1952: Transportation in El Paso has changed a lot over years

(Editor's note: This is the 11th article on early El Paso history by Cleofas Calleros, El Paso historian.)

Cleofas Calleros

Hacks, surreys, and buggies were familiar sights on the streets of El Paso in 1896. They solved the problems of logistics remarkably well. For those who wanted to get across town in the shortest possible time and with least effort, the hacks were just the thing!

Today they would seem miserably inadequate-too slow, too uncomfortable, too crude, and too impossible. And no radio!

But in 1896 it was a different story. And in 1590 it was a far different story. A wheel supporting carretas was the last word in modern transportation, and in that year, the explorer Castano de Sosa introduced this innovation in El Paso. With an oxen train of 10 or more carretas, he crossed Ojinaga followed the Pecos River, and finally explored central and north eastern New Mexico.

Sosa’s expedition being an unauthorized one, Capt. Juan se Morlete was sent by the viceroy to arrest him. Finding Sosa in New Mexico pueblos, he placed him in chains and made preparations for the tedious return trip. Morlete determined not to return by the original route, which was dangerous and seemingly impassible. The terrain has damaged several of the carretas.

Slaves Mutinied

Consequently Morlete brought his prisoner down the Rio Grande, through El Paso del Norte, and into Chihuahua, eventually reaching Zacatecas. In Mexico City, Sosa was tried, found guilty in a court which mocked justice, and sentenced to exile in China. Shortly afterwards on board a Chinese galley some where in the Pacific, the slaves mutinied and Sosa was killed.

When carretas became outdated, they were replaced by mule trains. The first of these to make its appearance in El Paso del Norte, was traveling El Camino Real from Durango to Santa Fe N. M. Sixteen in all, passing through over a period of years they took from four to six months to make the round trip.

Then, when the establishment of the Overland Mall in 1857 also known as the “jackass” Mall Route the stage coach appeared on the El Paso horizon. The route originated in San Antonio, Texas passed through El Paso and continued to San Diego, The founder of this first east-west enterprise was James E. Birch.

Then the Pacific Overland Mall, more commonly known as the Butterfield overland Mall – the famous old line which stretched from St. Louis, Mo. to San Francisco was established by John Butterfield. Indians raided the stagecoach and everybody fell in the rivers, just like in the movies. But that line represents a colorful saga in American history, in which El Paso and its surrounding territory played starring roles.

Famous Stop

This is so, probably because one of the most famous stops along the Butterfield route was Hueco Tanks. A historical marker, placed by the Texas Centennial Commission, recognizes the fact.

It would have cost you $200 and an inestimable amount of physical damage to travel to San Diego from San Antonio along the “Jackass Mall” Coach. If you were traveling to the “Deligencias”, as the Durango-Santa Fe stage coach line was known, you would have been less comfortable. The terrain was bumpier, and the seats were harder. What is worst had been your traveling from Durango, only as far as Paso Del Norte, they would have stuck you 100 duros. (A Mexican duro-ocho-reales—was then worth two American dollars).

In 1881, seemingly the last word I modern transportation made its initial appearance in El Paso. That was the year that the first train came, puffing down its nose at the mule-train trolley car which operated between El Paso and Paso Del Norte.

The little Juarez El Paso Tranvias bowed out that year, yielding to time and progress and modern invention.

Comments

[Christine Montgomery]

How interesting!

[El Paso]

Interesting information. Where do historians find such stuff? Thanks for the post.