Telegram-herald., 1888-03-27


~itnln- Scsn~<zslss as dosny co4eh u It's
ser slas - EA@Es oy ~>y Il sNFasss sna
conass - tsks passP a. ~. Perhaps Ne hs-oks
tAFoaga Lite slezst. o. II thls ~sRnnS,
De op<ss TIE door q hand breadth, further
iRErosion bslzs prevented o. he4ss ehaln
heoze1 from o2s SssE ~ ths eEasr. II ~s
are gsnte decczte-tAe righs sort Il psepls
We are aaIA1stsd. fhs aFchsd tlBusl Ike &c
francs way AS 90 ons SIDE a stationary fogal
81 ne4scnTy sr . saosaols ssttss. and Ga the
other opsas tie partess lodge where hs AMI
rs fazaily I've. 2na very Likely carry on IA
tEs csc roon tsllsrisg. t<sok binding OF some
ether trade. - eoe. the ffe1ch eoaeiergs.
Very often "a elaborate iroH gate OF scroll
work al tas iszsE szae1ns of tAs ssgHsn
AFFORDS "a additional protection against
thieves. m&d deg. Wild cattle o. other
marassisFs- Beyond this = the gFadTzngulsr
court, or patio, o. vAleA a. . genersl rule
al ths living rooms ope1. Often one side at
least - Sxirted oy al arehed portal o. CORR
dor, very pleasant aid ample Cor family
gatherings. especially ia the TROPICS, where
this Is the fsyorite rendezvous OF the house
hold During the day II Is shaded by can
vas curtains, which are often wetted 10 pro
uaote GOODNESS. as are also the Gags OF the
<
games OF What not Thess corridors are
often given a mural decoration OF painting
representing orange trees, pot plants. vines
climbing over lattice work, and similar Oh
jects, while at the rear Of the patio, masking
tie inferior Eaguan, = screen OF masonry Is
painted To carry out the perspective.
Opening upon the patio, light is generally
supplied 10 rooms In Mexican houses through
half saAAod doors rather than windows,
which, except on the facade, are seldom seen,
save, perhaps, curious little openings of oval,
circular, trefoil or other odd shapes, grated
rather than glazed. Tie doors open from
tho middle, each leaf being glazed in its up
per half, III tho more pretsntlous dwellings,
and they are secured by upper and lower
bolts, the latter, high up, provided with
rings and chains for drawing them. The in
ner janbs are fitted with projecting castings,
affording a recess on either side, into which
Old snusly away paneled solid shutters,
which, With lid 10 drop down over the
transom, where transom exists, exclude the
light SO completely as 10 beautify the So
journing amateur photographer, who finds
his dark room ready made, without the add
yentitious aid OF blankets ana such contrap-
tons Padlocks, large and solid, are in high
favor for securing house doors, or else locks
OF massive design, with keys q foot or moro
long and heavy enough to serve as q weapon
most offensive The door knobs are gener-
ally not door knobs At all, but queer little
curlicue shaped brass handles, and all the
metal fittings seem wonderfully quaint and
clumsy by comparison with the trim finish
to which the American eye is accustomed
Floors are almost always, save in the ma
tionsl capital, OF red brick tiles, square, hex
agoual or oblong, sometimes painted in pat
terms; those OF halls and corridors are often
stone tagged, and the rare oses of wood are
known, at least in the interior, as American
hoors." The interior walls are generally
painted in distemper, paneled, dadoed and
friered, often decorated with an all over de
sign in stencil The ceilings are fourteen to
twenty feet above the floor, and few indeed
are the rooms outside the City of Mexico
wherein the rafters are not conspicuous,
crossed by the layers, row after row, now of
cane, now OF small sticks or brush, now OF
shades Close LAID, which support the earth
and mortar, foot to yard thick, which con-
stitute tbs fat roof These raftcrs. called
vigas, are sometimes the rough, unhewn
trunks OF trees usually cedar; sometimes
even in handsome houses they arc only
shaped roughly; again they ara wrought
carefully, oiled or stained, and prickod out
with gliding
The stairs are mostly OF stone, wide, shal
low and not dangerous or uncomfortable to
climb The waterspouts are strangely effect
i've as to picturesqueness, being heavy troughs
Of masonry which project from the coping
nearly yard, in order 10 discharge the rain
fall into the street beyond the range Of pc
destrians OF late Mexican utilitarianism
which is vastly comprehensive and practical
notwithstanding American preconceived
ideas TO the contrary, has applied to the pur
pose OF supplementary pipes the tin of OLD
kerosene cans, in which brisk trade Ia:
sprung up accordingly.
The average American housewife Whose
nenage Is located in a Mexican built edifice
finds her lot msrtyrdom through the abso
Lutte absence Of closet room or other perma
nent place of storage. On the other hand
much ve1ation of spirit is avoided by Tn,
construction Of kitchens with stationary
fire range, sink, charcoal bins, etc In To.
living rooms fireplsces are non est inveutus
being deemed device of Satan for the in
Jury Of health. On the other hand, certain
sanitary conditions deemed OF the utmos
tAS AiDch fAhtkOD
are in too many parts Of Mexico totally tx
nored.
The drainage and the essential offices ar,
calmly passed By on the other side, and tn.
stencil from sewers, cesspoolS, etc, is some
thing awful. Ventilation, too, is REGARDED
as a superfluoUs luxury, and in the case o
sleeping rooms a. positively deleterious
Another drawback Of Mexican houses Il
their inconvenient arrangement, due to lacl
OF passages between the rooms In order Il
have paTIors and drawing rooms gaze upol
the street q vast deal OF space Is wasted, o.
At least devoted 70 merely ssperhuous ante
chambers, while very often access is had Il
dining rooms or sleeping apartments onl,
/ through other chambers, the which, even il
family circles, is hardly agreeable or condu
| ciVe 70 a desirabls privacy.
| Close observer can but remark the littl
part carpentry plays in Mexican building
/ Door and window castings are built in will
/ the walls themselves, and the little wcos
I work Of the roof is a matter very simply
adjusted Nails are almost an eliminate,
I factor. Those used ara the wire nails O
( German origin. but they are very spsrsel'
l distributed The Mexican - q born sailor il
/ 50 much rs concerns the art Of lashing, ans
/ wherever be can make = rope or thong d
/ duty for a nsil he employs the cordage Y
IL ACIDS in san Francisco Chronlcle