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Show TO KVh RFATPR 1U uLil DtillLr! American Line Into Mexico Stretches Over 300 Miles South Great Achievements Achieve-ments in Two Weeks. By Aeroplane to Field Headquarters, Headquart-ers, Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, March 29. (By Aeroplane to Columbus. Colum-bus. N. M., March 31.) Tho line of communications maintained by Sherman Sher-man in his march to the sea has been exceeded already in the line stretched by the American troops southward Into Mexico. This lino today exceeded exceed-ed 300 miles in length. Sherman finally fin-ally cut loose from his line and that is precisely what Brigadier-General J. J. Pershing is prepared to do, if necessary, neces-sary, when tho final dash after Villa is ready. Tho lino of this dash is uncertain but indications today pointed strangely strange-ly to situations unexpected a week ago. American troops without a railroad, have opened a line directly into Villa's noted hiding places, all In less than two weeks. At the head of this line are columns guarding avenues, which Villa might try to use for doubling on his trail whllo at tho front is a body of men whoso exploits aro dally filtering filter-ing along the long communication. lino, filling the troops pressing for- j ward from the rear stations with an- 'jj ticipation, and maintaining the most j gallant of American military tradl- j tions. j Strength of Men Tested. 'jl In hard campaigning about two doz- j! en of the vanguard have dropped from II tho ranks for hospital treatment. jl There is not enough illness, however. 111 to affect any part of tho original ill strength of the pursuing -units. Mean- j III whllo the other are said to havo hard- J ened to their work as they advanced. i If the line of communications holds up jj under tho strain of cross country jj transportation problems It appears lljj ' that Villa will be hunted with increas- J j ed vigor. Tho men along tho route ill! express no apprehension that the line !) ' will fail. HI Pershing In Desolate Country. II The country whero General Persti-1' i J ing's march has been made is prob- ably more destitute than 'was the j; section through which Sherman J passed. Pershing's commands havo II not been able to live off the resources j! of the territory passed, a country not ; jj only devastated by four years of civil I war; (but also more primitive and I, snarselv settled, even before Mex- II ico's recent revolutions than the re- mote sections of the United States. j I Wireless and aeroplanes have as- i J sisted in maintaining tho 300 mile j' lino into Mexico, but the cavalry has j; outspeeded everything except the j aeroplanes. The wireless is pushing ' j forward some distance behind the for- I ,; ward columns. The aeroplanes aro jj ' 1 now going through practicaly all the , jj '; way. The only advice tho senior avla- I Jj tors give the youngsters is: "There j are no landing places. You must I jj f trust to God to get through." ) j v Cavalry Men Wear Out Shoe3. j, Ono of tho stories from tho front ( I tells how the cavalrymen have ob- j j; tained new soles for their shoes ' J. which many of them have worn out I j in walking or dog trotting behind j' their horses, in order to have tho j strength of the mounts. They havo Jj used parts of superfluous leather j from their stirrups to reinforce their j! phoes. Some of these cavalrymen Ji : believe that they will soon get sight I jl ', of Villa's band. At least they are i receiving more difforent reports about j ' his strength than were obtainable a j; ; few davs ago. They have been told ( by Mexicans along his trail that Vil- i J' la's band numbers now not much jj more than 250 men. Against tho na- , Jj tlve ability of these bandits in cop- , I, serving horses, the American riders J h !iii., n..n... Intn of fl-iotn inro. , I nuity and experience. I Jj Mexicans Want Enormous Prices. I j Subsistence off the country and, at ill' tho same time, the attempt to make j J a good impression upon tho Mexicans jl along the line of communications is I I requiring bargaining powers at once j j involving shrewdness and geniality. J jj At tho camp where this dispatch was J,' ; filed, eggs were today offered at 10 jj cents apiece by Mexican hucksters. j jj ChlckenB cost anywhere from fifty j J1 cents to a dollar each, according to h , the luck of the purchaser. One offi- j', cor paid $3.50 gold for a writing tab- t j lot. Potatoes have sold for as high i as $14.50 per bushel. One small goat, ; described by a -disgusted cook as tho i j I size of a guinea pig, was offered here j today for $4. ; Among these instances of exorbi- -1 tant prices, there have been cases of ( j , moderation and real hospitality. A i; party of men last night, coming into j I camp after dark, finding irrigation j roads practically trackless after night- , fall, received not only courteous dlrec- I lions from Mexicans turned out ot j ; ' ' bed, but personal guidance from two I , men who hurriedly donned their J clothes. The party was furnished a ; j hearty dinner for five hungry men at f ; tho total cost of fifty cents. One of the party Insisted upon adding twen- ; ty-fivo cents as a free will offering . I for tho merits of Uo food and aroma 1 j of the coffee, an excellent brand, one j ' j - difficult and somewhat expensive to J be found In this section. ' oo Armed with a tonguo and a broom- (' stick tho average woman can defeat a j regiment of men. Judge. j |