Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-12-03


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.
Prom the Gulf of Mexico up to Ell
Paso, along the Texas frontier, the
Rio Grande 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 a short break at the Colorado),
so set that one is supposed to be Wis
ible from another. By this plan sol
dier. miner or cowman Eyes, and
smuggler, too) can always tell which
side of the line he is on; or, If wholly
lost and he comes suddenly on a mon
ument, he soon can get oriented.
Adventurous, colorful and full of
contrasts as it is, the 1,S00-mile trip
along this crooked, historic line is
rough and difficult and has been made
by few people.
Lie IAiO kJdIL VI ILLS UOloC1
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
tonishing and lively a 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 Ell Paso, Tex; at Douglas, Mace
and Nogales. in Arizona, and at Calex
leo and Tia Juana, in California. Only
four of these railroads, however, are
trate the interior of Mexico; these
start at Laredo, Eagle Pass, Ell Pas
and Nogales.
'sNo section of the border has seer
so much of adventure, tragedy ant
turbulent activity as Texas. The flag
of France, Spain and Mexico hav'
waved over it; for a. time it flew it
own Lone Star and also the Confed
crate flag.
GAS you follow the border west
oaks, pines and underbrush decrease
aridity increases and cacti lift thei
thorny heads. Border counties lik
Brewster, Preside and Ell Paso are o
amazing area-larger than some o
our small Eastern states. Windmill
are everywhere-"big electric fans
keep the cattle COOL waggish COW
boy once explained to a London ten
derfoot.
"El Paso is the only large city fror
San Antoine to Los Angeles, a ride o
1,500 dry, dusty miles.
"The largest irrigation reseryoi
anywhere is the great Elephant Butt
dam, which stores more water thal
the world-famous Assuan dam on tn
Nile.
From the point at Monument NJ
1, where the boundary line crawls on
of the Rio Grande tat the southeas
corner of New MeXico), it strikes ives
into a wilderness OF singularly DIR
and empty aspect. For 40 miles alon
this march the traveller must carry hi
own water.
''To the west lie the rough, hostil
foothills of the Dog mountains; nea
here, in the San Luis range, the lin
reaches a point of 5000 feet abov
the sea, marking the continental d
vide.
'sIn the San Bernardino valley th
: line strikes the first running waite
after quitting the Rio Grande-1e
miles to the east. Here rises til
famous Yaqui river, that long, crooke
stream that meanders through the va.
Mexican state of Sonora and throug
: the turbulent Yaqui Indian zone, fina
ly emptying into the Gulf of Califo
! mia below Guaymas.
SIN the whole 700-mile stretch fro
+ the Rio Grande to the Pacific this lir
5 crosses only five permanent runnir
streams, and the average rainfa
throughout its length is only eigl
r inches.
l "Save the hamlets of Columbus ar
e Hachita, the New Mexican section
this border is almost uninhabited"