El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-10-15
Devastation From Years Of
War APPEAL Trade Visitors


upon the properly Of the men who
I formerly controlled the destinies Of
the state. the socaued CieuuricOsi men
who had been identified with the
regime Of Cen Porfiri0 Diaz.
Gen Don Luis Terrazas and those
/ closely associated with him suffered
the heaviest The palatial town home
Of the old general himself is a fair
sample Today IL Is being put In re-
pair for his return 10 die-he is now
90 years Of age-on his native soil
There is not a stick OF furniture IN
/ the place, not drapery nor hang
ing The great vault that held MS
papers and his moneys stands empty
and open. Two other immense safes,
bearing the name, Luis Terrazas, as
does the door Of the vault stand Where
he left them. the locks blown OF.
where the bandits came and took ali
they could get
Burned and Looted
A block or so away stands the home
Of Juan Creel. perhaps the most hated
Of the former ruling clique OF the
state. While the IerraZas nome was
only looted OF its 1urnls ningss the
Creel home was looted OF everything,
even 70 the windows and the doors
and, when the vandals could carry or
no more. they set fire TO and burned
out the hardwood floors Even the
palms Ia the yard were burned ana
the iron fence surrounding the place
was carried off IT stands today
monument TO the hearlless destruction
BY the various ruling chiefs who have
been in power in Chihuahua during
the reign Of ten years OF terror for
The home Of Luis Terrazas, 5r., close
by. was looted Of all its furniture
like that Of his father, but the build
ing itself was uumolested-
The home Of Alberto Terrazas, once
governor OF the state, standing on
the corner opposite that OF his father,
the aged general was looted or all ITS
furnishings and converted into a
school It is still being used for that
purpose, although. Ike the property
Of others Of the family, It has been
restored 10 the owner
Wrecks Of Palaces.
Out in a northern suburb, the mag
nificent sumner home Of Alberto
Terrazas was taken by the military
lor barracks and every vestige OF
furniture was carried of.
Across the road, a splendid country
nome, Of delicate Italian architecture.
vas ouliqlns LOT Juan 1eiI.1als W1en
the war broke out and Il was all but
finished Fire was set to the place
and IL is today a hollow, gaunt wreck,
impossible OF restoration The beau
tiful carving on the exterior, which
cost a fortune, must crumble with the
rest, into pile Of dust, another monu-
meul 20 the lust and the folly Of those
who have tried 10 wreck Mexico.
Everywhere one goes wrecks Of
former maEuificent structures are TO
be seen The handsome Zuloga home,
occupying more space than both Car
negie and Cleveland squares in FL
Pasos is but ghost OF Its former
sell A German gardener conducts a
nursery in the gardens The lOoters
have carried off the handsome hang
ings, mirrors and furniture. The
stables that once housed the finest
horses and equipages in northern
Mexico are occupied by poems.
Nearby are the walls, blackened
with lire, Of the home Of the man who
was 5efe p0iitico Of The city Of Chi
huahua at the time the revolution
broke in its fury.
Looking out upon the plain below. I
these buildings seem TO froWn upon
the havoc wrought upon acres Of tene-
ment houses owned by the Terrazas
family After Wrecking them and
carrying OF all the doors and win
they are nothing but q Pile Of black I
ened adOhes TO-DAY.
They Left the Altar.
Il would take columns to enumerate /
al the damage that has been done 70 I
the fine buildings Of the city. Every I
,-nsIe' sney nave received he angry /
curse OF the reVoluuOnist- Not only /
have they been looted OF all their 4
owners left when they departed IN /
haste 70 save their lives. but, unsat-
lslleq with their spells, which they ]
l-al AopeQ would be richer, or IN s I
mad orgy OF riot. The looters applied 4
tne torch Nothing that could be de-
stroTed was left whole II i had be-
louge1 TO the recognized former ruling
class OF the state
The Ierrrazas town house was TOO I
FaluaDle 1or Offices barracks and /
other purposes to be destroyed. 50 ID I
was saved Bur every bath tub was /
taAsn ouLs every water faucet was I
broken or every plumbing fixture /
was taken out and carried away or /
lrokeu Carpenters painters and /
decorators are working now upon the I
place restoring it The onlv thfrr
LETT IN the house that the owner Ieft I
Elen ne fled across the desert to I
yllnaEa with Gen Mercado and the 4
FEDERAL army, before the maddened /
norQes following PanchO villa, is the I
.,- In the private chapel 1t IS still I
The Terrazas Home.
me residence IS typical Of the
p aronlal homes OF the Mexican ruling ]
class prior 70 the revolution. IL Is /
Two stories high and occupies a fun /
nlocAzs Quite close 10 the business Sec
ton OF the city. Entrance is throurh I
q marble decorated doorway on one j
corner IN front Of this door IS a
huge IRON gate that bars the way to z I
oeautirul patio, ful OF native and 4
tropical trees. To the right an in
-rlelse oak door opens Into the outer
office Of Gen. Terrazas. Behind f5a4 ]
IS anotner office, and behind that was i
ne private office OF the old general 1
Z ne 4iraL IS equipped With q large /
! II 1lle91 vault Each OF the other /
LMo OFFICES contains an immense sac. I
me last Two were wrecked by Iooters.
- o--l ne pzLlo are the private /
q 49,. FasH rsr