part of its course canyons
difficult of exploration. The changes wrought
by freshets, which shift the channel, de-
manded the attention of an international
commission, which has adjusted the boundary
along the Rio Grande to meet the varying
conditions. The uncertainty of this is illus
trated by claim some years ago that por-
ton of the important city of El Paso, Texas,
was Mexican soil. The remaining 700
miles of the international boundary to the
west separating our neighbor republic from
New Mexico, Arizona and California, is
through an arid desert section, much of
which is mountainous. This is not direct
line, but has five changes in alignment, which
have been accurately surveyed and estab-
lished by 258 permanent monuments easily
distinguishable.
"Some 100000 souls live within its
borders of whom more than two-thirds can
neither read nor write.
"Of the total population, only 19 per
cent. are white, 43 per cent are of mixed par
entage, while 38 per cent still maintain their
Indian blood uncorrupted. The foreign
population in 1912 numbered 100000 souls,
of whom $4,000 were Americans, 10000
Spanish and 5000 British.
"No other country in the new world,
south of the Rio Grande, was so well sup
piled 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 United States, and Laredo, Eagle
Pass and Ell Paso gateways handled much
traffic to and from Mexico. The Mexican
railroads carried 100000 passengers an
nually at that time, and handled about H.
100000 tons of freight. Their total
-