New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-03-08

S56@ MArAxosos. MEXICO, Feb n. 1866
j while away an idle hour in mentioning some
points of difference between this Mexican town
and towns or cities of similar size in the United
States, Which may interest some Of your readers.
In the first place, Matamoros is so thoroughly
brick and the housesvso fat and low, that neither
earthquakes nor sieges can do. it any damage to
speak of.
The scarcity and value Of lumber is everywhere
apparent. With few exceptions, the houses are
Aoored with brick. Ihaye not seen plank ground
floor yet. Fences, in many places, are MADE Of
barrel slaves and broken-up packing boxes many
of the peon shanties are built OF Tue sane Ina
terial, daubed over with mud. .h;. gggs Z
The quantity of empty bottles is perfectly mar
yelous. Every other backyard seems to have a
wagonload, more or less, piled UP o. lying round
loose. In some places are neatlooking patches OF
pavement, made of stone Scotch ale bottles, stuck
down closely, bottom up.
None Of the houses in the city are numbered ;
but every place of business has little corporation
sign over the door, stating the kind of business
and number Of the license. With these little signs
most are content. The larger groceries have fancy
names, like coffee-houses in American cities,
4 The streets are not paved, (saye the narrow
Sidewalks, and the frequent sweeping and scrap'
ling up Of the dust and mud has worn many of them
Into troughs or hoows, SO that in soma places it
is difficult for vehicles to pass each other. X
The largest trees are the china. berries, and not
many of them. A squatty date palm raises its
head here and there. The gardens appear to be
luxuriant.
The police, are a gay looking set, with their
broad hats ribbon badges, and belts and revolvers.
Every half hour during the night they blow whis-
ties, and call the hour in monotonous Spanish.
The city is alive with rats, and eaten up will,
fleasa henurnber ofrats is altogether astonish-
ing; at night the yards and streets literally swarm
with them. Il, ....,
| Steep roofs and chimneys are nowhere
to be seen. There are no fre-places but
in the kitchens &; and during the cold
spells, those who need it, warm their rooms
with charcoal or Goals from the kitchen fire, put in
the centre of the brick floor.
Ladies' are seldom seen on the streets, except
when going to church. But passing their residen-
ces, you may look inside through the iron grating
or cages covering the open windows, and see them
at home, and what they are doing as much as you
wish. None but foreign ladies wear hats or bon
nets. The Mexican feminines invariably wear
| shawls over the head. k9G g ~
r,oros T,n s;cally considered il r.thor nois,, De-
tba catbedraI haIJs Mevico, tr,,nonots
tran bnaies ;acLdaws isclrassas ord ar..s,, $500
AZ a;r = 49,, - III -, 81 ~
aan Sh;o,,onsS.,a ,,,ar,, 1o,,naart - ~,
~. u ~ : ,,,as ~.
os -. l.;na hao.s e,so...t,ra 40
M, .Ta,a;a,.,
+ !, III ~ d. i, - IL.
The uniform is dark blue faced with red, and caps
covered with havelocks. It is pretty sight, at
one stage Of the ceremonies, to see the whole four
or five regiments throw their caps on the grass,
bowed. and to remain whilst a sort Of military
mass Is performed on 1he steps OF the eatnedrai.