A bit of a history lesson that's interesting.



Trish Long: Border fee dispute with Mexico led El Paso to issue ID cards
Posted: 03/05/2011 12:00:00 AM MST

Dear Trish: I've been researching my grandparents, and among their effects I've found some identification cards. In essence, they are photo IDs "to certify that [Name is listed] whose picture appears on the margin hereof is a bona fide resident of El Paso, Texas, having lived here more than six months." The cards are signed by the mayor of El Paso, Charles Davis Jr. From research I've found he was mayor of El Paso from 1917 to 1923. Thank you, Mary Jones, Fort Worth, Texas.

Mary, I happened across an article dated Jan. 5, 1921, "Tourists Still In Mourning At Passport Order," that reported, "Up to a late hour last evening, no information had been received by Juárez Immigration officers or Consul General Luis Montes de Oca of El Paso indicating that the Mexican government had receded from its position of refusing to recognize short term passports issued by the American government.

"No more one day, five day or 10 day permits are being issued at the immigration office at the Chamber of Commerce. Tourists making application for them are told the permits would not be reconciled and they would simply put themselves to inconvenience by trying to go to Juárez."

Mexico's ban on short-term passports appeared to be in retaliation for a $10 visa fee the U.S. consul was charging residents of Mexico to travel into the U.S. Juárez residents wanted the fee waived for travel into El Paso.

A May 6, 1921, article reported that Juárez business had been paralyzed by the ban on passports. "Juárez heretofore has been the main attraction for tourists, they argued. Juárez has offered the thirsty traveler the alcoholic mixtures which they crave. But, now, with the gate to Mexico at this point closed to them, tourists will pass El Paso by and go to Laredo, Eagle Pass or California."

On May 10, 1921, "the bull fighting event of the year" was announced at the Juárez ring. It was to "take place next Sunday, May 16, when Rodolfo Gaona, the premier matador of the world, will make his initial appearance here. Gaona has a reputation both in Spain, Mexico and South America as the most spectacular and skillful bullfighter of the decade. He has been a matador for 13 years, fighting during the winter at the principal cities of Spain, and during the summer in Mexico and in South America."

"Next Sunday's fight will see a new Juárez record for a bull fighter's purse, as Gaona will receive in the neighborhood of $9,200. He regularly receives from $5,000 to $10,000 an appearance and has accumulated a fortune reckoned in Spain at 3,060,000 pesetas. Gaona arrived Saturday with his wife and baby from Mexico City, and they are now at the Hotel Fisher."

It was even rumored that revolutionary leader Francisco "Pancho" Villa would visit Juárez to attend the bullfight. He had not been seen in Juárez since 1915.

On May 12, the city announced it would resume issuing border permits: "Bona fide citizens of El Paso will be permitted to visit Juárez on an identification card issued by the city and signed by the mayor. A photograph of the applicant must be on the card. There will be no visa charge exacted in this instance, the only charge being 25 cents for the revenue stamp, which will be placed on the card at the Mexican consulate. But, if the bona fide citizen desires to visit a point in the interior of Mexico he will have to make application for the regular passport.

"The latest visiting arrangements between the border cities were effected by Acting Mayor R.C. Semple in conference yesterday with Luis Montes de Oca and A.F. Pesquiera, consul. Prior to this the acting mayor conferred with Roberto de la Mora, inspector general of Mexican immigration, and the latter agreed to abide by any agreement which Mr. Semple might reach with the officials for the Mexican consulate.

The May 14 edition of the Times told of a busy day at the city clerk's office, "The cause for the busy day was the stream of applicants for permits to visit Juárez that flowed into the office throughout the day. There were disappointed ones who came after 5 o'clock, the closing hour. One man almost cried because the permit cards had been locked up for the night and there was no possible chance for him to get one. One woman, who wore earrings that hung down and tickled her on the neck, took it with more composure. She thought that she could wait until morning.

"Acting Mayor R.C. Semple had to sign every card. As soon as he reached his office in the city hall yesterday and caught sight of those waiting in the long line to be served, he removed his hat and coat and went to work signing. There was just a wrinkle left of a collar that was perfectly good and upright when he put in his first appearance. The reason for this was the acting mayor signed more than 700 cards, writing just as fast as he could."

Trish Long is the El Paso Times' Archivist and spends her time in the morgue, where the newspaper keeps its old clippings and photos. She shares some of this history in her blog, Tale From the Morgue.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_1754 ... otimes.com