Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-10-07
WAR AND FLOOD
PREVENT FEAST
AT MACDALENA


tivaI in the picturesque pueblo of
Magdalena, Sonora, Tuesday, the god
of war and the devastations of ter
rible floods combining to prevent
Indians and Mexicans from holding
the festival.
In this pueblo reposes the effigy OF
Saint Francis, the patron saint o.
Mexicans and southwestern Indians,
thousands of whom made pilgrim
ages each year in order to kiss the
toe of the sainted martyr and receive
the blessings of the padres.
i Each year the pueblo has been the
scene Of a joyous festival in which
thousands participated. But the
pueblo was deserted Tuesday because,
first, the new church law of Mexico
has deprived the shrine of it's padres,
and secondly, the torrential rains have
cut off railway and highway trans
portation.
The history of the old church dates
4 hack to the seventeenth journeyings
Of Father Eusebio Francisco Kino and
looking backwards through the pages
of history the reader finds that the
deVout each year moved en- toto to the
San Francisco shrine. 1t is beyono
the ken Of mankind to place any oeri-
mite date on the beginning or this
ceremonial. 1t is known, however
that it dates back century.
In years past the latter days OF
September have witnessed long lines
of every conceivable kind of vehicle
4 passing through this city to Mas
!, dalena Papago Indians off their re-
servations in Arizona taking tneit
worldly possessions to the Mexican
shrine. other Indians from New
Mexico and still others from Call
fornia. From the south the Pill
rrimage was usually made by tram.
The now rebellious Yaqui was wonc
to travel IN state in special trains
provided by the government. It Is
said that refusal of the government
this year to meet the usual require
ments of the Indians resulted In the
present strife. Each year Magdalena's 8
population was swelled to many times
its natural size by devout and thosC
who went to see. This year there is
supreme silence.
There is a popular fo!ble tnat says
so many kisses were bestowed on the
sacred toe of the image of Saint Fran
els that three years ago the church
was compelled to have new one
made.
1t is also reported that conations
| last year ran in excess of forty
| thousand pesos. Two boxes are affixed
1 to either wall at the entrance Ono
is for the church, the other the
government They have been in the
custom of sharing alike.
/
Here on Business
Lawrence J. Lynch, of Phoenix, was
1 in Douglas on business Wednesday.
Phoenix Visitors
Mr.. and Mrs. c. H. Edgars, OF
Phoenix, were Douglas visitors
i Wednesday.
Here From Tucson
M. F. Newberry, of Tucson, was in
= Douglas on business Wednesday.
Here on Business
George Cady and NJ Cady, of Phoe-
nix, were in Douglas on business
Wednesday.
On Business Trip
]. n Gotta, agent of the Nacozar.
railroad ut Aqua Prieta, left Wednes-
day morning for short business trip
to Fronteras.
Visiting IN Bisbec
Mrs Henry williams, of Douglas, is
spending a week in Bisbee the
guest of Mrs A. E. Brehm, while
Brehm and Williams are deer hunt
ing at the Faraway ranch.
\ News of Birth
Mr.. and Mrs Randolph Nelson,
| Ill17 Twelfth street, are parents Of a
! daughter, born Tuesday.
News of Birth
I Born to Mr.. and Mrs. John A. Prior,
J. 1241 Greene street, a seven and one
half pound son. Mother and baby
, doing nicely.
Change of Residence
Mr.. and Mrs Dan McGivern have
moved from 1905 Fifteenth street to
l 737 F avenue.
To Ell Paso
Mr.. and Mrs. W. P. Hart, of 945
. Thirteenth street, left Wednesday
J night for Ell Paso, Texas, where they
i VIII make their home.
4 Y. w. G. A. Swimming
The usual Thursday ladies' night at
the Y. M. C. A. for swimming will not
be held tonight because of the fair en-
e tertainments With the cooler weather
il now in Douglas the Y. w. c. A. will
: discontinue it's Thursday evenings at
the Y. M. G. A., and there will be no
/ further swimming until next spring.
Il The Women's Recreation club, however,
Twill begin it's season at once with the
first meeting a social one to get new
members Informed as to the plan OF the
o club and to do preliminary organlza-