Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-03-18
FACTS ABOUT MEXICO
Formerly Possessed Territory Equal ia
United states in Size

Formerly Possessed Territory Equal to
United states in Size
Pertinent geographical facts about
Mexico are given in the following bulle-
tin of the National Geographic Society:
Prior to 1896 Mexico, as Spanish
colony. and the United States covered
approximately equal areas of North
America, but the Texas secession and the
result of the Mexican war added nearly
IA 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 communications to 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
Mexico G67O00 square miles) is less than
that of our five largest States-Texas,
California, Montana. New Mexico. and
Arzona-combined. all of these except
Montana having been a part of New
Spain 70 years ago. None of the 81 polit-
ical 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.
approximates in area $4,000 square miles)
that of Utah, Sonora G7.000 square miles)
| of Nebraska Coahuila $4,000 square
miles) of Georgia, and Durango 10000
square miles) of Kentucky. Nine sub
! divisions of the United States excluding
Alaska) are larger than Chihuahua. 10 OF
greater magnitude than Sonora, and 3.
larger than Durango. The rugged and
| 4 A. 49,
States support sparse populations. ex-
cept where mining exploitation and elite,
resulting therefrom have concentrated
settlement
"rhe melting SHOWS from tho San Juar
land Sangre dc 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 4
and Mexico for distance equal TO thai
of Saint Louis from New York and de
scends in LOO miles from an elevation o.
500 feet to sea-level at the Gulf o.
Mexico.
| Except when in flood. the Rio Grand
is apparently an unmportant stream ant
readily crossed. for the normal flow Il
well utilized for irrigation in both coun
course canyons difficult of exploration. TIL,
changes wrought by freshets. which shift
the channel. demanded tho attention o
ian international commission. which ha
adjusted the boundary along the Ri
Grande to meet the varying conditions
The uncertainty of this Is illustrated b.
n claim some years ago that a portion O
the important city of El Paso. Texas
was Mexican soil. The remaining 70
miles of the international boundary 4
the west separating our neighbor repub
lie from New Mexico, Arizona. and Cali
fornia is through an arid desert sector
much of which is mountainous. This !
not a direct line but has five change
In alignment which have been accuratel
surveyed and established by 25S perma
ncut monuments easily dstinguishablf
Mexico has an area approximatel
one fourth of that of the United States
a fourth of whose area once belonged t
Mexico. 1t has coast-line some coo
miles long, although it's greatest engt
is less than 1000 miles and Its creates
: breadth only $50 miles. Although il
area is only one fourth that Of Brazi
its population is approximately equal t
that of the largest republic Of the south
crn continent.
' Some II 00O,nn0 souls live within II
borders, of whom more than two-third
can neither read nor write.
of the total population, only II pc
cent are white, AZ per cent are of mike
parentage, while rs par cent still main
tain their Indian blood uncorrupted. TIL
foreign population in 1912 numbered 100
: OoN souls of whom 20 100 were American.
70 nm Spanish and 5000 British.
Mexico probably has greater rang
I1f III |,
, country in the world.
"No other country in the New World
south of the Rio Grande, was we
supplied with railroads AS was Mexic
prior to the Madcro revolution. Then
, had 2ooo0 miles of up-to-date America
railroad At six different points line
crossed the frontier from the Unite
States. and Laredo. Eagle Pass. and 7
. Paso Getaways handled much traffic I
and from Mexico. The Mexican railroad
| carried II ooo.onO passengers annually :
, that time. and handled about 100000
Q tons of freight. Their total revenue
l amounted to about s4o.o0o.N0.
2 Humboldt once pronounced Mexic
the treasure-house of the world Refor
t the World War it produced one-third
r nhe worlds silver, a considerable pc
centage of its gold, one-ninth Of II
| lead. and one-twenteth of its copre
The country's mineral production. o.
| elusive Of iron. coal. and petroleum
: amounted to sl5s,ooo,o0o in 1910 with n
, exception Of Campeche. Tabasco. ar
| Yucatan, every State in the Mexica
4 republic possesses mines. Of which the,
are 81 .O0o covering GA. 900 acres Of miners
lands. and giving employment to ha
1 n million men, Yet probably less tina
i, one fourth of tho mineral possibilities
the republic have been exploited. Pri'
to the outbreak of tho Madero revoluto
= upward of 5000 mining claims were rel