The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-04-30
GhtGilltlel:Ltfgsttter.
sorrn AMRRICAN LETTER.
p,om n Former Citizen Of wheeling.
,co,,o.Dopdspce Of the IntellIgencer)

From FORMER CliEen Va
correspondence Of the IntelllReneer)
BuESos AYREs, March To- 1879,
The ancient city Of Mendoza was found
ed In The year 1871 by Don Pedro Men
,loza, and was entirely destroyed by an
earthquake on the Goth Of March, 1851
The shock took place at 8 o'clock in the
evening, and was soseyere that the entire
civ was shaken downin five seconds II
was the hour for evening mass, and INC
majority Of the female population were IN
the churches, which were instantly demol'
ished, burying their unfortunate occupants
beneath millions Of bricks and stone 10
some Of the churches the walls were
eisbt and ten feet thick. Eighteen
thousand people were destroyed. Al
Tho lime Of the earthquake the entire
nonnlatIop was estimated at twenty
thousand. The ruin eindRpuhblee yi
deuce Of the awful severity Of the shock
Portions Of two or three churches remain
standing, but the rest Of the city Is moth
Ing but heaps Of bricks and mortar, The
streets were so narrow that 1t Is now very
difficult to get through them for the rub
Dish. The present city OF Mendoza Is sit
uated about mile north Of the old city
and Is handsomely laid out the streets are
wide and paved with stone; fresh water
from the mountains run through the prin'
clpal thoroughfares and every street Is
lined on both sides with beautiful shade
trees. The houses are built on the Span.
lsh plan, one story, with large courts, and
arc painted all colors, according to the
taste Of tho owners. The city has
q population estimated twenty thou.
sand. The public buildings are rath.
er inferior, and are located on the
principal plaza, which Is TOO new to be
much more than q common. The city
has two magnificent colleges, and the
educational interest is in very flourish.
ing state. There are also several very
handsome churches, (Roman Catholic)
and two very good hotels; no theatre,
however,-that is not necessary, as the
city Is SO isolated that there Is no danger
oil theatrical company ever veuturing,
until communication "a easier.
Take my seat in the MenSagaria, which
IS very peculiar institution. 1t is a
stage something like one Of our omni.
buses, with seats on the sides, capable Of
seating eight passengers inside. and two
with the "sasa," Tor conductor,) in front.
II is drawn by six horses, each horse hay.
ing rider. The animals1are hitched
about eight feet apart, and to the wagon
with ropes Of raw hide. The whole con
cern, when ready for the road, takes up
about fifty feet in length. The riders are
Poems, who are paid twenty dollars a
month, and they riaaa distance OF 44O
leagues, (equal to /, $40, miles, for that
amount They wear whatever they hap.
pento have on hand, and are partial to
bright colors, and being dark skinned,
with big boards, they look like a set Of
Alexander Dumas bandits. The rider of
the right wheeler has q horn which he
blows upon entering a town TO notify the
people that the messenger Is coming. |
need not say 1t always has tho desired Of.
iect. The horses arc changed every four
leagues and as there arc no accommoda.
tons TOR eating and sleeping onthe road the
passengers must take along provisions and
bed. The distance from Mendoza to
Villa Nueva is one hundred and forty
leagues-and the formation of the coun.
try Is almost similar to that Of our Yves.
tern pIains-oceans Of land on every side
as far as the eye can reach. The plains
are Injected with native cut. threats called
Gauchos and Indians, who always XIII
and rob afterwards. The Gaucho kills
by cutting the throat. The stage carries
arms and we had five passengers. Each
one had revolver. We were tho second
day out before meeting any body, and
were within a. few leagues Of San Luis
when a band rof Indians, numbering
about twenty, headed by three yillainous
looking Gauchos, surrounded the stage.
Our riders Immediately provided them.
selves with rifles from the stage, and we
put ourselves in a position for defence.
The GauChos called out for money and
were told to take Il; thereupon they
Withdrew about fifty yards, and the In.
dams took the lead and charged upon Us
with their long spears. We passengers
arranged to each pick man and give two
Volleys This was well, executed, and
ten horses were riderless in q moment.
This rather checked the attack, our
antagonists withdrew, our riders re.
mounted. and we proceeded on our jour.
ney. The Indians then displayed some
Of the most remarkable horsemanship I
ever saw. They would circle around the
coach and endeavor TO spear rider or a
passenger from the Oft side Of their horses,
and one of them succeeded in running his
spear right through the coach window.
1t went between two gentlemen, but did
not touch them. At this the coach was
stopped, and we gave them another volley
which killed the three Gauchos and one
Indian This completely routed them. It
was a very fortunate thing for US that
they had no more fire arms. Our riders
preserved remarkable GOODNESS and showed
great courage during the entire "skrim
mage" A short time afterward We ar.
rived at San Luis. This Is small town
situated in the plain eighty leagues
from Mendoza, and has a population OF
about 1000. The town has been sacked
several times by the Indians, and is moi a
very pleasant place to live In. We ston.
ped here all night aud started at o'clock
In the morning. When about 10 leagues