Birth of Mexican North Texas

If you had been in the areas of Thurber, Coalville, Mingus, Gordon, Strawn or Bridgeport in the late 1890’s you would have seen the area teeming with Mexicans.    They came to North Texas during a period called the Porfiriorato in Mexico.    Porfirio Diaz, President of Mexico may have been a strong ruler but the only ones that had to fear him most were the rich and powerful willing to take a chance and displace him.    For most Mexicans life consisted of work, church and an occasional trip to the cantina.    Life in Mexico was simple and peaceful.    Except for the occasional bar fight or drunken disturbance life was tranquil. 



Porfirio Diaz wanted Mexico to be an economic powerhouse.    He opened up the country to foreign investment.    Money from Britain, France and the United States poured in.    Transportation was the key to economic development so a railroad system to connect all of Mexico had to be built first.    Once the railroad was built there was a need for coal.    The coal was found in Zaragoza, Coahuila.    Mexico had experienced railroad workers or traqueros as they were called and coal miners.    They were the best of Mexico.    

Texas businessmen also saw the need for a railroad in Texas and encouraged the legislature to invest money in building a railroad in Texas.    Railroads were needed to connect Texas to the gulf coast and to the Rio Grande.    There was also saw a need to connect Texas going east to New Orleans, west to California and north to Chicago.    There was only one detriment to building the railroad.    Comanche’s. North Texas was Comanche country.    “This changed with the end of the civil war Army resources could now be used to remove this menace.    

Astute Texas businessmen knew where to get experienced traqueros.    Astute Texas businessmen knew where to get experienced miners. Right across the Rio Grande in Mexico.    It was not too hard to get the traqueros to sign on to install the railroad track in Texas. There was no more railroad to install in Mexico.    Pay may not have been great but it beat being unemployed.    There was only one stipulation.    You could not be afraid of Indians.    

Most of the rail was being installed in uninhabited rural areas of Texas.    Food and sleeping accommodations were provided by the railroad.    Traqueros lived out of boxcars in it was everything the workers needed.    On a good week 12 miles of track could be laid.    Occasionally, entertainment available was provided by the railroad.    

Not everyone was pleased with the Porfiriorato.    Working class Mexicans were known to voice their displeasure against the government in various ways like strikes or work slowdowns.    When the government was unresponsive to the needs of its workers Mineros voiced their displeasure the only way they could, with their feet.    That was the only voice they had and they used it.    Trekking north mineros found work in gold, silver and coal mines in America.    They came with their family and made America their home. Traqueros and mineros are the birth of Mexican North Texas and beyond.