streets1

streets2

This file is a work in progress to collect information on people from Smeltertown. Read, Add, Correct, or share with anyone that still remembers the town. Email me with anything you might have. It will get cleaned up I hope will provide you a walk through the town from the eyes of the people that lived there. I will email you the file in .doc format so those interested can modify it. Just email me.

Story of interest from the town from 1924. on the murder of Rowena Robinson from Upper Smeltertown.

http://familiacortez.com/SMELTERTOWN/robinson1.htm

Remember Dec 11, 1953 a Friday. B36 hit Franklin Mtn. around 3pm. On way home from E.B Jones.

Remember the oil storage Tanks for Texaco that caught fire on McNutt road between the brick factory and Anapra.

Remember Plaza Grocery delivering groceries in old Chevy Suburban (panel truck) after a days shopping. We had no car until 1967. All bus until then.

Below are some of the street names for Smeltertown. Please send information on the name or persons you remember living on the different streets. This list is no way complete.

I reference going towards the railroad bridges as going north. When I say west it is towards the river. IBWC is International Boundary and Water Commission complex. The early years had clear river water with turtles, fish, and vegetation along the banks. Locals used to fish the river. Jess Carbajal (CHUY EL MOLINERO) remembers catching catfish in the river.

Along the front. of Smeltertown was Paisano St.(Doniphan Dr) Coming from the south past Smeltertown and beyond Buena Vista.. Montoya and Flashlight were communities of interest in that direction along with the Country Club area.

North to South AFTER they tore down half the town in the mid 1950’s

Salas St ran South to North from the IBWC fence to the drainage canal which was the area behind the old YMCA playground. Ran into the fence at the IBWC

Ran into Rivota Alley ( this ref per Fred Morales. Unsure of exact location. Maybe parallel to canal) Maybe the old 16 de Septiembre st.

Rafael Perea St. –North of the Water and Boundary Commission Property. Ran east to west. From Paisano to the fence at the levee.

In between was the IBWC complex. Enclosed by fence and had rock walls along the side at he front end.

All the other street with the exception of VFW st ran east to west into Smeltertown towards the river.

Willie Barraza aka as calle ‘B’ - First street going towards town ((south) past the IBWC

Alejandro Carlos St aka calle ‘C’

Rito Delgado St in front of Cristo Rey church

Pedro Duran St going into EB Jones playground

EB Jones St ended in front of EB Jones Elementary school.

Rodolfo Roman St (Maria Elena Delgado lived at the end)

Willie Martinez St

Carlos Lopez St

Chacon Way St

VFW St. ran parallel to Paisano St. a block into town from Willie Barraza St., in front of the church, then in front of the school.. Might have continued out to the end of town where Betty Martinez lived and the short distance to the pump station “La Pompa Negra”

BEFORE the north end of Smeltertown was tore down and the front was still intact , houses ran from almost underneath the railroad bridge to the south end of town at the pump station.

Homes of interest from the railroad bridge to the pump station. Mostly north to south

The shack that was a small store run by an elderly lady . She sold candy and such. Had a talking myna bird or a crow. Her store was right next to the railroad bridge support. By the bridge going to the brick factory.

Staying on Paisano:

The judges stone house where Sam Roman lived later, the drain canal that allowed water to flow down from the smelter hill and during river flooding, would also flood La Cuadrilla area. Right past and next to the canal was the YMCA, The street next to the Y was Rio Grande St. Penti Ceniceros lived here. A block of houses, then Rafael Perea St. with Salas St running parallel one block from the levee fence.The Acosta, Alva, Cortez, Flores and later Sam Roman lived on this street when the area was cleared. In what was the street running parallel to Paisano going back west was the Salas family. Rafael, a buddy lived on this stretch of the town. After the houses on this half were cleared , this area became an enclosed parking lot for tanker trucks. This happened after Paisano was made wider and the front part of the town tore down. Back on the front was the Doña Chencha Rodriguez grocery store that also sold hot lunches to the ASARCO workers, We would load them up and were at the gate by the remains of burned out church of Santa Rosalia as the noon whistle blew. Hot lunches for the workers. Good little fried tacos. Very little meat, ‘betavel’ (sp) and ‘repollo’ as filling. Next was some row houses that went back towards the river along the property line of the water commission property. The Water and Boundary Commission complex (IBWC) that controls the dam that takes the Rio Grande water and starts the Franklin canal. This sits at the junction of Texas, New Mexico and Mexico.

Next was the blacksmith shop across the back ally from the rock wall of the Water Commission. Next the grocery store that also had our post office that Pepa Bryant ran for years. This puts you at the corner of Willie Barraza St. On Willie Barraza St I lived at 207 and 114 addresses.. Had families named Ansalmo, Ontiveros, Gonzalez, Cortez, Vera, Fierro, Valvarde, Veliz, Marquez, Santana, Cordero, Flores and Antunes on this two block street. I know I missed a few families. Urquidi family here or Calle “C” . Memory fails me. Veliz was aunt to Emma and Andres Sanchez. Related to Rojas family from La Cuadrilla..

Past Willie Barraza St aka calle ‘B’, was Cano’s Bar, run by Francisco Cordero. The next corner was Alejandro Carlos St. aka calle ‘C’.On calle ‘C’ was the Carillo store and family. Herrera, Bustillos, Cortez (my grandparents), De Santos, Vasquez, Mier, Ortiz, Rodriguez families . Missed a bunch of names here. Right past was a soda shop in the classic sense.(Carillo family). Soda fountain and today would be called art decco. The next street was Rito Delgado St.. Familes here were Chacon, Salcido and Lopez. This street went straight into the San Jose de Cristo Rey church property. Still on Paisano was another grocery store, more houses, then Pedro Duran St. . This street went into the EB Jones play ground. Pepa Bryant and her daughter Bertha lived on this street. In the past Henry Delgado’s parents lived here. The later moved to EB Jones St. The street along the front of EB Jones was the continuation of VFW St. So did Mickey that married Chuma Salcido.. Missed families here as well.

On Paisano again, between Pedro Duran St and the next street, EB Jones St., was a ‘molino’ for making corn ‘masa’. This area also had Lencho Romans house, Irene “Nene” Mier’s house, the Aguirre house. This is during the time that the original two lane road ran in front of town. Sidewalk, two traffic lanes and the rail road tracks. We used to stand in this area because during the winter the heat from the molten slag being dumped by the ASARCO train would keep you warm for hours after the initial intense heat when the slag was first dumped. It would glow red for a couple of days in places.

On EB Jones St was the Jesus Delgado family after moving from Pedro Duran before they moved to Sunset Heights. Going a bit south was the area that had Chon’s pool halls that were below ground level, a bit further was where Andres Sanchez lived. Then the Gonzales family. Richie and I joined the Navy in 1963. At the end as the town ended by the Franklin canal fence lived Betty Martinez, then a short distance to the pumping station that took river water up to ASARCO.

Again:

Persons living on various streets:

16 de Septiembre St ( Ran parallel to drainage canal ???)

Rio Grande St. (Ran parallel to river???)

Penti Ceniceros

Rafael Perea St.

Sam Roman, Julie Alva, Federico Acosta (dad ran a small Store.), Cortez, Flores., Santiago Cortez . On the street in the old part going further west towards the Y lived Rafael Salas, a buddy about my age.

Willie Barraza St. (Calle B)

.Lalo Ansalmo, Benjamin Ontiveros, Morgan Valverde, Santana, Hilberto Marguez, Willie, Lalo, Lala Cordero, Chela Fierro, Gabby Flores, Carmen Gonzalez, Genoveva Vera, Angel Veliz. Some more family names for calle "B"; Holguin; Lopez, Fierro, Aranda; Urquidi; Contrerras; De Anda and Arrejano. Silva

More detail: From Henry Silva:

When I used to live in la calle B I will start with the front of the which was known as Highway 80

There was a filling station,Francisco(Cano)Cordero was the owner,next was the house that a Ramirez

family used to live.A girl which her name was Lupe,Brother Wanch,and Santos they were our neighbors.

Next was our house.My father Indalecio,my Mother Pomposa,I will not name all of us because we were a lot a handful.Celia,Ramona,David,Julia,Lupe,Kika,Alicia,Chapo,Simba,Yanger,& Henry

Next there was Candelario And Luz Carrasco.Mary,

& Pelon

Next Julia Holguin,Chole( Mambos ) Mother.Kiko ,Niko,Chito &Nini

Francisco Holguin(Polis)Father.

Mariquita Sanchez (Toñas)Mother)

Bobby and Natalia Flores.Romy,Pito,Josefa,Rabbet,La Movida&Teti Manny.

Here was the VFW st that ran down past the fron of the church.

Cano Cordero's family.Angelina'Tanin'Lalo,Lala&Willie

Magdaleno Aguilar.Ray Aguilar.Pete,Jalber they went to Cal.

The Aranda"s Carlos don"t remember his wife"s name.Pirrin,Tura,Dora,Anita Pary,Chavela

Gregorio Escandon.Rosy,Tuya Rofy Garcia's wife Chava,Mary,Charlie Don"t remember the young ones names.

The Montoya Family.

The Marquez Family.Lino,Carlos,Raul,Rico,Nariz.Rosie,Gilber& Kiki.

Next my Uncle Pinky&Elodia.Manuel,Socorro,Mamy,Goyo,Lucas, Ruben, Poncho, Tura & Pio.

The Lopez Family.Guerro, Esperanza,Yoly & Oscar,Don't know the name of younger sister.

Next was Epimenio Lopez.Eva,Manuela,Guerro,Roberto,there were more.

Thars the left side.

The right was La Coperativa.Ramoncita Miranda can't recall,her husband's name,they had a son.

The De Hierro Family.Jesus, Jesus Jr.,Bertha, Lily,Landi,Esther,&Emma

The Ansalmo family. Lalito, Alfredo, Leonor, Irene, Consuelo

The Ontiveros,Hilda,Larry,Guerro,Laly &Min

The De Anda Mundy,Maley,Dely,& Ollie

Here we had a short alley to the IBWC Fence

Note: These next four houses were constructed of concrete. Cold in the winter.

The Rey"s ,Licha,Lin,Belen don't remember their sisters name.

The Sanchez Family,Eutiqio,don't remeber his wife's name Eutiqio Jr, Chirra don't remember the others names. Carmen. Used to work at Furrs .

The Fierro's Mike,Juanita,Tilly,Chela,& Kiki.

Next The Cortez's Family,Tomay (Tomas)don"t remember your Mothers name ( Ernestina) Mike &Vivi. (Biby)

Don Cuco,Pita & Mundo Medrano. (Mundo had a 1949 or 50 White Chevy) Pita had a small white poodle named Tutsey.

The Vera's Felipe,Maria,Carmen,Federico,Pippy Jr.&Mary.

The Veliz Family.Esther Alejandro&Tury. (Angel played sax with the Silvertones)

The Escandon"s Family Isiqio,Chelo,Lourdes,Romy,Sandias,&Melones.

The Sanchez Family Andres don't remember wife"s name.Andres Jr.,Teban,Maria,& Angel.(?) I remember Angel being Veliz (??)

Don't remember their last name.Chacaual,Carlitos.

Last ones were Sury,Mingo,his wife and kids.

Alejandro Carlos St.(Calle C) …

Nano, Loli Herrera, Andres Bustillos, Juana Cortez, Tony and Fernie De Santos, Adolfo ‘Pelon’ Mier, Leo Rodriguez, Araceli Ortiz

From Rene Carillo from the email Oct 2008:

Carrillo is the last name. My grandfather was Isabel Carrillo and my grandmother was Maria Sosa Carrillo. They owned and operated a confectionery in Smelter. My father's name was Roberto I Carrillo. He passed recently. He had two sisters, Rosie and Madeline. Rosie died in her 20s I believe succumbing to MS. Both my father and my Tia Mad attended E.B Jones and El Paso High school. My dad told us many stories of classes at school. Movies at the Y and various antics that went along those lines. At some point early in his life and I believe in Smelter. The family sold water by the bucket and this supply was guarded by a "guard goose".

My grandmother didn't smoke but when she died she did so with a hunger for air and a look of a person with chronic lung disease. Though I was a teen at the time I remember hearing a physician commenting that her lungs had damage similar to that of a miner.

On a lighter note my dad had many fond memories of his life in Smeltertown. He made those memories part of my memories and important to me. It is a tie that still comes up today. For a period of time I was the Director of Critical Care at a local hospital when i was interviewing the last of a group of candidates for their first nursing job. When we began to discuss this young lady's background she mention her family was from Smeltertown. This differentiated her from the pack and needless to say she got the job.

So while the town ma be gone it's ties surely remain.