The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1875-01-28

A Mexican correspondent of the Cleve
land Leader describes visit TO Chapul
tel &c as follows: at is safe 70 say tha,
10 park, be il private or public, baronia
or royal, English or Continental, car
rival this in the number, age, and
grandeur of Its trees. They were plant
ed by some race that lived long ages ago
in this valley, prior even to the ancient
Toltecs, nation which came and pass
cd away before the fre-worshiping
Aztec come from the North. They are
now from 800 to 1000 years old, and
are the famous expresses of Montezuma
They stand in cluster of a hundred or
two in number around the rock OF
Chapultepec. Beneath them many a
deadly battle had been fought and five
Empcrors have walked in sorrowful
meditation. Tho two Montezumas and
the great and good Guatemozin had their
country palace here, while both Iturbide
and Macmillan found rest in the
shadow of these famous trees The trees
appear TO have been planted in regular
order on either side of the broad avenue
which IS crossed at right angles by .
shorter one. At the junction the trees
instead Of forming four corners, hav;
been planted so that they stand in al
exact circle. Then are hung with long
dropping festoons of gray, weird-look
ing Spanish moss, that gives them a sac
and venerable, air, at the same time
imp .rting both grace and dignity. Like
the long beard of al old man, it impress
es you with awe. They are all OF i'm
mensc size and still vigorous and sound
The largest are from twelve 10 twenty
feet high. Their trunks for many fee,
from the ground are SCARED and torn by
shots and shells fired in the ma bat
ties that have taken place in tie immedi
ate neighborhood. The limbs Of these
trees commence branching out about
twenty or thirty feet from the ground,
and the tops of some of them are over
100 feet in diameter. This grove OF
gigantic trees is certainly one of the
most remarkable in the world, and it is
very strange TO me that it is not more
known. Emerging, we found ourselves
in the rear Of he'castle, and began Ia
climb up the hill towards il over "A bcauti-
tul gravel road that wound around il be
fore reaching the summit. In doing so
we saw the ruins Of the summer palace
At Montczuma. Like all the old Aztec
antiquities they arc covered with cary ed
grole;quc and fantastic heiroglyphics,
representing hideous reptiles, hobgobIins
and demons. AT the top Of the rock
stood the castle, a fine large structure,
half fort, half ssrcsIdcnce, composed of
two oblong buildings standing parallel
at either end of the hill, ana connected
by long, narrow building in the center.
1t is in the Moro Spanish style OF
architecture, ainted in bright.colors, and
ornamentcd with arabasquc holdings
around all the doors aud windows. The
central building has long arcade on
either side, above which the outside
walls are supported by Moorish columns
and arches. The whole is built OF
porphyry, marble, and sandstone. 1t
contains fine scientific library and con-
servatory, not covered with glass, how
ever, as none is needed. The whole
rock beneath it is honey with
passages, stables, cellars, dungeons, store,
rooms, and powder magazines, some Of
which were excavated by the Montezu-
mas over three centuries and half
ago. At the northern end of the build
ing arc two very handsome towers, from
the highest of which droeps the red,
white, and green banner of Mexico. 1t
also has fine terrace that looks down
the road TO town. Chapultepec is the
Windsor Castle of Mexico. The originu
building, now in ruins, was first occu-
pied by Montezuma L., then by his two
nephews, all Of whom lived here in bar
barrie splendor and righteousness, which,
according TO Prescott, could only have
been surpassed by the magnifcence OF
the Orient. After the conquering Span
iards possessed themselves OF the fair
valley Of Anahuac they built the present
castle, always using it as fortress and
palace. The Empero lturbide occupied
il, then the usurper Macmillan occupied
il after his life was 10 longer safe in
the capital. To Carlotta is due the
credit # having embellished Chapultepec
with everything we now see in the way
of art, she having left nothing undone
that nature had neglected in order TO
form the charming palace and college
hat it now il.