Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-03-20
RAMBLES In THE TROPICS.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY IN
SOUTHERN MEXICO.
Morelia, the Ancient Valladolid
Capital of the State of Michoa-
can-Some Interesting Facts.

Especial Correspondence of the RECORD UNION.
MoIELIA, March s, 1886.
For one who has never travelled in Mex
leo, it requires some effort to realize that its
Capital, the ancient Tenochtitlan, is not the
one town worth visiting in the country,
but that there are scores of other cities far
more interesting, and at least thirty or
forty that rank in population and impor-
lance with Indianapolis, Kansas City, To-
peka, Detroit, Albany and other American
cities Of that ilk. Paris may be France,
but the City of Mexico is no more Mexico
than Washington is the United States.
An all-day's ride from the National Cap
ital, via the Mexican National Railroad
over the main ridge of the Sierra Madre,
past Toluca and down the western slope of
the great cordillera which forms the back
bone of the continent, brings one to the
very heart of Michoacan. Morelia is but
one of the many curious towns of large
size but lately reached by railway, and
there are others of equal importance re-
mote from any steam-car line.
Leaving the city of Mexico early in the
morning, you arrive at Moreia after dark
and take the tramvia to a hotel. A dis
dnctive peculia rity of Mexican railway
stations is that they are invariably located
on the remote outskirts of every city-by
order of the Government, the people being
too much afraid of the iron horse, and too
distrustful of the American employees, to
permit closer proximity. But trGmgios
(street-cars imported from the United
States are everywhere-these in Morelia
being as recent an improvement as the rail-
road.
Early in the morning the bells of the
great cathedral will awaken you. especially
if it happens to be on Sunday, but before
noon you will come to the conclusion that
church bells ring here all the time, or at
any rate, that the Government does not
hold the ropes here and regulate the
amount of ringing, as in the city of
Mexico.
The first thing to be done, after the man
ner of the Mexicans, is 10 get Coffee
served in your room without extra charge,
and accompanied by small loaf of bread,
minus butter. If you are so questionable
as to desire couple of eggs, they may be
obtained for a small consideration from the
astonlshed waiter, who marvcls within
himselfat the greediness of Los 4nierica1aos.
This light repast is the universal desaytno.
the breakfast proper being served between
IL o'clock A. NJ. and PM
Strolling into the principal street,
called the Gale Nacional. Won
soon discover that Morelia has not been
overrated, though its praises have been
sounded in your ears ever since you
reached the borders of Mexico. 1t is called
g the City of Flowers and is certainly a
charming old town-a city set ON a hill
that cannot he hid, in the midst of most
delightful rural surroundings. It's one
stored casas, EMPOWERED in perennial
bloom, look older than they really are, be-
ing mostly built of pinkish trachyte
(quarrled about mile from the citv),
which takes on a weather-beaten aspect in
few years time. The city was founded
about the year 1880, by the famous Spanish
Senior Don Antonio de Mendoza, and for
nearly three hundred years was called Val.
ladolid until changed to it's present name.
in 1925 in honor of the patriot-cure, Mo-
relos.
AS city Of churches, Morelia rivals
Queretaro and Guadalajara and notwith-
standing the decadence of papal power in
the republic, is still noted for its devotion
to Roman Catholicism. 1t is safe, as well
as respectful, for the foreigner to lift his hat
on meeting church dignitaries in the
streets, and it is just as well to " do as the
Romans" and flop down upon your knees
when the consecrated Host is carried by
or else turn down some other street forth
with. We are told that not few Protest
ants have been mobbed and arrested and
some have been killed. The late Methodist
Bishop, Gilbert Haven-who was as rabid
and unreasonable in his own peculiar be-
lief as any Catholic in his-relates that
few years ago an American shoemaker was
working at his bench just inside the door
OF his house, when the tinkling of bell
announced that priest was coming bear
ing the Host. A Mexican happened to
step into this doorway to avoid the pro-
cession, and, kneeling upon the floor.
turned around to see what the shoemaker
was doing. The latter had dropped his
tools and was kneeling on his bench. The
Jealous Catholic demanded that he should
get down upon the floor, like himself. This
the American refused to do; whereupon
the Mexican drew his ready dirk and
stabbed him to the heart. Quickly the
news spread through the town. and it was
only at the risk of his own life that an
American clergyman resident in the CITY
could give the murdered man Christian
burial. Within the last five years things
have greatly changed all over Mexico, even
In Mlchoacan and though Romish power
IS still stronger here than in any other
Mexican State. there is little open show of
hostility 10 the spirit of the age On our
hiehSif Az bdPpCbSd tldl Tic DISuOD
occupied the same car. At every station
hats came off and the bystanders crowded
into the car to crave the prelates blessing
as if their lives depended upon their alac-
rity; and quite likely most of them thought
that to neglect showing this mark of re-
spect would imperil their future happiness.
One is sure 10 linger long at the great
stone cathedral. 1t is one of the most ia
NOUS churches in the republic, built in the
rCl. atr-t1
an entire block Its dark brown granite
has solid and indestructible aspect, and
its twin towers, 200 feet high, are airy and
well proportional. The interior architect
ure, is Doric, severe and majestic Some
exquisite wood-carvings ornament the
choir, and formerly the passage-way from
this to the high altar was rallied with solid
silver-all of which, with most of its
other treasures, the Liberals confscated
The silver doors on the tabernacles of the
side chapels still remain, and the fonts
are OF the peerless, translucent onyx,
brought from the quarries of far-distant
Pnebla. 1t is said that this edifice received
more than 100000 during single CEN
fury from the neighboring mines of
OZumatlan. A magnificent organ, built in
1872, at a cost of $4,000, is still in use
Several of the old convent churches have
become so utterly wrecked since the Gov
eminent seized them, that one may see
ragged soldiers quartered in ancient naves
and horses stabbed where jeweled affairs
used to stand. The vast franciscan con-
vent (the Oldest in Morelia, dating from
1886 is now dismal ruin A former
Jesuit institution, whose noble architecture
Baron Won Humboldt deemed worthy of
especial mention, has been turned into a
correctional school. Part of the convent of
San Juan de Dios saint John of Cod is
now occupied by dance-hall of the lowest
order. Another wing. after serving some
years as an iron foundry. has become an
extension of the Hotel Michoacan. The
former nunnery of Santa Catarine de Sena
from which the gentle sisterhood were
elected before daylight one morning in the
spring of 1868. by the Liberal reformers
lis occupied by the first battalion of Fed
eral infantry, and so on to the end of the