New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-18
Chapultepoc.
A letter from Mexico says:

Outside of the city, first among the pOintt
| of interest stands Charultepec. once the
| rural palace Of the Spanish Viceroys, and
after the overthrow of the colonial regime
long disused and abandoned, until the ad
vent of Macmillan, who commenced the
restoration OF the ruined palace, and made
it lis summer residence. The place is about
three miles from the city of Mexico, and
can be reached by broad, straight avenue,
for carriages or pedestrians, or by the
hOrse-cars to Tacubaya, who bring you
! within q stones throw, or by the Mex
leo and TlaIpam railway, stopping at the
station immediately in front of the great
park gates. As you enter these gates q
few steps lead you into forest Of such
trees as only California can equal. The first
that attracted our notice stood isolated,
and the trunk measured q circumference of
fOrty-twO feet; q short distance ahead q
clump of four or five furnished shade
enough for an encampment, and % We ad.
vanced they grew more and more numerous
The tree is sort OF willow. with dropping
foliage, graceful outspreadings branches,
bearing Many of the oldest are almost
whitened with moss hanging from the
branches.
This forest lies at the base of a steep hill,
crowned with the palace of the VicerOys
and of Macmillan, and now allotted as q
country residence to the Presidents of the
republic. After a long walk We came
out of the woods upon the rear of the build
ing, and climbing up, aided by some two
hundred stone steps conveniently placed at
the steepest passes 10 the ascent, We reached
the courtyard of the building. romantic
spot rich with flowers. fountains and
statues. The immense building is entirely
in the hands of workmen, who are reno.
waiting the habitahle portions and COM
pleting the new work which the Arch
duke left unfinished. The furniture used
by the Imperial household is huddled pell-
NELL into the large dining hall. The rooms
occupied by Maximilian opened upon a
wide balcony which commands view such
as no other balcony can rival. On one side
stretches the fertile valley to the utmost
limit of the horizon. and SO far beneath the
gazer that every feature of the landscape
can be discerned ut once. On another side
the sun shines upon the waters of the large
lakes that lie at the base of mountain
range from which rise the twin enow
crowned volcanoes of POpocatapetl and Is
taccihuati, each every way as glorious as
Orizaba.
Directly in front of us the panorama of
the city; Immediately below and about are
extensive flower gardens and the giant for
est Of which have spoken, while above us
bends sky of spOtless blue, fringed only
by silvery clouds of stainless white. We
wander through the many halls, and con-
template with strange feelings the begin
ming of Maximilian's broken plans, begin
ming which gives plain Indication that his
of this palace which he had
chrlstened "The Alcazar" would have been
marked with the same taste that made
Miramar a gem among the royal hermit
ages of Europe. We make our exit through
the imperial gateway, capped with classic
statues, upon a smooth avenue, which, with
q gentle declivity, winds about, leading us
into the gardens below, and out again into
the highway. This avenue, too. is the work
Of Macmillan, for, with the Viceroys, this
was quasi fortress, to which it was not
advisable to furnish easy access as it COM
handed the approach to Mexico, and, it will |
be remembered, served in 1917 as q last
entrenchment to stay the march Of the |
army.