Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
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Mood: Just dancing through life
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An Uncommon Border
(This is just a teaser from a new book I am working on)
The most crossed, cussed and discussed border in the world. Where! Why, just south of San Diego and a tad north of Tijuana. Gringos complain if they
are stopped going south for more than five minutes. Mexicans and Gringos alike complain about the long waits heading north into Estados Unidos.
Literally millions of citizens of the world cross this border with little or no hassle.
Wander back a little over a hundred years in time and you will be amazed?no really ticked off should you attempt to cross the border?no, not NORTH but
SOUTH into Baja. Toss your imagination back a ways and you will find gringos from Northern California, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Colorado, and Arizona
camped just south of the Tijuana River. You got it, hundreds of men sitting on their arces, waiting to be processed and cleared to enter the
Territory of Baja California.
Believe it there ?was? a Tijuana River and normally it could be easily forded by wagon or horse to get to the Mexican Custom house. Every person and
animal attempting to enter Baja had to be inspected, certified, and paid for. Sure, why not! GOLD had just been discovered in the Santa Clara
Mountains which were about 60 miles southeast of Ensenada. The year was 1889 and gold had been found by Bacillio Padilla in December 1888. Wonder if
he was a relative of the Padilla?s who now sell automobile insurance at the border When Luman Caskill, a respected miner from the gold strikes to the
north in 1849, declared that??Clara? was the best gold strike since the ?49?s people the world over came rushing.
Okay! You think we got problems now well back in 1889 it took at least 24 hours to cross the border in a southerly direction! Sure, you had to wait
in line at the Mexican Customs House for at least a day to have ?all? of your supplies inspected. A few of them always wandered away in the process.
Then you had to pay $40.00 to get your horse into Mexico. And they charged you $6.00 dollars (American) to cross yourself. Donkeys and burros were
free. Such a deal!
Imagine, if you can how much money that would be in today?s dollars.
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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Eli
Super Nomad
Posts: 1471
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: L.B. Baja Sur
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O.K., Bernie, you got my attention, I am ready to read more, and I am not even into history. Saludos, Sara
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chicagoross
Newbie
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Registered: 5-16-2005
Location: Batangas, Philippines
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I have a picture of my grandma, at age 16, driving her Dad's car (a huge White touring car) into TJ after driving it out from Kansas - American roads
at that time were dirt, so what an adventure! Of interest was that the border crossing sign said "Tiajuana", not Tijuana like nowadays. I've heard
self proclaimed baja experts make fun of people saying "tia" instead of "Ti...", telling them "it's not aunt Jane!" Well, maybe not, but it sure as
hell was in 1916!
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Me No
Banned
Posts: 444
Registered: 11-24-2003
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Now it is more like Mary Jane.
Nice story Bernie. Keep on cookin!
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Braulio
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Registered: 11-7-2002
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Yeah - good stuff as usual Bernie.
I imagine that that filibusters and the fairly recent (40-50 years) loss of land by Mexico to the US might have had something to do with things being
tighter too.
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
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Mood: Just dancing through life
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Boy am I glad you guys responded
So happy you guys/gal responded I was beginning to think that I would have to totally rethink my next book. I had planned on exposing a million
little, fun, facts that few people, even the 'old timers' know about Baja. Stuff like 'chincagoross' just talked about--and he is right. It was
Tiajuana on that old sign for years. Sure wish he would post that old picture here so I could steal it. I have a bunch of pic's from about 1900-1940
at the border and you would not believe the changes.
How many of you know that an Old Steam Locomotive lays ar the bottom of San Quinten Bay???
Thanks again
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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