Collection Timeline

1910 to undated (1880

1910
Concrete and steel bridge design with arches and intended placements featuring statues of prominent Mexican and US men
Photograph of carriages and trolley on international bridge at US Customs checkpoint surrounded by people
View of downtown El Paso Street with concrete and brick buildings, wagons, bicycles, and streetcar rails

1915
A woman and child cross the international bridge between El Paso and Juarez
View of city of El Paso with mountains

1916
Telegram: "Hundreds dirty lousey destitute Mexicans arriving at El Paso daily will undoubtedly bring and spread typhus unless a quarantine is placed at once. The City of El Paso backed by its medical board and state federal and militia officials feel that the government should put on a quarantine."

1917
Newspaper headline and story: "Auburn-haired Amazon at Santa Fe Street Bridge Leads Feminine Outbreak. Rumor Among Servant Girls That Quarantine Officers Photographed Bathers in the Altogether Responsible for Wild Scenes. Luckless Laborer Mistakes Character of Demonstration, Shouts “Viva Villa,” and His Career is Promptly Ended by Bullets From Carranza Cavalry.Street Cars Seized and Detained for Hours and Conductors and Motormen, One With a Black Eye, Are Escorted Back to El Paso. Juarez women, incensed at the American quarantine regulations, led a riot yesterday morning at the Santa Fe bridge. From the time the street cars began to run until the middle of the afternoon thousands of Mexicans thronged the Juarez side of the river and pushed out to the tollgate on the bridge. Women ringleaders of the mob hurled stones at American civilians, both on the bridge and on the streets of Juarez. Four street cars which crossed into Juarez early in the morning were sealed, and the eight members of the crew sent, afoot, back to El Paso, one of them brining a black eye and bruised face as a memento. A Villa sympathizer who started a diversion during the excitement by shouting “Death to Carranza! Viva Villa!” was promptly shot by a Carranza soldier. Four bullets took effect, killing him instantly. Mounted Men Disperse Crowd Toward the middle of the afternoon, when the excitement had died down somewhat, mounted men dispersed the crowd on the Juarez side of the bridge. American soldiers also forced back the Mexicans on the bridge to the international line at the middle of the river, the Mexicans having previously pushed as far as the tollgate, where they hung over the railing to jeer their compatriots who entered the bathhouse to comply with the regulations. Street Car Traffic Interrupted The street cars which had been stopped in Juarez were brought back about 2 o’clock, but after one car made the trip it was discontinued for the rest of the day. False Reports Responsible for Trouble When women were ordered to get off the street cars and submit to being bathed and disinfected before passing to the American side the rioting started. Reports were circulated that the women were being insulted in the bathhouse and photographed while nude. The greater part of them refused to go to the bath and became indignant when they were ordered off the street cars, after having paid their fares, and could not have their nickel refunded.Carmilita Torres Leads Demonstration When refused permission to enter El Paso without complying with the regulations the women collected in an angry crowd at the center of the bridge. By 8 o’clock the throng, consisting in large part of servant girls employed in El Paso, had grown until it packed the bridge half way across. Led by Carmelita Torres, an auburn-haired young woman of 17, they kept up a continuous volley of language aimed at the immigration and health officers, civilians, sentries and any other visible American. Small stones were thrown, but the missiles were little more dangerous than the language. Some few automobiles which braved their fury and pushed through to the other side were showered with mud and stones. Motorman’s Grotesque Escape One of the street car motormen, finally making his way back to the American side, emerged from the mob with half a dozen women clinging to him, endeavoring to drag him down. The controllers of the street cars were carried away by the women and used for weapons or thrown into the river. Carranza cavalrymen were unable during the morning to make any headway against the crowd, although they drew their sabers threateningly. Women laughingly caught their bridles and turned their horses aside, holding the soldiers’ sabers and whips. American sentries had to be placed under the bridge to prevent Mexicans from jumping off upon the sand and reaching the American side in that manner. These sentries were exposed to the marksmanship of a gang of small Mexican boys, who threw sticks and mud. Carranza Cavalry Active One of the significant incidents of the disturbances across the river yesterday morning was the action of the Mexican military authorities in parading their forces on Juarez avenue. Not only was the civil population of Juarez permitted to make a disgusting exhibition, but the Mexican soldiers were turned out as though to encourage the civilians in their anti-cleanup demonstration. A surprisingly large number of soldiers were revealed when the Mexican commander marshaled his forces on the avenue. With the famous skull and crossbones flag of the Murgia division flying and a band playing, the forces of General Murgia made a picturesque showing. Just why they were placed on parade could not be fathomed by the few Americans who happened to see them. At the American end of the bridge quiet efficiency prevailed. The handful of American soldiers who patrolled the grounds around the customs house continued to walk their beats just as though a seething Latin mob scene was not being enacted a few feet away. Girls Attack Automobiles Those who witnessed the actions of the Mexican mob at the end of the bridge will never forget it. Composed largely of young girls, the mob seemed bent on destroying anything that came from the American side. As soon as an automobile would cross the line the girls would absolutely cover it. The scene reminded one of bees swarming. The hands of the feminine mob would claw and tear at the tops of the cars. The glass rear windows of the autos were torn out, the tops torn to pieces and parts of the fittings, such as lamps and horns, were torn away. All of this happened in view of Mexican military, who had a sufficient force at hand to stop any kind of difficulty. But the commanders and the soldiers seemed in sympathy with the mob. The impulse was to injure and insult Americans as much as possible without actually committing murder. Jose Maria Sanchez Stops Bullets Later in the morning, when the crowd had grown to several thousand, including a large percentage of men, the Villa sympathizer above mentioned made his unfortunate outbreak, and received the four bullets. His name was given as Jose Maria Sanchez, a laborer. Consul General Garcia Appeals to Crowd About 10 o’clock Andres G. Garcia, Mexican consul general, drove out upon the bridge in his automobile and succeeded to some extent, in quieting the mob. When he started back to the American side the crowd seized the wheels of his car, endeavoring to keep him on the Mexican side. An automobile carrying mail was turned back when it tried to cross into Juarez, the crowd refusing to give way and ordering the driver’s return to El Paso. Mexicans Survive Bath Early in the afternoon, as Mexicans continued to come out of the bathhouse without appreciable injury, the crowd began to break up. Mounted Mexican soldiers drove them away from the river bank and cleared the end of the bridge, allowing none to pass the custom house except those who washed to enter El Paso. Similar restrictions had been earlier put into affect on the American side. Crowds of spectators had gathered near the El Paso end of the bridge to watch the excitement, and groups were strung for some distance along the bank. At least one “professional bather” has already been developed by the quarantine. A man of about 60 years was found to be taking his fifth cleansing of the day, with the object of selling the certificates to his countrymen. Certificates Required of Travelers The certificates read “United Stated Public Health Service, Mexican Border Quarantine. The bearer, …………, has been this day deloused, bathed, vaccinated, clothing and baggage disinfected.” No railroad tickets will be issued out of the city to Mexicans unless such certificates are presented. Many Mexicans were refused transportation yesterday for this reason. The owner of a bathhouse in Juarez was among the instigators of the riot and was seen inciting the women through the morning. Many laughable incidents were reported by the health officers, quoting their conversations with Mexicans ordered to the baths. One argues eloquently that he had bathed well in July. Another put up a logical debate with the officers, alleging there was more typhus in El Paso than in Juarez, proving American methods wrong."
Newspaper article covering "shortage of laborers and servants in El Paso" due to "bath riots" and notes arrest of two Mexican men and one Mexican woman, all unnamed.
Newspaper article includes details that "Mexican officials are preparing to retaliate by declaring a quarantine against El Paso and requiring the bathingn of all Americans who cross to the Juarez side"
Newspaper article covering end of "bath riots"
Dozens of Mexican men, women, and children wait in line for chemical delousing baths at El Paso Quarantine Station
Newspaper article covering "serious rioting" of "500 men and women" at the international bridge between El Paso and Juarez. Includes references to "Mexican Cavalry using whips" and "shouts of 'death to the gringoes'" yielding an "anti-American feeling."
Newspaper article covering "a misunderstanding over quaranting regulations" involving the "quarantine order that all persons of unclean appearance seeking to cross the bridge be given a shower bath and their clothing be disinfected to kill typhus-bearing vermin." Article frames women's modes of organization as "circulated stories" regarding chemicals and circulation of nude photos.

1923
Update in weekly El Paso chapter of KKK newspaper reporting member's employment with posting quarantine signage

2024
Response to Carmelita Torres' story
Response to Carmelita Torres' story
Response to Carmelita Torres' story
Response to "When did you stand up for yourself/ your family/ your beliefs?"
Response to "When did you stand up for yourself/ your family/ your beliefs?"
Response to "When did you stand up for yourself/ your family/ your beliefs?"
Response to "When did you stand up for yourself/ your family/ your beliefs?"
Response to "When did you stand up for yourself/ your family/ your beliefs?"
Response to "When did you stand up for yourself/ your family/ your beliefs?"
Response to "When did you stand up for yourself/ your family/ your beliefs?"
Response to "When did you stand up for yourself/ your family/ your beliefs?"
Response to "When did you stand up for yourself/ your family/ your beliefs?"
Response to "When did you stand up for yourself/ your family/ your beliefs?"
Response to Carmelita Torres' story

c. 1900
Postcard depicting trolley at the US Customs Inspection checkpoint as it crosses international bridge

c. 1910
Photograph of carriages and trolley on international bridge at US Customs checkpoint surrounded by people
View of downtown El Paso Street with concrete and brick buildings, wagons, bicycles, and streetcar rails

c. 1915
View of city of El Paso with mountains

undated (1874
Stanton Street Bridge

undated (1880
Acting Assistant Surgeon Irving McNeil Examining Mexican Immigrants
"South view of quarantine station and Rio Grande River. Gas House in rear. Building with flag pole, Immigration Building."
"Quarantine Station, El Paso, Texas. View of boilers in disinfecting plant - one horizontal and one upright, with hot water tank above (left). This is a double plant so that if one unit is closed down for repairs, the work may be continued uninterruptedly."
"Quarantine Station, El Paso, Texas. View of mens' undressing room, with shower baths and dressing room in distance."
"Quarantine Station, El Paso, Texas. View of steam sterilizers in sterilizing room. Note aperture for passing out clothes and box to receive same (right front). Similar opening and box on the other side is not shown in the picture. This is a double plant so that if one unit is closed down for repairs, the work may be continued uninterruptedly."