Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-25
IN MEXICO.
TRAVELS In SOUTHERN PORTION
OF THE REPUBLIC.
San Luis Potosi The ssCity OF
Churches "-Appearance of Peo-
pie and Worshipers.
Correspondence Of the REcoRD-UNioS.l
SAN LUIS Mex. February Ia. 1888.

the Mexican Central Railroad Not that |
San Luis is so near to TaEppico-being |
nearly 800 miles away-bnt the distance |
seems nothing now as compared to the |
wearisome and dangerous Journey before !
the day of railroads. Then one was
obliged 70 make more thar 100 miles of Il
or horseback, over Lonesome and robber-
infested roads, and thence by the even less
comfortable o,iiqepoia.
Saa Luis Potesi, capital of the STATE Of
the same name, is considered one Of the
finest cities in Mckee. and is destined to
become the great railroad center of the
Republic, as n the old days It was the
central statioa for dstige7cias. II was set
tied two centuries and half ago, by proud
old Spanish families, and to this day is
more essentially Castilian than Mexican
1t lies on the eastern side of the great
plain OF Anahuac distant from Mexico
City about $40 miles from Monterey 275
miles, and from Xacatecas $50 miles.
As seeH from the south-after the trav-
eler has ascended the plateSu and passed
the hacienda de Bocas-San Luis presents
= most Beautiful appearance. The we'll
shaded city is situated in the center of an
immense level valley, As miles wide, and
its iRaamerable towers cf antique shape
and scores of Gomes remind one forcibly Of
Constantinople and other Oriental capitals
Within the giTdle Of the nearby Sierr;s s.
which to one in San Luis appears I'M
broken-are several small villages and
puebios.
The land IS well titled and exceptionally
fertile, and just now everything is green
and beautiful. But here they have nine
long months without drop of rain, and
constant irrigation is a necessity-else, I'M
der the strong rays Of the tropic sun,
nothing would grow but caoti, snakes and
chaparral.
The population of =" San Luis" as it is
more commonly called, emitting the I'M
necessary Potosi,' is not less than 10000,
including the suburbs of Tlaxcalla and
adjoining hamlets. Like all Mexican
cities, the streets are narrow and stony,
laid out at right angles, with barred win
dows and high adobe walls. 1t is often
called 1.-THE city of churches" and might
with equal propriety be called one of
plazas. Ones first impression is, how
monotonous are the former and, after
short stroll about the streets, how beauti-
full are the latter.
There are more than fifty churches in
San Luis, many of them splendid models
of architectural beauty, and others rich in
historic interest. Besides these, and one
of the most most magnificent cathedrals on
the continent, there are no less than
twenty-seven old converts and monasteries,
some of them covering acres of space The
facade between the twin towers of the
cathedral is adorned with valuable clock,
presented to the city by the King of
Spain more than 4 century ago. The
glorious view of mountain and plain,
smiling valleys, Egyptian plains and
Alpine nights, which the tourist obtains
by ascending one of these towers, is worth
coming all the way to Mexico This grand
cathedral is said to equal that in the City
of Mexico, and, like the rest of its kind, is
deliberately carved and sculptured without
and within with walls and buttresses of
surprising thickness. 1t contains untold
wealth in the way of old paintings, rich
vestmeuts and jeweled adonments, and has
more than a dozen bells, large and small,
which at all hours of the day are rung in
a deafening manner by means of short
ropes tied to their clappers
There is a pretty legend connected with
one Of these bells, which believe was the
gift of a former Emperor of France. Many
years ago it hung in an old French convent,
and-as well-conducted bell should do
it tolled the passing hours and called the
jolly fathers to their prayers. But one
memorable morning, although its iron
tongue was swung by lusty arms and struck
the time-worn rim with all the force that
could be brought to bear-not sound
came forth! Could eyes and ears deceive
was everybody gone daft as well as deaf?
When the strongest man in the village
swayed the rope with all his might, only
ghostly, soundless vibration was the result.
So the good people concluded that devil
had surely possessed the bell, and called
upon the Bishop TO re-bless it. He did so.
but repeated blessings did no good what
ever; and finally the senseless metal was
solemnly cursed and its tongue removed
for by this time strange rumors were afioat,
that invisible hands caused uncanny tones
to sound over the village at midnight, fill |
ing honest folk with terror.
After years of silence, the French King |
whether wishing to try change of climate |
upon the bell, or 10 rid himself of as many |
devils as possible-sent the intirm old thing |
to Mexico, presumably with his compli1 |
ments At last it was rehung in the tower |
of this Observation-Disclosures the ma
tional 'Palacio" and the pretty plaza de |
Armas and again rc-blessed
Of course its story had preceded it, and |
when lusty Indian swung its now rusty |
clappers people held their breath to await |
the sound or silence that would follow. 1t |
sounded, to be sure ten times as loud MS
an ordinary bell-the first stroke cracked
the metal from top to bottom, and it was
only an unmusical clash. Strange to say.
the people take more pride and pleasure in |
Its discordant voice than in all the music |
of their silver chimes; and now. at midday |
and midnight, It's hideous racket makes |
unbelievers wish that the curse had never |
been removed.
At the extreme southern end of the CITY
is the Sanctuario de Guadalupe, beauti-
full structure and apparently more modern
than any of the others. 1t is approached |
by paseo, or walk, nearly mile long.
shaded by rows Of fine trees, and with a |
carriage drive on either side. Here the |
people throng on all fiesta DAYS, and in the
early morning scores of lovers stroll along
the pdseo or ride up and down on horse
back, to catch glimpseS of their sweet
hearts on the way to mathis.
The soldiers barracks, prison and
asylum, face this pdseo, sandwiched be-
tween the one-story adobe houses of the
poorest classes.
The Alameda occupies space of %
acres, laid out with walks and Covers and
in every shady nook are seats and foun-
tains. The whole is surrounded by a wide
double driveway, bOrdered by rows of
trees, with payements for pedestrians be-
tween. For three hours during the after
noon of every Thursday and Sunday. the
SD Military Band-cne of the best in
Mexico-renders excellent music here TO
the assembled beauty and fashion of the
city, who ride in their carriages, pnomen-
ade, or prance about on horseback.
Near the Alameda is the old church del
Carmen, formerly = convent, but now 4 sad
looking wreck, for n street has been cut
through the middle Of it and the broken
walls remain mute witnesses to the OUTRAGE.
The main building, however, is still in
good shape and is the largest in San I.uis.
Opposite the postoffiee, across the plaza
of the same name, is the San Francisco
convent, in an equally dismembered state.
Part of IT has been converted into facto-
rles. college occupies several arros aud /