Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-09-16
Mexico. to tn. National Geographic So

eiety
From the Gulf Of Mexico up TO Ell easo.
alone the Texas frontier. the Rio Grande
Forms the boundary between the United
states and Mexico: thence to the Pacific
coast the Enc is marked by stone or iron
monuments tsave short break at the
o'orano)' SO set that one Is supposed to
visible from another. BY this plan a
'o'''er miner. or cowman Eyes, and a
Su,ussIer. tool can always tell which
s' vi 'ne line he is on or. If wholly
.''t anu ne comes suddenly on n1onu-
"en'. ne can soon get oriented.
adventurous coorful and full of con-
'ras,s as 1t is the lsoo-mile trip along this
crooked. historic line Ia rough and dfi-
cuiI ana has been made by few people,
Inc Rio Grande part Of this border
mas caused both Uncle Sam and Mexico
much work and mental anguish During
PAD hoods the line as formed by the
| river souirms around in 50 astonishing and
INeIN manner that what is Mexican soil
one day may he in Texas the next, and
vice versa
Railroads cut this long border line at
brownsville, Laredo, Eagle Pass, and at
oaiexlco and Tia Juana. in Californis.
only -FOUR OF these railroads, however,
are main lines of through traf1c that pen
euate the interior of Mexico; these start
az Laredo, Eagle Pass. Ell Paeo, ard NO.
gales
lou visualize the bl9ness Of Texas
wnen you look at the length of It's side
mat borders on Mexico. You realize it's
emptiness. to, when you travel through
some or Its border regions. where the pop
uiation Ia less than two per square mile.
NO section of the border has seen 80
much Of adventure, tragedy, and turbu-
Ien' activity as Texas. The flags Of
France. Spain. and Mexico have waved
over II; for time 1t flew It's own Lone
star and also the Confederate flag.
In Brownsville you hear more Spanish
than English. because most Of tn. 500
people who live there are Mexicans
Up the river from Brownsville ,ie~
Laredo, most important border town in
south Texas. even If an old map does call
this vicinity a wilderness filled with wild
horses.
Eagle Pass. on up the Rio Grande,
was favorite camping spot for the Cal
ifornia gold-hunters in ~.
AS you follow the border west. oake.
pines. and underbrush decrease, aridity
increases. and cacti lift their thorny
heads. Border counties like Brewster. ,
Presido. and Fl Paeo are Of amazing
area-larser than some Of our small east |
ern states. Windmils are everywhere-
big electric fans to keep the cattle coop. !
"aeeish cowboy once explained to a /
London tenderfoot
FL Paso Is the only large city from
san Antoine to Los Angeles. a ride Of
l.SW dry. dusty miles.
Ihe largest irrigation reservoir any, |
where is the great Elephant Butte dam.
famous Assuan dam on the Nile. This biz
lam. built in the Rio Grand. ahovs ri
faso. at a point in New Mexico, holds
water enough. we are told TO All q
'tandppe II fet in diameter REACHING
rom FL Paso to the moon. or to cover
massachusetts, to depth Of six inches"
FROM the point at Monument No. / J.
"here the boundary line crawIs out 81
ne Flo Grande lat the southeast corner
u new Mexico) it strikes west into
OF singularly dry and empty
'sPect' For 40 miles along this march
ne traveller must carry HE own water
10 the west lie the rough. hostile foot. 4
mis- Of the Dog Mountains; near here.
n the San LYuis range, the line reaches
point OF $500 feet above the sea. mark 4
ne the continental divide.
IN the San Bernardino valley the lima 4
trlkes the first running water after Quit 1
ing the Rio Grande-la2 miles to the east. 4
1ere rises the famous Yaaui river. that 4
nng' crooked stream that meanders 4
trough the vast Mexican State Of Son. 1
ra and through the turbulent Yaaui In. 4
ian zone, finally emptying into the Gulf 4
I California below Guaymas 4
In the whole 10O-mile stretch from tn. 5
'lo Grande to the Pacific this line cross. 5
only hve permanent running s,reams &
ma the average rainful throughout its &
'nEth is only eight inches )
save the hamlets Of Columbus and s
'dcn',a, the New Mexican section Of this 5
order is almost uninhabited" 5