The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1865-10-12
CITY of Mexico.

ocean. FROM Washington City it is 2,
750 miles.
e The present city occupies only part o
: the site of the ancient City of Temochit
Ian, which was founded, according to tht
traditions of the natives, in 1927, or two
centuries before its conquest by Cortez
The location is near Lake Tuscuco, the
waters of which, with the other lakes in
the vicinity, have been on the decrease
TOR several centuries. "Mexico is un.
doubtedly," says Humboldt, "one of the
finest cities ever built by Europeans In
either hemisphere. With the exception
of Petersburg, Berlin, Philadelphia, and
Westminster, there does not exist city
of the same extent which can be compar-
Cd to the capital of new Spain, for the
uniform level of the ground on which it
stands, for the regularity and breadth of
the streets, and the extent of the public
places. The architecture is generally Of
a very fine style, and there are edifces Of
a very beautiful structure. Two sorts Of
hewn stone give to the Mexican build
iings an air Of soiidity and of magnifcence.
The balustrades and gates are all Of Bis
cay iron, ornamented with bronze and
the houses instead of roofs, have terraces
like those of italy and other Southern
countries"
Many of the streets are over two miles
in length, perfectly level and straight,
fourteen yards in width, and the ends
terminating in view of the mountains
that surround the valley The houses
are in general Of 4 uniform height, most
Of them having three stories, each from
Is to 90 feet high The fronts of most
iof the houses are painted in different col
ors, zig: white crimson brown-or light
green, and retain their beauty for many
years, owing to the dryness of the atmos-
pherc. The city is built in the form Of
a square Of about four aud a half miles on
u side. Its length from n to S. is 4,l66
yards. and from Z. to ". is 3,49l yards
The Plaza Mayor or Great Square is one
of the finest squares to be seen in any city
in the world The east side is occupied
by splendid palace, formerly occupied
by the viccroys, and now by Maximillian,
the north side of the cathedral, magnif-
icent building The west BY range of
shops, with piazaas-called there Port
alcs, in front, the south part with houses
with pOrtales, and fine building called
Casa del Estado-or commonly la Dipu-
tacion. Near the suberb Of San Cosmc
is the Aiem Gda-a fne park.
The city is divided into fourteen par
ishes, containing thirty seven converts;
fifteen of monks and twenty two Of nuns,
seventy eight churches exclusive of the
cathedral, six cemeteries, three public
promerade3, three theatres-without men
tioning several of inferior order. two bull
rings, capable of accommodating fifteen
thousand persons each, ten hospitals,
three public libraries, one museum, a u
University which was founded in 1851, an
academy of painting and scul pture, the
mint, which is the most extensive estab-
iishment Of The kind in the world, and in
which silver 10 the amount Of many mil
lions is coined every year. The botari-
cal garden is small but rich in rare and
interesting productions, it is handsomely
laid out in the Spanish fashion, with flag
sed walks bordered with elegant large
pets Of flowers, in the centre is large
stone basin, supplied by fountain with
water.
The city is supplied with water by two
aqueducts, about foar miles long, each
containing nearly thousand arches
The canal or Chalco, which extends from
the lake Of that name TO the city affords
an avenue for conveying in canoes the
produce Of the surrounding country, and
the fruits, flowers and vegetables, raised
in the beautiful gardens in the vicinity
to market. The remains of the celebra-
ted floating gardens called Chinampas,
are near the lakes and are now stationary,
surrounded by broad ditch Mexico
was formerly subject to inundations from
the lakes, to prevent which gap in the
mountains, y miles long and SOC feet
wide was cut down at an immense ex-
pense from 1907 to 1880. Eight mil
lions Of dollars was expended.
The climate is magnifcent-in fact
perpetual summer, the atmosphere pure
and healthy aud the water excellent
There are many pleasant rides out of the
city, among others, those of Tacubaya,
Tucaba and San Angel
The ancient city of Mexico, or Teno-
chitlan, was taken by Cortez ca the l4th
of August, 1926, after siege Of seventy
five days, during which time mere than
two hundred thousand Mexicans lost
their lives. They defended the city so
desperately that Cortez had to destroy all
the buildings as he advanced, and from
the ruins Of the old city the conquerer
commenced rebuilding at the beginning
of 1922.
1t was called N exico from the name Of
one of the gods of the Eztecas, Mexitly,
and Tcnuchil, which signifies the fulfill
mcnt of a promise.
The population Of the city is about two
hundred thousand, composed of all the
different races which inhabit that coun-
try.
III oo.oI,.Jo NV ckatch of Mexico