ceniceros1

email from Penti

Mike, this is Pantalion Pentie Ceniceros.  I looked at the Smeltertown website and I did not find anything under my name or Ceniceros.  How can I update the info?  I can probably get as much info and provide you with it.  My parents, Guadalupe and Cristina Ceniceros grew up in Smeltertown.  We left in 1956 when they started evicting people from Smeltertown.

We lived on Rio Grande St.  My dad worked at ASARCO for 40 years.  My older brothers.  sisters and myself went to E.B. Jones school.  My older brothers and Catino attended E.P. Tech High School.  Only Pirrin graduated from Tech.  The rest of us went to San Juan Elementary, Henderson Middle School  and Jefferson High School after moving to the Tejas Additon in 1956.

My dad's brother, Jose Ceniceros, also lived in Smeltertown.  My mom's sister, Estanislada Lujan was our neighbor.  You may remember Cuco and Sammy Lujan.  My Uncle Jesus Lujan also worked at ASARCO and retired from the company.  They moved to the Clardy Fox area when they left Smeltertown.

More from Penti

I do remember quite a bit of Smeltertown. 

The restaurant "Chenchas Tacos" on doniphan drive.  The bakery where we went to get churros and listen to "oldies".  "Chon's" billiards,  "El Molino" etc.

Note: Doña Chencha use to pack lunch boxes for the ASARCO workers and some of us would run them up to the gate by the old burned out church at noon. We had better be there when the noon whistle went off. The tacos were good. Fried taco with a bit of meat, “betavel”and thinly shredded cabbage instead of lettuce. Works well.

The billiards were in the businesses below street level. El molino was at the end of EB Jones street by Irene “Nene’s” Mier’s house. Lencho Roman and the Aguirre family live their later on.

Yes, Rio Grande St was by the YMCA.  I remember Mr. Trujillo the asst to Beto Lopez who was in charge of the Y. 

Note: another street identified. Sam roman live in the rock house just west of the Y past the canal.

I remember the exact location of "La Cuadrilla, La Calavera, EB Jones School, the Church.  What I don't remember very well are the street names. 

I will forward your email to Ruben Nunez he may be of some help...

More from Penti Aug 31, 2007. He has a good memory..

…..

Mike, I don't know much about why employees of ASARCO immigrated to Smeltertown but I do know that my dad started working for ASARCO at the age of 18.  His oldest brother, Jose, rode with Pancho Villa.  I believe a lot of the families fled from Mexico because of Pancho Villa.  It is possible that many of them came over during the depression seeking employment as well.  Although, border cities did not suffer much from the depression because they could go into Mexico for much needed groceries. My dad worked for ASARCO for 44 years.

ASARCO did much for Smeltertown and El Paso regardless of what people say.  Economically speaking, all ASARCO employees were better off because the pay was better than most places.  I did not realize this until we moved from Smeltertown and noticed living conditions of newly made friends.  You could say that in Smeltertown we were one in the same because all had good jobs, ASARCO, El Paso Brick, and El Paso Portland Cement.  When we left Smeltertown our eyes were opened to other mexican culture, better neighborhoods, communities, schoools, homes, stores, etc., etc. because we were isolated and without complaints at Smeltertown.

I remember all high school age students being bused to El Paso High, El Paso Tech and Bowie High schools.  There we no other high schools around or close by.  Smeltertown had its share of violence, gangs, etc. and was known for a rowdy town that the police hardly patroled the area.  We had everything we needed at Smeltertown.  We only had convenience stores and families went out for groceries, movies, etc., downtown.

I remember being picked up in trucks to go pick cotton and we also went to the E.P. Country Club to caddy to help out the family and have extra spending money.

More to come later....