Arizona republican., 1920-02-22

itors had their first taste. Among them
was the papaya, or tree melon, a most
delicious fruit and another the name
of which the excursionists did not learn
to spell, a sort of natural custard. en-
closed in a rough-lilSe shell. There
were in the same orchard a hundred
years old, pineapples, avocadoes. man
goes and Strawberries in abundance.
At Mazatlan
The morning following the departure
from Culiacan the excursionists awoke
in coacoanut grove at Ma7atlan, a
seaport with a population Of $4,000.
1t is beautifully situated along an
abrupt shore, but its harbor is wholly
unprotected, except by a bar which
makes it necessary TO lighter all car
goes. In the distance there are sew
eral small islands The surf is roll
ing all the time. Mazatlan has a de-
lightful bathing beach.
During the war the Germans who
were in the majority of foreigners in
Mazatlan. had constructed for them
selves concrete seats at one end of
the beach and the Americans and other
citizens CT foreisn nationality had
seats built at the other. Thus racial
conflicts were avoided.
There is a great wireless station at
MaZatlan, nominally controlled by the
government. but during the war ii was
suspected to be under German control
anu tndI HeSSdSeS were sent eitHcI
direct or were relayed TO Vera Cruz.
Mazatlan like all Mexican cities has
a great public market where every
imaginable commodity is offered for
sale. Among those in the market were
straw hats, almost equal in fineness
TO Panama and were sold at ridiculous
ly low price. All kinds of leather work
were on display. Among them were
sandals sold at 75 gold, but that is a
big price for the poems, who make
their own.
On the last evening of the stay at
Mazatlan, La Favorita was rendered
by local talent, but the music was good.
The visitors saw that each lady among
the performers became the recipient of
a bouquet, decorated lavishly, with
ribbons bearing the names of the donor
and donec. The opera was followed
by dance in which the ladies of the
opera took part. Here as everywhere
else the utmost kindness and courtesy
was extended to the Americans. Not
word was heard that was not COM
pIimentary to them and their country
Sugar 17L2 Cents a Pound
On the way back, six hours this side
of Mazatlan, the party visited the
great FL Dorado sugar factory, the
largest in Mexico. 1t is owned by Red
men. the one who entertained the ex-
curSionists being a graduate from the
University of Oxford The factory en-
ploys 5000 people in cultivating. and
gathering the cane and in handling
it in the mills. The sugar plantations
extend for miles and miles in every di-
rection from the plant. No other crop
is grown in the vicinity.
The mill contains American ma
chinery. directed by American engi
neers. but many important positions
are held by native Mexicans. The
cane here is burned with the result
that a caramel is formed of the juices
in the joints which gives to the prod
uct brown stain. The sugar is made
into cubes little larger than those
familiar to Americans. None of this
sugar is sold in the United States, but
sent down along the east coast of Mex
leo.
Americans who ARE complaining of
the high cost of sugar here Will learn
with interest that the sugar of the FL
Dorado factory brings 17h cents gold.
The molasses, a by-product, is car
ried to a distillery in the same building
where it is converted into alcohol.
The excursion, said Mr.. Armstrong.
was highly educative. All who took
part in it came out of Mexico
with q. different and a much better
impression than they had carried
into it. They were struck by the many
manifestations of friendliness of the
people, by the richness of the country
and its many unconcealed opportuni-
lies