The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1885-03-07
crs FROM "GRINGO" ABOUT
MEXICO.
interesting Letter From Sentinel
Correspondent.
T., ,rorrespondence of the SENTINEL.l


Tho first city of importance which the
,.aveler reaches on arriving into this
..an"hlic via Ell Paso is Chihuahua, or as
p;s sometimes called the "Cathedral
rtv :" so named from the famous Cathe>
srsI SsI, which stands on the principal square
o. "nlaza" 10 the city. This cathedral
va, built from a tax levied on the pro-
s"ct s~ If group of silver mines called
SSanto @ Eaulalia," and perhaps these
mines have produced more silver than
onv other mines in the known world
they the we're being worked as far back as
1500 I and this cathedral was commenced
some @ time in 1900 and completed some
time time in 1900, making about one hundred
wears veal, in building it. 1t is fine struc.
inre and when it is considered how and
and by what crude means it was built, il
l. wonderful. 1t is all of stone, from a
nuarry about three miles away,and every
stone was packed up on the backs Of
donkeys. The front is all beautifully
carved and shows skill and taste As
thew had no machinery for hoisting the
stone, they built a.. long incline, and the
donkeys were driven up this incline with
the stone on their backs, and as the
building progressed the incline was made
higher and longer, until finally the top
was reached. It is said that it took forty
wears to tear away the incline after the
building was completed. Chichuahua
shows the result of American enterprise.
She now boasts of street cars, two lines
of telegraph, telephones, one railroad
two smiters for shifting ores, and one
stamp mill. with match, soap and candle
factories, and about 250O0 Inhabitants.
In this state of the same name are some
of the finest mines and grazing lands in
the whole world Gov. Terrazas, former
Governor of the State, owns over one
hundred square miles of land. about
10000 cattle, 10000 horses and rs 900
sheep. He is worth about 100000.
The next place of Importance on the
line of the Mexican Central railroad il
Jiuinelz, 81 miles from Ell Paso. This
city has about 10000 inhabitants and is
the railroad station of Parral, about fifty
miles to the west, and a great mining
city. Next comes Lerdo, new and
hourishing city of 10000 inhabitants.
Thisis in the centre of the cotton belt,
and is called the "Lagnna." Cotton
here only requires replantlng once in
three or four years. All agriculture is
done by irrigation. They only have rain
for two months during the whole year
August and September. West Of Lerdo
is la1ge area of country devoted tc
stock raising, and vast quantities o.
horses and cattle arc exported from this
place, The wild mustangs are worth
here about seven dollars each. During
the fall and winter months around Lerdt
is a paradise of sportsmen. Thousands
of ducks, geese, pelicans, cranes and al
varieties of water fowls abound, and arr
hunted 50 little that they have no tea
of man. Back in the mountains deer
bear, peccaries or will hogs, and occa
sionally Mexican tiger is found
Horses are plentiful, and for 3 reals-37
cents day-you can have a mozo o
servant to 90 into the water after ducks
take care Of your horse, etc.
Durango, a city of $4,000 inhabitants
lies $50 miles west of Lerdo, and is tn
capitol of the State of Durango. 1t is
mining town and has extensive cotto
and wool factaries, also iron works.
Leaving Lerdo by the railroad W
come to Jimaleo after a two hours ride,
new town, and will be before long city
Some new and very rich mines have bee
discovered near this place, and are beln
worked by Americans.
Next we come to Lacatelas. 7oO mile
from Ell Paso, and curious city of 65
900 population. 1t is S,O44 feet abov
sea level, and built up in the tops of tn
mountains. 1t is purely a city made b.
mines, there being no less than twenty
two mines within the city limits. Som
of them have been worked for 300 years
This city is we'll worth the cost of
visit In the winter it is always cold
that is one feels the cold, although it j
never as cold as it gets in Grenada. Il
the summer it is very hot for a few hour
at midday, the nights being Away
cool. Typhus fever and pneumonia ar
very prevalent and very fatal. Lack o
drainage is considered the cause. From
LacateIas to Guadalupe, six miles dis
tant and city of 10000 population, on
goes down on horse cars without horses
although it takes six horses to pull tn
car back. Guadalupe is about :, 900 lee
lower than Lacatelas, and quite healthy
In Lacatelas is the regulation number
churches, a fine opera house, seVera
theatres, a bull pen, ETC., etc.
Leaving Guadalupe the next place o
Importance is Aguas Calientes. This cit,
has a population of about $4,000. 1t
CLIO feet above sea level, has two stree
car lines, several pretty plazas and som
lovely gardens. As its name implies
''hot water" it is famous for its no
springs and delightful baths. The bath
are all made of stone; plain, duche show
er and elegant swimming baths can al
be had. was amused by sign painte
on the doors of the bath rooms in Span
ish, that "persons of opposite sexes wer
not allowed to occupy the same bath a
the same time unless they were married,
but they are not so scrurulous IN a
open stone ditch running from th
springs down one of the streets where tn
surplus of hot water is carried off. Her
one can see old men and young ones, ol
women, children and girls all as natul