The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1937-12-30
Attended Bull
Fight In
Old Mexico
Mr.. and Mrs. j. j. Smith Re-
turned From Trip To
Texas Last Week
SAW INTERESTING SITES
Enjoyed Fishing In Gulf Of
Mexico-Conditions Are
Favorable

Mr.. and Mrs. ]. J. Smith, of this
city, in company with Mr.. and Mrs.
Fred Schultz, Of Osakis, returned
last week from thirty-three day
motor trip to Texas. During that
time they covered about six thou
sand miles and visited many inter-
esting sites and scenes. They visit
ed during part Of the time with rel
atives of Mr.. and Mrs. Schultz at
Brownsville, Texas.
Among the interesting sites was
a visit to the oil fields at Pampa
and Amarillo. Pampa, Mr.. Smith
said, is the largest oil field in the
Southwest, with 100 miles of moth
ing but huge Oil derricks. They saw
the manufacture Of carbon, an in
teresting sight.
Among the unusual events at
tended was bull fight held at Ma
tamoros, Mexico, a city across the
border line from Brownsville. This
fight was held in large arena with
a seating capacity of about 10000.
The arena was about two-thirds
filled, with about half Of the at
tendance being made up by Ameri-
cans.
Mr.. Smith said the bull fight is
q cruel exhibition, one he would
not care to see again. He did not
watch the matador kill the first
bull. The only American matador,
named Franklin, a resident OF Phil
adelphia, took part in the exhibit
ton. He killed two bulls, while the
Mexican matadors each killed one
Of the four slaughtered for amuse-
ment.
When the bulls are about to be
turned into the arena, darts or
spears are stuck into their backs to
make them ugly, then the toreador
starts. At the proper time the bull
Is dispatched by the matador, who
does the trick with a three-foot
sword. The sword is stuck into the
shoulder of the bull, and down
through until it appears between
the front legs. It Is cruel and in
human, said Mr.. Smith, and when
the bull is stuck he drops first to
one knee, then to the other and
finally lies down. Then a team OF
mules Is hitched to the bull and he
is dragged from the scene, and an
other bull is driven into the arena.
The Mexicans take this sport ser
ious, and do their roofing in much
the same manner as that carried on
rby Americans at baseball and foot
ball games. Although he could not
understand them, Mr.. Smith said,
they probably shouted, kill him."
take him out of there" etc.
During the progress of the bull
fight it is also customary to bring
in two horses. These said Mr..
Smith, are poor old crows. Some
times they are killed by the bull, as
he leaps for them and throws them
into the air. During the fight he
attended, only one horse was
knocked down.
Admission to the circular arena Is
$50 in American money. The
arena Is about onelhaR block
across, with seats the same as in a
grandstand. A six-foot wall is built
around the circle and the seats
slant up from the top OF the wall.
A canopy covers the entire arena.
The bulls used are native to
Mexico, with long horns, some OF
them three feet from tip to tip.
They are built more for speed than
beef and weigh about 900 or 1000
pounds. The bulls look like Jerseys,
but are darker in color. Mr.. Smith
said they are not vicious animals,
but are made that way by jabbing
spears into them.
Conditions in Texas are fair, he
said. Although they also have had
poor crops in the past, the fruit
crop this year is very good. Cab
bage, which sold at $25 per ton, was
very good. Cabbage is the winter
crop and it was coming onto the
market at the time of their visit.
Cotton will be planted about the
middle Of March, and Is usually
picked in July and August. How
ever, in that region, cotton picking
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