Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-06-17
MEXICAN MATTERS.
Progress OF Railroad BuIIdfng-A
National Bank-SOldiers In the
Capital Some Statistical InfOrma-
tIOn-The Great Cathedral ON the
Plaza Mayor.

City of Merico Cor Ne1o Orleans Democrat.
am informed that the work upon the
San Luis and Tampico Branch Railroad is
being pushed forward with great activity.
and when completed will doubtless cut off
some of the old interior trade from Vera
Cruz. The Palmer Sullivan Company have
over 10, 600 men employed on the Toluca
and Morelia divisions, and it is expected that
before January l, 1882, the northern division
will be completed to Monterey, distance
of nearly $40 miles. Up to this time 1t is
estimated that the company have expended
$1,000, 600 in Mexico. Before the adjourn
ment Of the Senate the Oaxaca Railroad
bill passed and the gsurvey will commence
at once. The railraod line from this city to
the capital OF the State of Morelos will be
completed inside OF twelve months; 1t will
be finished to Cuacutla In few weeks
Work on the Central Railroad from San
Juan del Rio to 1ula was commenced last
week. Mexico has obligated herself to pay
8, 200, 600 year In subsidies to railroads to
which she has granted concessions. Ac-
cOrding TO the last accounts there were six
vessels in the port of Coa' zacoalcos, unload
ing 800 tons of railroad material for the
Tehuantepec Railroad.
The Legislature of Sinaloa has authorized
the government to take the necessary steps
to construct railroad from Mazatlan to
Cullacan, and on to the city of Alamos, in
the State OF Sonora, snd the last report is
that contract has been made with the
executive for the construction of a railroad
around the outskirts of this city.
Previous to the adjournment of the late
Congress they passed an act granting to the
President the individual power to contract
with State governments and private compa-
nies for the construction of railroads, limit
ing the subsidies to IS, 600 mile for broad
gauges and Sc, 900 mile for narrow gauges.
This power given to the President is limited
to eight months.
Congress has also authorized the Presi-
dent to contract for the establishment of a
National Bank, with capital of not less
than SIS ,000, 900, with power to issue notes
to the value of $30,000,000. They have de-
cided to have an exposition at Vera Cruz,
ald promise to build the structure of lum-
b sr from the United States: but, consider
Ing that last week there were over two hun
drtd deaths there from the vomito, the
present prospects look very slim. There
are not any reliable statistics to be OBJ
tanned relative to the death rate of this city,
but well Informed people put it at nearly
ten per cent.
TO an American the vast number of SOL
diers seen In this city is very striking. You
are always running up against guardhouse
or lodging between soldiers; whichever
way you try to get out of the city Is past
guardhouse, and in the morning and even
ing they have habit of taking them out
for walk it seems) in squads of one hun
dred strong. They estimate the garrison Of
the city at about Is, 600 men.
There is one very striking European GUS
tom here, that Is, to fee the walters. and
everyone. in fact, that waits upon you. If
you take drink the waiter expects five
cents; walters at restaurants, bell boys at
hotels, hackman, etc, always have their
Dc {., h.
one gives away quite a sum of money in
fees.
The national pawn shop, GEL Monte de
Piedad," is vast institution, with branches
all over the State. 1t does an immense bust
ness and has a capital of several millions of
dollars The rate of intereet is per cent.
per month. 1t was founded many years
since by private individual. [ make the
following extracts from the THO Republics
upon Mexican statistics, taken from Mr..
Emiliano Busto's work, published in the
Treasury Department:
population of the republic, 100000.
There are 146 cities, 372 towns, 44S6 vii
lagos, 6 missions, 1859 haciendas, 14,7O5
reaches, besides 2,24S collections or groups
OF houses. demonstrated "congregacones," ;"
"barrios, !" "rancherias, "caudrillas," etc.
Value OF private real estate, rural, $773,-
GOO; value of private real estate in cities,
81, ,55S, ,O36, 600; value of cattle OF all kinds
belonging to individuals, $123 060 900; prop
erty belonging to the nation, $40, 600 600;
total real estate without including mines,
coast, bays, lakes, rivers, etc., SO, ,794 ,060,-
600; annual crop of Indian corn, $l12, ,164,-
424; total agricultural products, $177. .45I :
9S6; industrial products, $14, 100000 There
are 324 mineral districts, % placers and
2 SCI, 3O6 cargas 600 pounds to the carga)
per annum, the value of which is $29, ,713,-
355, and 1O2, ,240 persons employed in the
mining industry. The exports last wear
amounted to over $30, 100000; the imports
to over $40,000,000.
The Cathedral of the City of Mexico is a
feast for the lovers of religious art and
splendor. 1t is situated on the principal
equare, or parade, "Plsza Mayor" is
Aanked at the left by the "Sagrasio," which
is the first parish church of the town, and
an entirely distinct one. History tells that
1t is erected on the very spot where Cortez
found and destroyed the Aztez TeocaIli
dedicated to the Mexican god Huitzlopos-
tle. When the conqueror distributed the
land Of the ancient city he first gave this
spot to the Franciscan monks to build a
church on, but he changed his mind and
gave them the land on which stands the re-
mains of their old church and convent, and
bought the land of the plaza mayor of them
for $40. A first cathedral was built in $780,
but demolished as being too small. The
present edifice was begun in 1873, finished in
1867, and cost $1,762, 900. The towers
were began by Juan Logano, finished
In 1871 and cost $l94. 400, being a total cost
of 81, ,956, 900. The towers are 200 feet high.
Cemenled in the wall, west side, is the
Aztec calendar, carved cut of a block of
basalt and weighing twenty five tons. 1t is
divided into 365 days, with an intercalation
of thirteen days for each cycle of flftY-two
years, thus approaching the Asiatic calen-
dar. The towers, as well as the gates of the
basilica, are of the Doric and Ionic order.
The cathedral has FIVE naves, fourteen
chapels and six affairs. The glory of the
cupols was painted by the Spaniard Kline
no Planes. The choir is surrounded by a
balustrade of metal called ''pinchbeck" or
lumbago. This balustrade and the princi-
pal front of the choir was manufactured at
Macao, China, and weighs twenty-six tons.
Altogether the interior is a most bewilder-
ing mass of carving gliding, painting and
1s-ug- A.