Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-15
THE CITY OF MEXICO.
Imposing and Beautiful BuiIdinEs-A
Delightful Climate and n Place
that N ust Have Been
Really Enchanting in its Best Days-Tbe
Paramount ReIixiO Feeling Evf.
deneed in the Roadside Crosses.
Special Correspondence of the Appeal.


CITY OF MKNICo, June S.-An Amer
Jean could not live in this country and not
be admirer OF this climate. We are now
having what is known here az the rainy sea-
son or the winter in Mexico, but it seems a
farce to call 1t such when compared to our
winters IN the States. One could scarcely
ask for more delightful atmosphere than l
find here. There are certainly many fiue
and imposing buildings here, and the cathe-
drals are very striking in their antiquity. i
visited this morning the National Museum,
where l viewed the Sacrifcial stone upon
which so many paid the death penalty. 1t
is of immense size and has followed center
where the head of the victim was laid and
small trough in which the blood was to run
off. / could not help but soliloquize-while
thousands witnessed these terrible executions
not one of them in pity lifted a hand
10 stay the fearful deed. l visited, also,
Chehaultepec, the famous castle of Maxi
milan; it is wonderful piece of archi-
tectural ingenuity. Situated about four
miles from the city, commanding an entire
view of the whole valley and surrounded as
it is by the immense walls, the wonder is how
it could ever be made TO capitulate by any
army. 1t rises to immense hight, and the
walks are adorned by the rarest exotics.
The place must have been truly
ENCHANTING IN ITS BEST DAYS.
While it is ancient, it is supplied by almost
every modern convenience, and one OF our
party remarked that if the emperor we're
alive to-day he thought he would have an
elevator to carry visitors up to his Office
The office of the astronomical and weather
observer is located in its tower, and we were
allowed to take a view through the immense |
"spy glass;" which brought objects far below |
in the city right up to our gaze. There |
stands near the summit of the hill beauti- |
full monument, erected to the memory of the |
r c.
United States. l cannot now recall the |
words of the epitaph, but they were truly |
patriotic and beautiful. The aqueduct |
which bears water from the lake near |
Chehauitepec to supply the demands of the |
city is piece of remarkable masonry, and |
must have required years of labor to COM
plete. Think of a stone trough placed upon |
stone columns from the height of ten TO |
forty feet, running the total distance of eight |
or ten miles, and compare the cost of time |
and labor with putting down the same |
amount of water pipes in our American |
cities. The water is clear and cold, and / am |
told the supply has never yet been ex hausted. |
The superstition of the poor and laboring |
classes Of this country is greatly to be pitied. |
You cannot turn your eyes in any direction
but what you see
AwooDEN CROSS,
decorated with flowers or evergreens, raised |
upon the housetops, and they would just as
soon think of flying as to commence the |
erection OF new building and not first con-
secrate it by raising cross above the spot. Z
You meet them on the streets ragged and
dirty, but in nearly every instance with a
SIN all miniature of some saint suspended
from their neck.
The latest report is that Jack Haverly in
tends coming over with an American opera
troupe. If he does he will make money.
Outside of the American population of this
ely the Mexicans are quite
FOND OF AMUsEMENTs,
and patronize them literally. There are
three theaters in full blast here-perform-
ances given every night and a matinee on
Sunday. The Treatro Principal draws the
best crowds, on account Of giving the genuine
French Can.Ca On account Of the rainy
season the bull fights for Sunday afternoons
nave been discontinued, but as soon as the
Weather becomes fair again this slaughter
ng business will be resumed.
The electric lights here are great sue
,ess. They seem to burn more brightly and
With lar more steady light than the ones
n New Orleans.
The military band of from forty pieces dis
courses charming music for the benefit of the
,opulace nightly in the Sokoto, a kind of
park, in the center of the city. For sn
American TO look around him there. lit i'm
,resses him like some fairy DIRE am, en-
irely different from anything in our country.
The brilliant uniform of the military, the
TRANCE dresses of the ladies aud the poems
orm a picture that is at once captivating
nd odd.
We have not seen a single house here yet
f any description that had chimney. The
Innate is such that fire is considered I'M
Charcoal is used exclusively for
res for cooking purposes, and it is brought
nto the city on the backs of vast gangs of ;
These mules take the place of ,
ur drays and carts to a very great extent. |
t is no unusual sight to see one man driving
genty along the street with at least ton OF
reight on the back of each.
THE RAILROADS
ere, especially the Central, are doing all
he business they can handle The con-
uctors and engineers are all American.
he salaries paid are good. Engineers re-
Give $50 per month, and conductors Sl25.
hey nearly ali labor under the disadvan-
sge OF not being able to speak the language,
ence an interpreter is run on every train.
1exicans fill the positions of brakemen and
-ackmeu, and it is the next thing to an i'm e
to learn them anything; they act
18th no judgment whatever. An ordinary q
rain hand in the States could do what it re- {
uires four of them to do. They be /
ired for a mere song, and can live on
lmost nothing. This is a great field for
vii engineers, and there are numerous ones
ere on the various lines projected and being | O
uilt- An American is not pleased here at r
rst, because the Mexicans do not hesitate 10 b
Ike advantage Of and rob him at every
i'm; and he has no appeal because he can
0t explain himself to an officer. MT. :
SunaIInox I'm Dak0fa | !,