Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-08-21
CITY OF The ANGELS
a VISIT TO THE FINEST ciIY IA
MEXICO.
Pueblo de los Angeles end rs woudan
The Streets and Quaint Buildlns-
The Famous cathsdfal-Bsnn-
ties OF the Altar.

ktAnHie W WhIuH INeDiA AHlcks4
This HCity Of the Angels" Is one Of tha
few In modern Mexico which was not
built upon the ruins Of former Aztec great
ness, but was an original idea Of the early
Spanish colonists. Its site, on the green
plain Of Acayete. was formerly occupied
BY a few huts belonging 70 the ChOlnla
Indians, and was then, as now, environed
by productive cornfields. beyond which
miles Of the American agave or century
plant stretched away to the foothills Of
the Sierra Madras.
The present city is considered by many
the finest in Mexico. It Is the rival Of
Guadalajara in beauty, and is second in
size to the capital, with O population Of
nearly 900, 600. 1t was founded In 1881.
and was named Puebla de los Angeles
(City of the Angels, because Of the tradi-
ton, still deyoutly believed, that while ia
cathedral was being constructed the work
was continued every night when the
workmen slept by angels, who added as
many stones as the builders had placed BY
day. Since 1862 the city has been called
Puebla de Zaragoza, In honor Of the Mex
lean general who defeated the French
army here in that year.
The streets Of Puebla are wider and
better paved than those Of most Mexican
cities, and its two-storied buildings arc in
pleasant contrast with the prevailing style
Of interior towns, where the marrow stony
alleys are overshadowed by the gloomy
low-roofed casas Of q bygone age. Be-
sides the inevitable central plaza and the
great Alameda grove Of elms), Pueblo re-
Joices in nc less than twenty;six pablo
parks, all of which are well shaded, and
hower-flled spaces, where the populaca
c%ongregate nightly. The shop fronts
and most Of the houses are built
Of six.sided bricks, with small blue
tiles set In between, Others are q
perfect mosaic of Dutch or China tiles
upon a ground work Of Pompeiian red.
arranged in all manner Of designs, and
having numerous PLAQUES and panels,
upon which saints are carved or painted,
let into the walls. The effect Is extremely
quaint. Although somewhat startling az
first to foreign eyes, one soon becomes &C
customed to the vivid coloring, and comes
to regard our commonplace dwellings
much as a collector Of ceramics looks
upon deli as compared with decorated
pottery. The finest tiles on the continent
are made in Puebla, and here are no less
than a dozen fabracas for their manufact-
ure.
The famous cathedral, once one Of the
richest in the world, is still the great at
traction for tourists, though much Of its
pristine splendor disappeared with the de-
cadence Of papal power. Standing in the
midst Of majestic expresses, and SUR
rounded BY a wide stretch Of marble pave
ment one sees no evidence Of the work Of
shadowy hands; but, on the contrary.
everything looks as substantial as though
designed for eternity. The facade of the
northern entrance is embellished with
statues and medallions in marble. and the
mitre and keys of the pope. On the face
Of the western tower is a fine old clock.
made in Madrid more than two centuries
ago.
The main entrance Of the cathedral Is
toward the west. and here are more stat
ues, occupying numerous inches. scores
of ~sculptured saints and coveys Of leglesa
cherubim lowering around the marble slab
which tells us that the gloomy pile was
erected h 1864. The immense marble
paved space surrounding it is inclosed
within a high, s~pear-pointed iron fence.
whose innumerable posts of massive gram
lite are all faced by bronze casts in hes re-
lief, and topped by angels with out.
stretched wings. All these bronzes were
cast by al American named Marshall. for
merly from New York city, who lived in
Mexico for many years
Though untold treasures in the way Of
gold, silver and precious stones were con-
fiscated from this church by the anti Cath
olic regime, it is still enormously rich.
The finest collection Of marbles in the
world enters into its construction, not
even excepting the celebrated Tai Mahul,
of India. Perhaps its most striking object
is the main altar. 1t was erected in 1919
by a prelate Of Puebla, and affords the
greatest display of the beautiful Mexican
onyx to be found anywhere in the repuh~
lie, which is famous for it. One is aston
ished by the infinite variety Of tints-fEom
rose color to Nile green, dark yellow, and
mahogany brown. Among all the most
conspicuously lovely Is the pure white
transparent alabaster from the exhaust.
less quarries near Puebla
A massive railing and steps Of transIu>
cent onyx lead to a circular platform ele-
waited Ten feet above the floor, beneath
which are buried the successive bishops
Of Puebla. This exquisite sepulChre ia
constructed entirely Of the most precious
materials, AID is divided into inches and
panels, the whole covered with q dome Of
transparent alabaster, whose crystalline
clearness Is enhanced by trimmings Of
bronze and gold. From the center az
this wonderful canopy depends a hugo
silver lamp, which burns forever above
the illustrious dead.