Life of Bentura Contreras Page: 4
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Page 4
never could tell if they would run into some bandits e- never had a raid -
maybe because his loads were of no great value.
Bentura loved his mules and never let anyone treat them in a cruel
way. He always put his animals first. He would say,"My animals eat first
and if they don't eat, neither will I,"' The mules were fed in an unusal
vayo. This was a very common methodPalthough it is rarely heard of today.
a sack of oats was attached around the animals neck and up over the mouth,
"the morral", was made of a heavy material of woven rope. The sack was
filled with oats and the animal did't have to bend down to eat.
On some days of the week he didn't have to leave town. HIe stayed at
home and cared for the mules and had fun with the family.
Bentura worked as a freight hauler for almost twenty-five years. At
the time he retired from this job he had reached the age of fifty-five.
He had been with this job since he was thirty. Bentura was now too old
to push and pull the wagons. This job had made him age very fast The
hard work had gotten to him and he still had a family to support.
After retiring from freight hauling, the Contreras family began
picking cotton. The whole family worked and altogether there was a much
bigger income than that of the frieght hauling. They work each Fall in
the fields. The seven or ei-';ht mouths in which no cotton was picked, they
liveoen the money they had saved up and work wherever they could. After
about eight years the children began to get married.. The income the family
was bringing in now was not enough. Bentra could now afford to take up
an easier job.
Bentura suit working in the field-s in 1926. He had reached the age
of sixty-three very old. Bentura was fortunate to j;et a. job at the Shafter
mines. i job wa. ey.
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Sailler, Marcus. Life of Bentura Contreras, book, 1970; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth39389/m1/5/?rotate=90: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Marfa Public Library.