Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-17
Street Sights In Mexico.
Correspondence Of the New York Sun.

Correspondence Of the New York SUM-
The street cars are run In trains in Mexico.
Instead Of leaving the terminus one car each
ten minutes. three cars are sent together every
half hour. This is not measure OF economy,
for each car has two mules attached, and. al
though they are never more than half q block
apart, there are always two conductors besides
the driver One conductor takes the money and
gives You ticket, and the other comes around,
punches it in the presence Of the passengaire,
and puts it in his pocket. They are supposed to
be check upon each other
The street car drivers always carry horn. and
blow 1t as they approach a street crossing. so
that there is perpetual footing going on. The
conductors usually carry revolvers I don't
know why except that it is the fashion. for q
Mexican would as coon 60 out of doors without
his hat as without his revolver. He doesn't feel
dressed. You see revOlvers at the opera at the
cathedrals and when Mexican calls upon you
there is usually glistening piece of nickel
plated steel sticking out from under his coat
tail. At the circus the other night every man
but one on the row in1ront OF me had arevolver
in his belt.
Since we have been here, nearly two weeks
now, there has been not single shooting case
in the papers, and the residents say they are
very rare, but perhaps they sometimes need
them, as they do IN Texas.
When the gentlemen 60 out for horseback
ride 1t Is fashionable to carry a sword also. A
Mexican grandee in equestrian costume is the
most stunning sight to be seen In the entire
country. He often, including his saddle. wears
thousand dollars worth of clothes and things.
From the crown of his head to the soles of his
feet he 10 q thing to be admired and Won
dered at.
Beginning at the top. his solnbrero costs any,
where from $50 to $50. No thoroughbred gem
tleman ever wears one worth less than $25 and
even the man who blacks your boots has as
much, and sometimes more than that, invested
in his hat.
A friend of mine, who was away all summer.
paid his footman. or '.portero," $40 back wages
on his return. The fellow spent $35 for som.
brerO and gave the balance to his family
Then the equestrian has q handsomely en-
brOidered velvet or cashmere jacket, pale pink
sash, silver-mounted revolver, in a silver
mounted belt, sword that is worth $50 or S75.
solid silver buttons, sometimes in double rows.
with loops or chains down the seams of ms
trousers, which are often Of leather. Then his
silver spurs and patent-leather boots sit grace
fully upon a silver-plated stirrup, which is at
tached to q saddle that may be worth anywhere
from $50 to $500. Suits for boys ten or twelve
years Of age, with full outfit, from sombrero
to sword, caa be purchased, and are often seen
upon dusky youngsters riding out with their
The ladies' take their exercise usually In
closed carriages Etiquette will not let them
ride except with their husbands, fathers or
brothers, and tor one to invite his cousin to 60
out with him would be sufficient cause for q
duel, as 1t would imperil her good name. The
Senoras and Senoritas are seldom seen in open
carriages, and do not believe there Is a phaton
In all Mexico. They even shop in their carri-
ages, the heightened ones, and compel the
clerks to bring the goods they want to look at
to the curbstone. It is a common thing to see
row of carriages before fashionable store
with q row Of clerks bargaining with the occu-
pants.