Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-10-23
AN ANCIENT MEXICAN CITY.
The Scene OF Maximilian,s Execution
Church and PIazas

WI 10 u lut
state of the same name. wriets coz
respondent of the New York Post. II
was founded by the Aztecs about the
middle of the fifteenth century, and
in 1881 was conquered by the Span
iards under Fernando de Tapia, a
Lieutenant of Cortez 1t lies little
to the south of the center of the
republic, on the celebrated mesa CEN
trail Central tablelaud) of Mexico.
Humboldt gives its elevation as G, 1863
feet above the gulf, but modern
engineers place it some three hundred
feet lower. In 1856 King Philip ".
of Spain declared il "a noble and
loyal city" Its present population is
about $4,000 The old town has had
more than its share of historical hap
penings. In 1910 the momentous
year when the patriot priest of
Dolores, Miguel Hidalgo de Costello
(the George Washington of Mexico
struck the frst blow for independence,
several stormy meetings were held
here by revolters from the Spanish
rule. From this city, in September
of the same year, went the opportune
rotice-scnt to Hidalgo and Allende
by the wife of Collector Dominique
which saved the undrilled little army
of patriots from total determination.
On Monday, 30, 1S48, the treaty OF
peace was ratified in Queretaro, which
closed the war with the United
States On the heights near the town
the so-called battle (thirty-nine
against 400 was fought under Col
onel Bocinos. In 1867, while
Mammalian was in command, the
city was beseged by the liberal army,
under General Escobcdo; when,
through the treachery Of one of his
officers, Colonel Miguel Lopez, the
unfortunate emperor was taken
prisoner. and his forces, suddenly
surrendered to the republicans.
Then, as all the world knows, Maxi
milan was tried before a ceurt-mar-
tial, and sentenced to be shot in
Queretaro. Persistent but unavail
ing efforts were made to save his life.
The Princess Salm Salm rode to San
Luis Potosi (the seat of the Repuh,l-
can government, 100 miles Distant,
and upon her knees, before the
plebeian President Suarez besought
pardon for the royal adventurer from
Miramar. The Government of The
United States was appealed to in vain.
None of the European potentates ven
tured to interfere, and Maximilian-
with his comrades in arms, Generals
Miramon, and Mejia-was shot on
june 10, 1867. His body was after
ward taken to Vienna for interment,
and not long since three plain slabs
of dark-red stone were erected on Ell
Cerre de las CampanaS over the exact
spot where the trio fell.
Like all Mexican towns, Queretaro
contain innumerable churches and
plazas. Among the latter, perhaps
the most beautiful is one in the center
of the city before the church Of Santa
Clara, with broad-leaved banana trees
surrounding the antique fountain, and
its quaint old monument, erected to
the memory of the Marquis de Villas
del Aquila, former patron of the
place. Not less delightful is the
Alameda park of many acres
which is the more delightful because
apparently uncared for. Its oddly
shaped benches of pink tinted adobe,
bfI dulOll2 WtEAlo anu D WOO
the passer by. Along its circular
drives, under ancient groves of ash
trees, the aristocracy of the old town,
in their ciumsily- gorgeous equippages,
are wont to air themselves at the
sunset hour, while in the leafy shad-
ows lovers are always straying. The
market places are even more pictures
que and interesting than the more
romantic breathing places. In them
crowd of buyers and sellers are con-
stantly vociferating in soft vowelled
Spanish their wares, spread upon the
ground, under huge umbrella-6ke
shades of canvas or woven straw.
Among the most noteworthy of
the numerous sanctuaries in Queretaro
are the cathedral de San Francisco
and the churches of San Agustln,
Santa Domingo, Santa Clara, Ell Car
men de la Cruz, and Santa Rosa. The
finest is Santa Clara, with its exquisite
carvings in gilded wood, and the old
convent attached, which in other
DAYS was one Of the richest and most
aristocratic in all Catholic Mexico.
To me by far the most interesting is
the tumbled down ruins of Ell Carmen
de la Cruz, with monastery adjoining.
The winds and rains of $50 years have
almost effaced the inscription upon
the great granite cross which is set in
the pavement before the monastery
door. anu all the stones surrounding
it have been worn hollow by the
knees of generations of worshippers.
Lingering in this now deserted spot,
one can fancy the processioH of cowled
monks. of the order called Padres
Camilos, each with his lighted candle,
filing out from under the gloomy
arches in solemn procession, chanting
as they go, to perform their evening
deyotions around La Cruz del Carmen.
Against the protests of our guide, we
entered tie dark and crumbling
cloisters, stumbling over broken pave
ments into the moldy cells where
pious men spent weary lives in per
sistent effort to win heaven. On the
walls of some of the corridors large
paintings, dim with age, are still to
be seen-representations of the suffer
! ;,,a.e &c Christ and the Nerpln in the