Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-09-19


healed here of their divers complaints. II
is stated that an American company are
now arranging for a regular watering
place hotel OF a thousand rooms to be
erected in the midst of a splendid natural
grove near the springs, and within sight of
the railroad depot. Now that an all-rail
trip can be made from New York to the
city in six days il Is bound soon to become
q great objective point for winter travel.
Everything invites the tourist. the specu-
iator and the hOme-hunter-the healthful-
ness Of its unrivailed climate, which pre-
serves eternal June from year 10 year the
agricultural, fruit-growing and stock rails
ing facilities of the State. and the veins of
precious metals which are yielding their
bonanzas to the explorer.
OTHER SPRINGS AND BEAUTIFUL SCENERY.
While the Bethesda nearest the city is
newer and more fashionable, the second
group OF springs-close up under the foot
hills. where the waters are warmer and
more strongly medicinal-is most attrac-
tive. The boulevard by which ii is reached
IS ned on either side by groves of ash and
cottonwood trees. and the living panorama
encountered en- route is picturesque beyond
description. The long. low adobe structure
which the ancient Spaniard built over his
springs more than two centuries ago tones
III well with the surroundings, and seems
scarcely more modern than the gray noun
tain behind it. For twenty-five cents YOU
may hire private room-which has moth
ing in 1t but an elevated brick platform, a
straw mat, chair, peg for your clothes
and flight of stones steps leading down
into the square, shallow pool of streaming
water. The dark-visaged Aztec in attend
ance (who looks like Hneal descend
of 81 !.
brings towels and sheet and leaves YOU to
your own devices, with the professional adj
vice added gratis that ten minutes is
tempo bastante" (time enough; 10 re.
main IN the water, for too long soaking in
this strong solution of chemicals Is as in
furious as an overdose of medicine. There
are not more than three feet of the delight
tully-warm water upon the pebbly bottom
from which it ooZeS but such are its
mineral properties that one may float upon
1t, being upheld as at Salt Lake, in Utah
BATHING IN STATE OF NATURE
We leave this charming spot reluctantly,
with many a backward look at the fern
draped nights, crowned by ruined casas of
a by-gone generation. The trees of this
section are much larger and their foliage
more luXuriant than in the higher attitudes
Of the mesa central Central table-laud).
and soft haze is always hanging about the
nils, lending an indescribable charm
to the landscape. The overflow of the
springs forms 4 slightly warmed. medicinal
river, which for miles is continually lined
with natives in all stages of dress and un-
dress, and presents an endless row of heads
peering above the low embankment-the
clear, shallow water scarcely hiding the
Squatung figures, male and female who
patronize it thus amicably together without
the formality of bathing dresses. H05si soft
que NAL y pe,'Se. The low. class Mexican is
social animal, but not an immodest one
according to his way of thinking and child
like innocence of conventionalities And.
truly, the display here is not much worse
than may be seen at any of our fashionable
seaside resorts among upper-tendom and
1t IS undoubtedly true that the hearts of
these simple children Of nature are as clean
of impure ideas though their clothes may
be somewhat Scantier.
POLITICAL DIVISIONS, RIVERS AND votrv-
TAINs.
The little State of Aguas Calientes-
which has an area of only 1890 square
HIometers and population Of less than
l0O,O00-iS almost entirely mountainous.
except a small portion in the southeast,
where lie the fertile plains of Tecuan. The
l
IFS stupendous Sierra del Laurel, a spur of
the mother mountains" Sierra Madres)
which form the boundary line between
Aacatecas and the district of Calyillo.
There are also the Sierra Fria lcoId noun
talns), Pabellon, Moses, Pozos and La Cruz
ranges. The San Pedro river. rising in the
mountains of Zacatecas, crosses Aguas Ca
lientes from north to south, and empties
into the Rio Grande del Santiago in JaIisco
Other rivers interSect the State. and there
are many extensive basins, called 1,rcsas
which become lakes of considerable size
during the rainy season, making this one
OF the best agricultural sections of Mexico,
because well watered and easy of irriga
ton.
.Aguas Galleries is divided into four dis
trlcts-or, as we should say, counfies-and
contains two cities besides its capital Gal
WHO and Calpulapan), four villages, eight
municipalities. 30 police divisions, As landed
estates, one villa (Ocampo), and 474 ranches.
THE PRODUCTS or THE STATE
Are wheat corn, tobacco, beans. barley
potatoes, chill, canary seed, garbanros. len
tbs, and all the small fruits of the temper
ate zone, besides pulque, beverage made
from the maguey or century plant;
colconche, the intoxicant distilled from
several varieties of cactii; aguardiente
rum cheese, goats-milk, butter, molasses.
and all kinds of live stock Ounce wine
is also made in considerable quantities
and there are several distilleries of agrar
dlente. In San lgnacio is q factory for the
manufacture of clothes, cassimeres, carpets.
serapeS, checked fiannels, and other wooden
goods. A number of cotton factories ara
also doing a flourishing business and turn.
ing out great quantities of unbleacbed cloth
called manta, and chocolate factory ex
ports tons of that toothsome compound
which nowhere is better made than in
Mexico. ''-''il IL
Mining industry is just now at a stand
still-owing chiefly to lack of enterprise
though great riches are known to be hidden
IN the hills, millions having been taken ONT
IN the past from the districts of Santa Gaia
rlna and Asientos de Iburra The State
has some splendid stone quarries. besides
abundance of copper, lead, lime, magistraI,
gypsum, and the gold and silver of tbe
northern mountains. The revenues of the
State, which are reckoned at over Sq5 COO
per annum, are derived from taxes, direct
or indirect. The direct" taxes are six
dollars on thousand according to valua
uon. one per cent. upon sales of foreign
goods, hive per cent. upon changes of do
main, pensions, and wills. and PAYMENTS
for exemption from service in the national
guard. The City of Aguas Calientes is dis
tant by rail only 57S kilometers from the
City OF Mexico 100 kilometers from Zaca-
tecas, us from Guanaiuate 167 from San
Luis Potosi, and 205 from Guadalaiara-the
railroad now placing it in direct communi-
cation with all the principal cities of the
Republic. FANNIE b. W4pn
sSsu-.-ss-s--.---rs.--.
"A Volcano Curioasly Formed.
a miniature volcano has been added to
the laboratory of the keystone Normal
School, where it will hereafter be used for
purposes of instruction. 1t was formed
spontaneously at the Macungie furnace in