Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-09-19
LETTER FROM MEXICO.
DESCRIPTION Or BEAUTIFUL
CAPITAL IL THE TROPICS.
Aguas Calientes = Fine Buildings
and Streets-HeaIth Springs
and Pleasure Resort.

Especial Correspondence Of the RECoRD-UNIoN. |
MEXICO, September Il, 1885.
One Of the most quaint and interesting
cities in Mexico is Aguas Calientes, capital |
of the small State of the same name |
Owing TO its Typographical location and !
being we'll guarded by forest trees, it does |
not at first reveal itself to the traveller; but
once inside this leafy Gordon, the spreading
city, with its wide streets and handsome
buildings. is an immense surprise. To
many tourists coming direct from lands of
snow in the cold season to this sunny
country. with no intention of delaying till
the aztec capital is reached. Aguas Galleries
presents such powerful allurements that
they linger eAanored often for months, or
years As its name indicates (Aguas
waters, calicaIcs g. warm it is a city of
thermal springs-the Mexican Spa. There
are hundreds of springs scattered all over
the State, some single, others in groups,
the waters ranging from tepid to boiling
Their chemical properties are said to num-
Der twenty-one distinct ingredients, and
are an unfailing cure for many of the ills
TO which flesh is heir-eSpecially scrofula
rheumatism, malarial and cutaneous msla-
dies. The old
CITY OF AGUAs CALIENTEs
Possesses not only the glamour of historic
interest and the charm of mountain scenery,
but such modern conveniences as street.
cars, electric lights, telephones, etc. It was
founded i'll the year 1527-nearly century
before the landing of the pilgrims. We
must confess. however, that it had not
very honorable beginning but like some
borders, was born amid crime and murder |
Originally a noted band of desperadoes, |
who were the terror of the country, found |
safe retreat among the hills and healing |
waters of this quiet spot. and for that rea-
son the Spanish Government was finally |
forced 10 station troops here for the protec-
ton of travellers. In 1775 the garrisoncd |
town, which for more than two hundred |
years had been known as AguaS Calientes
was rechristened by the high sounding title
of Villa de In Ascencion-possibly called
The City of the Ascension because so
many of the bandits aforesaid had gone
skyward suspended to the branches of
trees
After this new dispensation, the city be-
longed first to the jurisdiction of Guadala-
lara up to 1921, when it became part of the
Province of Zacatecas. BY the celebrated
decree of June 20, 1881, the District of
twentv-one departments which comprised
the centralized Republic. The federation
being finally established by the decree of
1876, this district became an independent
State; but in the following Yearly an
other overturning in this land of frequent |
revolutions-the old-time federal division |
was again restored and for q second time |
Aguas Calientes became part of the District |
of Zacatecas. In 1852 it was made soyer- |
ono nj Int
five years later was its Constitution promul- |
gated, that document being reformed in rs
in accordance with the ideas triumphant in
the revolution of Tuxtepec
The city is divided by two rayines, and
nature has placed her beautifying touch
upon all the surroundings Everything
that grows here is tropical in color and fra
GRANGE. Orange trees are in perpetual
bloom. with broad-leaied bananas. the
dark, glossy foliage and scarle: blossoms of
the pomcgranate, fig trees, lines, dates,
olives, the lovely cape jasmine with its
delicate veil of pale pink and innumerabIe
fower5-such as We cultivate with care in
greenhouses at the coast-growing wild in
hedge rows; while the air is odorous with
guaYas, mangOes, chiramoyas and other
fruits, the most luscious the world can pro-
duce. In the center of the city lies the
spacious garden of San Marcas, in which
fiourishes every variety of blossoms be
longing to the temperate and tropical zones.
CHURCHES AND BUILDINGS.
There are fifteen massive churches in the
city, aeyen of which cover a block apiece.
Either of these seven is double the dimen-
sions of the marble cathedral on Fifth
avenue, New Gork-with the ST. Stephens
added as a " lean-to.' Hung in the towers
of these fifteen sanctuaries are no less than
one hundred and twenty-five bells. which
make considerable CHATTER, you may be sure,
when the ringers ring with will" Each
tower holds from five TO ten bells. They
not only strike the hours and half hours.
and call TO almost continuous service in
their respective precincts, but twice a day
all are rung IN unison. The Oldest bells
contain heavy percentage of silver, which
gives them sounds of remarkable sweet |
ness. Among the most interesting churches
is that of San Diego, with its Moorish tow
ers and multitude of silver bells.
In Aguas Calientes, as in no other Mex
lcan city. the streets are all wide and
paved with rock similar to the Belgian
pavement, while most of the sidewalks are
laid with red tiles, hexagonal-shaped A
large proportion OF the houses are two
stored, while many are three stories in
hight-a striking contrast to the low-roofed
casas most common in Mexico. Here the
prevailing style of architecture is Sara
cenic-Moorish, combined with Corinthian
and Ionic. There are five theaters the
newest having seating capacity of 1900,
and five tiers of boxes. 1t is built entirely
OF fine stone. is fire-proof, and was erected
by corporation at cost of 800 goo. There
is also Plaza de Torros, or bull-ring with
seating capacity of 5000, seven hotels,
hospital, penitentlary, city hall, Governors
Palace, and various other edifices of State.
The 'Parian" is an enormous house of
commerce, III the form of a parallelogram,
occupying large space in the middle of
the town, its four sides built In a succession
of lofty arches, of the same style as those
which support the corridors of the in
terror, and under which every imaginable
commodity Is offered for sale. In the
grand State Exposition building twenty-six
consecutive annual exhibitions have been
held, each out-doing all preceding ones,
and calling delighted visitors from all parts
of the republic.
PUBLIC GRoUTDs-THE PEoPLE.
All Mexican plazas are lovely, but that
OF Aguas Calientes bears off the palm both
for extent and beauty. with its antique
fountain surrounded by quaint statuarv,
and its striking column in the center, IS
ieet high. This plaza is artiSticaily laid out
with walks and seats, and is a favorite re-
sort for families. Under the shade of its
spreading trees, among blossoming roses
and within sound of cooling waters, serape-
wrapped or rebosoed figures are ALWAYS
" dreaming the happy hours away" upon
Its plnk-plastered benches. In the even |
ings, when the fine military bands ALWAYS
play, the aristocracy of the old town repre- |
sents itself here, by pretty senoritas of the
dark, warm, southern type and gorgeously-
sombreroed Washers of the other sex :;
while music and moonlight, the breath of
81.