The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-03-03
OUR SISTER REPUBLIC.
Scenes Witnessed and Incidents Met with
in n journey to the City
of Mexico.
Churches of FL Carmen and Santa Clara
Accommodations at Hotels Other
Items of Interest.

Special Correspondence of the Evening Light.
CITY OF MEXICO, February I3, 1885,
Having been jolted to death, or in other
words, all our meanness shaken out of our
bodies-which had been much enfeebled owing
to the diet we had Jared on, although we had
paid an exorbitant price for the privilege of
starving, having lived on the principle that
the less you feed your dog the more ferocious
he gets-we managed to reach the very religi-
Gus city of Queretaro, as already mentioned in
my last.
The next morning being Sunday, after
taking very poor cup of coffee in company
with two young Mexican gentlemen, who
happened to be stage martyrs with
your correspondent, we took a stroll in
the celebrated city, and found it very much
improved, all the plazas and church squares
we'll planted with beautiful trees, flowers and
shrubbery, the streets cleaner, and most
of the convent buildings, excepting the
churches or places of worship, ap-
piled to the use of public schools. The
Cathedral contains large number of paint
ings, some Of them beautiful. The church
of Ell Carmen has among its orna-
ments a beautifully carved Christ OF
life size that is gem of art.
The richest and gaudiest church that we visited,
one that also possesses beautiful paintings,
is that of Santa Clara, formerly the church OF a
convent. Mass was celebrated and the church
seems to have been particularly we'll attended
by ladies. At the Church of San Antonio
noticed a painting, really work of art, pre-
scented to the church by the Governor of the
province over 100 years ago. We did not
have time to visit the other churches, and
emong others that of La Cruz, where the un
fortunate Macmillan was detained as
prisoner. The train leaving for Mexico
at $3.50 we had to abandon our stroll and look
after our baggage. Here found an old San
Antonian who had contracted to build the
tramways. The American colony is rather
small but said to be on. the increase. This
city is renowned in the Republic of Mexico
for its preserves and good quality of sweet po-
tatoes. 1t has good theatre named after the
Emperor Yturbide.
The general Mexican stage line has the
attention to have its stages take their pas
sengers and baggage from the stage hotel to
the depot of the Mexican Central railroad free
Of charge. Arriving at the depot, which is
rather poor building for such an important
station, we found two seats oHly in the ladies'
room, which was already invaded by peladoS,
and had to take it first class, standing up.
After waiting considerable time the train
arrived from Lagos and we started upon our
journey, making San Juan del Rio
station, near the city of the same name, by 1870
p. m. for dinner-2o minutes to take in grub.
Here we were delayed and made to change
cars three different times although we were first
class passengers. This was quite hardship
on the lady that accompanied us, as no
proper accommodation was provided by the
company for getting in and out of the cars.
No information could be obtained for this
rough treatment, except when it was ex-
planned to us by seeing that train coming
from the City of Mexico had been partly
way. The last change placed us in
the train that, going from the City of Mexico
to Lagos, was stopped, as we'll as our train
from he latter place to the City of Mexico, by
the wreck spoken of. shall be disappointed
in the construction of the Mexican Central ifthe
whole ne is constructed as that portion of the
road between the city of Queretaro TO the City
of Mexico. 1t is very inferior to the con-
structiOn of the Mexican National constructed
between Laredo and Monterey, and in many
places is really dangerous. Arriving at the
City OF Mexico after hours, about 9 p. M, we
we're crowded out by a thousand pelados
that had jumped on the train at the Caulittan
station. We found no attention at ALL no
place to stop, no one to inquire of, no car
riages, and, taking it afoot, were lucky enough
to find carriage about the Alameda that took
us and our satchels to the Yturbide hotel, where
we had tine good luck to find a room fronting
on San Francisco street, at So per day without
board Here we stopped, and must rest be-
fore speaking of the.great Tenochttlan.
+ CHAPPARAL.