The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-05-10

{
y
saass All IL i z
General Manuel Gonzales,
4 President Of Mexico.
The unsettled condition of Mexican poll
tics, just now, a revolution being threatened
on account chiefly of the tax exactions of
the Government, makes a sketch of the
President, to whom his enemies ascribe the
difficulty, opportune. Mexico is short of
money for the use of the Government, and
is reported to be anxious to borrow S2O,-
| O0O,000 at the present time. Two years
l uSO9 u4A0OI plG0ouIO1 SOuSE06S
passed law granting the President extra
ordinary powers. In pursuance of this law,
President Gonzales recently issued stamp
decree, thereby creating the present COM
| pfication, which is more disastrous to bus
mess than the previous financial strin-
gency.
| General Gonzales has been President of
Mexico since December l, 1880. He was
born about fifty years ago, at Matamoras,
State of Tamaulipas, Mexico. Preferring
military life, he joined the army as a pri-
vate soldier, and rose rapidly in his profess
sion. He served with distinction against
the French in 1864, as Colonel of regi-
ment, and lost an arm while defending the
fortress of San Marca against the invaders.
In 1876 he was created Major General,
and held Office as Secretary of War during
the administration of President Diaz,
whom he succeeded as the result of reyo-
luton.
Under President Gonzales administra-
ton Mexico has made rapid advances in
material prosperity and civilization. He
has fine presence, is not tall in stature,
but well built aud of sturdy physique. Es-
Inmates of his character vary greatly.
[Contributed.]
The Yellowstone Falls and Grand
Canon.
A short distance below the Upper Falls
the river turns abruptly to the right and
about half mile below are the Great
Falls and the head of the Grand Canon.
Here the river. narrowed to the width of
perhaps 100 feet, flows swiftly to the brink
Of the preeipiee ana plunges in an almost
unbroken mass 300 feet into the yawning
depths below. A trail from the top Of the
cliffs and stoutly rallied platform enable
the visitor to approach within a few feet
of the fall; and standing there on the brink
the rushing waters sounding an almost
deafening roar in our ears, the scene is
most impressive. The falls have not the
breadth and volume of Niagara, but are
nearly twice the height; they have not the
amazing depth of plunge of some of Yosem-
ties cataracts, but the volume of water is
many times greater. 1t is not, however,
in its height Or its volume of water that
the Great Falls claims preeminence, al
though they fairly entitle it to a front rank.
1t is the magnificent setting of this noun
tain gem that forms its great attraction. Go
with me to yonder point-Point Lookout
it is called = which overlooks the canon
about half a mile below the falls, and you
shall see picture which has not its equal in
all the earth, and one which, when once seen,
can never be forgotten. Before you yawns
this wonderful chasm, more than 1000 feet
in depth, stretching away for miles on the
left. On the right the Great Falls sends |
up cloud of spray and mist and the sullen |
roar of its falling waters is ever sounding
in your ears. The sides of the canon are
gorgeous beyond description with an opu-
lence of color which alike defes the artists |
brush or the reporter pencil. These mighty |
walls are not cold and gray like the rocks |
of Yosemite, neither do they present alone
the dark porphyry tints found in the Grand |
Canon of the Arkansas; but here we see the |
snowy white, produced by the lime deposits
of hot springs; all the shades of yellow, |
given by the rich supply of sulphur, togeth-
or with the innumerable tints of red and |
brown, supplied by the iron which is so |
here, combining in the most love-
ly and delicate shades and decorated-not |
one portion of the gorge alone, but the |
rocks and cliffs on both sides as far as the |
eye can reach. From our situation on Point
Lookout, the river can be seen for miles
rushing along its tortuous and rocky way |
far below at the bottom of the chasm, and
like silvec cord entwined be-
tween heavy masses of richly colored rock.
The sides of the gorge are deeply indented
with lesser canons, many of which, like the
upper portions of the main cliffs, are COW
ered with pines, the projecting pinnacles
and basaltc towers, some of them as red
IS though bathed in blood, standing out
IN bold relief against the dark green back
ground. Overcome by the gorgeous mag
and terrible sublimity of the scene,
words seem useless and the entranced be-
holder gazes in silence and awe at the
picture, while the eagles and fish
hawks, whose nests are built on the top of
tall rocks which rise like minarets from the
Af &Loo o1,o = eoa 4