The Osceola times., 1884-05-17
LIFE IN MEXICO.
How People Move About in the Capital
Of the "Sister Republic"
street Cara and Public Carrisges-No Om-
nibuses -Porters--Msney and the Chang
Ing Thereof.

Correspondence of the Globe-Democrat.
Most Americans have only vague ideas
about Mexican life. According no apol-
ogy can be needed for trivial matters.
The average traveller explores only the
surface of things, and information about
the externals of the civilization of the
Countrywide every day concerns of ex-
istence-is most eagerly sought for by
those intending to journey this way.
Let us therefore assume that we arrive
at the capital, as we undoubtedly shall,
by some one Of the railways. We are to
go to a hotel, and, in the course of the
next few days "do" the town. We are
then to visit other cities, acquiring as We
go what information about the country
and its inhabitants is easily accessible.
Having already, we will suppose, seen
several provincial towns, we can insti-
tute comparisons from time to time. and
thus get a rather broad view ofthe coun-
try as whole. We must bear in mind
at the outset that this is not barbarous
region. 1t contains cities as well built
as any in the United States, and in these
cities we find all the necessaries and
many of the comforts of life.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE LUGGAGE.
Stepping from the train, then, we pass
through carefully guarded gateway out
of the station and, perhaps, through a
broad yard, into the region of carriages
and other vehicles. There are more
hacks here than one will find in front of
a railway station in an American city,
and vociferous, but somewhat obseaui-
Gus, hackmen. The baggage and passen-
ger transfer business is not well man.
aged. If one in the States chooses to
employ neither the patrician carriage
nor the plebian street-car, he may take
the middle-class omnibus, turning over
his trunk check to an agent who will
appear in the train before reaching the
station, buying at the same time bus
ticket. He finds the vehicle for himself
at the door, while the luggage reaches
the hotel or residence by another con-
veyance but little behind him. There
is no such convenient arrangement in
any one of the dozen Mexican cities
which / have visited. At Chihuahua
there is an omnibus line. Here in Mex
leo an express company, with an office
under the Iturbide Hotel, makes some
feeble effort to get orders for the deliv-
cry of baggage for passengers on incom-
ing trains, after the American fashion,
but it has no omnibuses for human
freight. Elsewhere there is neither con-
venience. The traveller must, therefore,
employ coachman or take to the tram
way. Possibly combined omnibus and
baggage transfer line would not pay.
There are cheap carriages-if one knows
how to find them. For strangers. how
ever, especially those not up in Span
ish, the American device would be of
use.
The omnibus system wanting, the
tourist will yield to the solicitations of
a coschman, who will take the trunk on
board for consideration or he may
hire a porter TO deliver the load. There
are porters, regularly licensed and mum.
bered, who may be trusted, provided
one makes note of the number. This
is inscribed on a circular metallic disk
suspended conspicuously on the person.
These fellows are enormously strong.
A friend vouches for fishy story. He
processes to have seen one of them carry
from a cart into a warehouse on his back
a cask weighing $50 pounds. Employ a
portero to deliver your luggage, take the
street car yourself, and the chances are
that he will reach the destination before
you do. But beware of any nan or boy
without the official seal. A ragged,
dirty crowd of poems swarms at every
stopping place, anxious TO grab your
grip-sack or your shawl strap, uttering
a jaryon of poor Spanish and worse En-.
glish and French. and bound to get a
medic or a real by hook er by crook. If
you employ one of these gamins never
let him yet out Of your sight. The safest
course is TO manage your bundles for
yourself. The dishonesty of the individ-
ual members of the crowd may be as.
sumed. Their assurance is sublime. In
a city up north ] Jaw two ragamufiins
follow party of strangers a mile from
the station TO the hotel-the latter all
unconscious that the attention was
meant for them and then coolly send
in bill for rs cents for sevices rendered.
TIE STREET CARS.
ii W. have NO iMpediments we will
take u the tramway. The street car
lines In thks city radiafe in every direc.
nom the central plaza. Ttps ere infre-
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