Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-06-17
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IIisiQueal dates arg net tp be lhqF-
QughlY TelIel on, pAt y IS sAla tpaI
the SpaulaFds liFst found Their way Ie
tlis region about the YEAR Lao, iempIed
on, through much suffering and prlya-
t,on, ID the stones 0i mineral wealth
told by the Indians. The limit Of their
endurance seemed to have been reached
when they found themselves on the
spot where the city uf santa Fe now
stands, known IN spanish records as
san Francisco lie Asis de santa Fe, OF
tue cjly OF ST. Francis of Assist of
holy faith. Here they established
themselves aud IN measure realized
their dreams of acquiring wealth by
working tie mines OF gold, silver and
turquoise. The Catholic fathers OF
the church built, few years after,
lhe Pecos church near an ancient Aztec
pueblo, where yestiges of that almost
prehistoric tribe Of sun-worshipers
still remain. To the north IS the VII
lage OF Laos, where the waiting In
dians still keep their flies burning and
watch for MonteZuma. Nearer TO the
city is the church of San Miguel, said
To be the Oldest church in America.
The walls are of immense thickness at
the bottom, and the small Sits of win
duWs at the top TO let in a dim relig-
iOus light"
Entering the city itself, place niim-
bering about 5000 souls only few Il
whom are whites, one finds quaint
"Olla pOdridan OF narrow, crooked !
streets and one stOried abode houses, !
with several dismal looking Catholic |
churches and few American houses ; /
now and then a good school building. |
The walls Of the adobe buildings are |
very thick windows are scarce, with /
here and there and there small door. I.
A Mexican architect s head is evidently I
incapable Of originating more than one /
idea, for they are all of one style, III /
the form of hollow square. Various |
surprises meet the eye of an inquiSl- /
tive visitor who ventures into the |
placita OF open enclosure. Sometimes 1
it IS transformed into a corral of blTrOS /
(dOnkels s) sometimes store room for
wood and brush, sometimes a lovely !
flower garden. The public Plaza or
square. Is a cheerful spot in tn. sum
III T time and il Is pleasant to sit under
Inc shade OF cottonwood trees while
one listens to the musical performance
of the United States military band.
within a stones throw are two fine
looking buildings the college OF the
R0manist Brothers and the sisters
Hospital" On one side is the palace
of the Spanish rulers, large one-stoT-
led building of 500 feet or more, now
occupied by government officials Not
many rods away Is the cathedral, SO
old as to be unsafe and gradually being
rebuilt. About 2JO years ago when
the Indians revOlted against the Span
ish oppression and suddenly appeared
demanding the surrender of the city,
this old church was the scene of wild con-
fusion and dismay as men, women and
children lied within its massive walls
for protection against Indian savagtry.
All were cruelty masSacred and the
stones were red with the blood of the
young and the old.
To a stranger this seems like a for
eign land. The narrow streets, the
oriental locking houses and the numer-
Gus little dOukeys driven by blanketed
Indians and swarthy Mexicans only
needing turbdus TO look like Arabs
remind one of scenes in Cairo or Jeru- 1
salem. There Is general ar of thrift
lessneSs and languor, an undeyeloped 1
condition Of things peculiar to old '
Europe than new America. The peo- {
pie wear a detected air of hopeless pow
erty and are III fed evidently, though the {
dyspeptic look is probably owing to !
their excessive use of ''chili colorado"
one OF the slow pOisous, also tobacco
and lai liquor. But all this viii pass
away. With the coming IN of a new |
tide ui CiyIlatiJn from the east the COM
forts of life are being introduced.
Steam and electricity are doing their q
work here as well as elsewhere.