New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-24
MEXICO AS IT Is IND MAY BE.
LETTER FROM Ex-coNGREssMAN GRINNELL
THE REPUBLIC MAKING PROGRFss-OPENINGs FOR
neutrality-suspicious. nEXEI nEMENT.

| ENrfRPRISE-EAfLROAD DEVELOPMENT
LERDo Mex, Dec 10.--I have spcat several days in
tho capital city Of Mexico whore there Is much to be
seen which win interest American tourists There
ere old caihedrals Of spanish architecture, museum
OF natural curioslties and relies. art galleries
and Government Buildings and military academy.
Above all, there the Mexican people. the men and
women Themselves, who n constant source Of won
der, study and admiration. Mexico Itself IS blend
Ing % tho Indian old Spanish and what may be called
tho modern Anglican civilization 1t has fcw
| fine streets famous promenade or driving avenue,
with street cars and some Of the accessories Of high
civilization but It's markets rude ard ITS hotels
not up to the modern idea Tho city will be great
resort in future for nvads and siehtseers. At Pres
ent Its drainage IS imperfect but engineers are at
work trying to provide system of sewerage This Is
labor OF small proportions, as the city Is shut In
by rim Of hills ard IT will require enormous tnn-
mel excavation to provide an outlet for its seWase'
! There two things which Mexico affords In per-
fectIon, both of them somewhat In demand among our
woto-do peOple-climate and picturesque MOUNTAINS
The two great mountains Of Central Mexico surpaSS
IN height and grandeur as solitary excresccnccs any
thing to be found In switzerland; but, Of course, tho
country az a whole Is not varied aud mlnuely IN
terestng TO the although II IS on more colossal
and majestic scale Of outline. The climate Is most
couabe differing but little In the winter from that OF
its temperate In fact, 1t Compares all tho year
round with the spring OF or Mddlc o'aes' anu "o"u
make most desirable country for sanitarnm for this
provided always that good SURROUNDINGS good
catering to the table, and good medical assistance
could be had along with shelter, which latter by tho
way IS not much needed for the greater part OF inc
year II IS safe to say that good hotter Keepers arc
in demand large part OF the Unlted s'a'os' ]"
IL in Mexico. Any one VINO KNOWS ho" ~
keep a hotel- can find openings in plenty along inc
limo of railroads in Mexico great deal OF houSehon
hospitality exists among the Mexlcans outsiuo VI '
city, but European and North American travellers d.
WAYS prefer to have the option Of going to hotel
There is a considerable colony Of Americans in this
canItaI some Of them drawn here by diplomacy others
by trade and still others by mining and railroad enter
prses Mexico has recently started on new career
in the matter OF Internal Improvements. This was
under the sagacous and liberal administration OF Pres
dent DIaz and his successor, 10 bring about closer
intimacy between tho two adjoining Republics lhe
MexIcans themselves are bravo peope-they nave
proved It by expelling the invaders from their SOIL
They are a devout people-you VIII ma then 'ro""
ing into tho churches at the dawn OK DAY, WHO "o
strangers among them are still sleeping at'onueo
banquet given by the Minister oil war; ana na' 'N'
pleasure Of making some remarks as to tho a'
n bs brought about by the commingng OF the mo
cbsnical genius and the capital OF tho Northern NC
nrbc with the natural resources Of her sister on the
coptb all Of which were we'll received and sprt Vi
h, d,nrss was shown to the Americans preseh' lhero
ara 10 200 600 laborers this country, who az pres
ant 90 through life very diminished expenditure
for comforts Their food and clothing are oi 'Io ''
primitive desert ption. Even their methooS OF "orA'
ing in the fields mines and shops are far pehlhu het
c,p st,I. Int they are not deficient in capacity ior
learning and It Will be a delightful as we'll as prohs-
able mission on the part IF Americans 10 teach these
people mining and mechanical occupations-dlpiomaoy
End general astuteness We can learn from them
Manufacturers Of coarse cloth here are doing WELL
At tb,s place which IS to he railroad Junction.
found bales Of cotton unloaded at the railroad STATION
% he manufactured into the unbeaehed sheet
tr which is the garment by the peasantry East
r, here IS A large region called the Lssuna country
which is very productive OF cotton. Tho dra"oscA
ber.tofor. has been tho of fuel for turning spin
dies THIS will DO removed by the Introduction OF
coal from Northern Chihuahua, where In the valley "
the sabinas good bituminous coal IS found In such
| quantity az 10 be OF great value 10 this country
Thirty miles southwest Of here Is tho IRON Mountain
OF Durango said to be ten times as extensive as 'ns
~ Missouri which awaits tho enterprise OF foreigners
70 utrllzs H. Tho coal from the ssbna, VIII meet the
ore from the Durango mines somewhere In this vicIn-
itv and largo iron furnaces will nc doubt be erected
Besides FROM there silver and gold mines soa''ereu
all along up and down the different valleys many "
them brought into profitable operation by tho advent
of railroads Tho mining industry looking up NOT
outstanding tho low price Of silver
At Toreano three miles sonth OF here there VIII
be ,oined before the end of this month two of the
most n,nortant railroad enterprises Of this country
The Nsylcan Central has been completed for two years
between Fl paso and the capital 2cf miles In length
This was the first line to be constructed to Mexico from
tho POINTER and by this line most OF tho communic@
ton /, now carried Half OF II Hes through dry
and somewhat sterile country which but FOR the graz
ing and mines would afford little traffic for railroad
The other lnc the Mexican International has rs other
end on the Rio Grande frontier at Eagc Pass Texas,
soms 175 miles west Of San Antonio IL mas peeil To
structed by New-York and San Francisco captausts
for tho purpose OF supplying shor. c.' pe,Weeh ~
Orleans and Galveston 10 the heart OF Mexico u IS
about 400 miles from Eagle Pass 10 the Junction. ana
tho trains to be running through early IN January S
met Mr.. f. l. Plumb, the vice preslucn'' III W. III
Of Mexico and he told ne that through service WIZ
be organized as 10 allow passengers me optoR Oh
passing through Washington, New-OrleanS ana san
Antonio TO Mexico, with a privilege OF stopping az
either mentioned place. The road !iSet IS almtapy
constructed and has very low grades. us chlel lll
nortanre however IA I'm the fact that II peneraeS ara
crosses tie only known coal field I'm the Republic OF
Mexico Coal which now commands Sl2 TO SO per
ton 10 the capital can be laid down, after transporta
lion OF $50 miles at about $40. At intermediate points
whore fuel Is stll higher, the reduction VIII De even
greater It's eject upon iron making and the precious
metals VIII be felt at once Eluaiy ppr,So r Is , tno
adv antagc to tho Great Mexican central trunk Hho
in thus being Afforded coal at minimum price midway
on IT'S line. As a tribute TO the tboroughneSS OF the
work done by these railroads and the general efficiency
Of American railroad management II IS stated mat
not an American passenger has been killed on the
Central road during The six years OF Its OPERATION nor
any passenger I'm his seat"
The agricultural capacities OF the country are sus-
ceptblc VI great development with orr implements,
steam plO1ghs. reapes and mowers ont at present
csffl, and silver with sugar and fruits nom the low
hot countries are about ali can expect TO exchange
In fhs Republic. II sufficient revenues were assured
for tie administration and the payment OF the army,
have no doubt that Mexico would hail with pleasure
measure OF reciprocity Oh TRACE ana an ecu
free list. j. B O"NNELL'