The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1921-04-07
NOTES BY THE WAY
Mr.. Kelso, JOurneying Homeward,
Writes of the Country He Visited.

Writes of the Country He Visited.
To the Editor of The Republican.
Perhaps it might be of interest to
Republican readers to read of a sec
ton of country other than their own,
and, having this in mind, l will write
a brief description Of the country
along the route l have travelled.
! l am writing this letter at Lima,
Ohio, while waiting for train for
Elida to visit my daughter.
After an enjoyable visit of two
months with kind relatives and some
friends in Las Cruces, New Mexico,
l took leave for home on March 81.
AS the train glides down the Rio
Grande valley to Ell Paso, l get a
panoramic view of large acreages of
wheat and alfalfa and hundreds of
acres of fruit trees of different vari-
cites in bloom, presenting a view
which no pen can describe and no cam,
EZRA visualize.
On former recent visit to Ell Paso
/ had the pleasure of taking a motor
trip over the scenic highway, high up
on the side of Mount Franklin, cut out
of the solid rock of Mount Franklin
whose bald knob towers two thousand
feet above the valley. The motor
starts, and as it skins along the
smooth roadway we get view of Ell
Paso with population of $4,000
people. The city has all the mod
ern Improvements becoming a city
of this size. We stop and we are
greeted by wide expanse of foot
hills and beautiful homes, fringed on
the outer edge by the military post
known as Fort Bliss, grim, silent
sentinel guarding the city.
We now approach the international
bridge and cross over the Rio Grande
river into the city of Jurez in old
Mexico, with a population of 10000
people. As we walk along the streets
we pass large gambling hall, visit
ed by thousands of persons with large
numbers INDUCING in the games of
chance which go on from day to day.
Two Mexicans paid the government
of the state of Chihuhua 100000
for the privilege of conducting an
open gambling hall without restric-
lions for six months. They also pay
the city of Jurez $50 per day for the
same period. I am told that their
receipts are from $4,000 to $4,000
per day
Those who patronizze the place are
very cosmopolitan, and consist of Cal
ifornia tourists, slouching poems, half
breeds, negroes, naughty MeXicans
and others, all of whom rub should
ers at the gaming tables. There is
very little class distinction, for as
long as they have money, all are
equally welcome. They gamble seven
days in the week and all saloons are
open all the time, and there are many
of these latter. Your readers may
draw their own conclusions as to the
immoral influences thus exerted.
Leaving Ell Paso I travelled over
the Southern Pacific Railroad to the
city of Houston, Texas, distance of
eight hundred miles.
Sixty miles east of Ell Paso Sierra
Blanco Heights is reached at an alti-
tude of five thousand feet. Descend
ing many miles on the east slope, an
immense tract of nice land is in view.
estimated at two hundred thousand
acres, which is used for grazing pur-
poses. On this land, water is pumped
by windmills into metal tanks about
three feet high and thirty feet in di-
ameter, all of them resting on the
surface of the ground, with a contin-
uous flow of water at all times, for
the cattle which are in good condi-
tion
Travelling on, San Antonio is at last
reached. This city has population
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