The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1888-03-01
San Luis Potosi.


MOONLIGHT AND MUSIC. THE MEXICAN
4rH OF JULY. THE SAN PEDRO GOLD.
MINERAL WEALTH AND WANT OF WATER.
Correspondence of the Journal.
Feb. 18th, 1SSS. The site of San Luis being
SO much preferable to that of the City of Mex
leo, there are many who believe it will event.
ually surpa>s the latter in size and commercial
consequence. Already it has become an ini-
portant railway center; for not only does the
National, coming down from the north, con-
meet it with Monterey. Laredo and the United
States. and, passing through carries its trade
to Mexico ana the far South but a branch of
the Central leaving the trunk line at Leon,
connects it directly with the Gulf ports and
the commerce of the world.
10 the tourist San Luis is particularly inter-
cstng, as being representative metropolis Of
Southern Mexico. 1t rambles over an cnor-
nous area. and the houSes--lnlike those in
many parts of the country-are mostly of two
stories, the lower floors being generally used
for shops and stables, the people living above.
Lying at an elevation of over 5000 feet and
surrounded on all sides by the lofty Sierras,
the climate is the most delightful that can be
imagined. seldom falling below the freezing
point or rising above IS deg.
There are half a dozen good hotels in the
town, Of which perhaps the best are the Del
lr"gi'ese and the San Ferndndo. There are
electric lights and lorse-car line. and tele-
phones in general use. Not long ago an
American capitalist purchased beautiful site
fronting the Alameda, and purposes building
thereon a fir>t-class hoe.-a Ia Imericono.
To my mind the greatest attraction here
about is the famous baths OF San Jose. said to
be the finest in Mexico. They are situated in
Sal. Il, e . bo
post office; the charge including every modern
appliance and the best of attendance, is from
three to four reale>.
In the middle of the Plaza Major, facing the
great cathedral, is line statue of Padre llitlaI
go. the work Of native artist. Opposite the
cathedral is an English banking g-houSe- -Me>srs.
Ptman Il Co.--which Americans find extreme
~ convenient.
Besides the sights enumerated in previous
letter, the tourist should not neglect to visit
the Mint. the "Palaco,' the city hall, the
churches of Ell Rosario, Los isemedia>, and a
dozen more whose names have forgotten.
TIE citizens of san Luis are less reserved
toward foreigners than are many McNcans,
and though their homes are by no means open
Unfortunately to the stranger, they are not
entirely inaccessible. OF course there is the
inevitable cuSiuo of all southern cities wherein
the "gilicd YOUTH and middleaged stability
Of the vicnagc give frequent balls; and it is
easy for the Soiourner to get himself invited,
through some banker or merchant.
But the great glory of san Luis is its inconl-
parable music. There is Il large garrison here,
and among its various regiments of cavalry
and infantry are several superb bands of thor
oughlv trained musicians. Among the skilled
leaders are a number of Germans, hence the
finest selections from Mozart, Beethoven and
other masters are often Sanhwichcd between
gidtlv Spanish waltZes and the airy nothings
of French and Italian operas.
.A> The weather seldom iutcrfercS with out
door enjoyment. nearly every ight Of the $50
to say nothing of SUNDAY mornings and SiIll-
day aftrrnoons-thc broad pavement> and pink
plastered benches of the plaza> are filled with
happy people, listening to the music and di-
verting themselves after the southern fashion.
Il is Il custom to be heartily commented in
any rountrv-thi> gathering together of every
shade and strata Of life. the gay and the sor-
rowtul. the rich and the poor. careless children
and to-Worn adults. under the cooling slao-
oWs among HE flowers.
Every soul. of whatever condition, must he
made better and happier by good music that
>oiace for the sorroWfui, inspiration for the
discouraged, incentive to wOrthicr purpose for
the erring. and ze>t-giver to the JOYS Of the
JOY full. Like the army on the eve of battle,
when somebody sang of luuie Louyie and
every bronZed soldier Of whatever nationality,
substituted his own sweetheart for the Scottish
ia>>ie-->o the German Manlerer. li>tcnn. to
familiar strains in this far away country. looks
| up through the orange-hou-h> to the stars he
knew in chiilhGod and dreams of Father
land: The Italian stranger sees his own sunny
home IN tender memory: and even the Irish
man forgrt> his customary Joke and gives :,
silent thought to mother and the Emerald Isle.
We happened to be in san Luis on the 9TH of
February. which is the Mexican Fourth of
July-for upon that day is celebrated the pro-
claiming Of their present Liberal Constitution.
This year WAS the 3l.t anniversary. and all was
life and activity. The whole city was in holi-
IA. attire. stores closed. and business suspend
cd for the day. The Plaza de Armas. always
beautiful. was duubly 50 on that festive Occa-
sion. being decorated in every part with Ian
terms and electric lights and fc>tooncd with the
long Spanish moss that grows abundantly in
southern clime>. Like the Alameda. this plaza
j. arranged with walks, tiower-bed> and foun-
taiii>. There are Urang.-trec>. presenting the
| constant phenomenon Of buds. fruits and bios
SONS on the same stem: tall banana plants.
teathery palms, and rare.t fruits and flowers
III greatest profu-io!l. most of them growing
in irreguiarly made garden plots. Every thin"
has been done with care and congruity. aud
being beautifully taken care of it hrghtcns all
the >oHbre surroundings.
| Several bands We're playing, and everybody
WAS Oh the promenade. The Pa!acie Munich
| pad. oil the Wc>t-ln immense browll-painted,
| tWo->toricd structure that occupies an entire
| >quare-wa> ta>tefully decorated with flags,
and on IFS front Il great number Of small lam
! lights. ike stars. spelled the notices. ''NIvA
| MEXICO and ..CONsTITUCION DE 81
| The enormous cathedral on the opposite side
was illuminated for hours with coiUred fires
and weird did it look that one could easily
| fancy the witches that are said to have once
bewtched its old cracked bell.
The famous silver-mnes of San Pedro de
| Poto>i are in Il cerro (hl1 within sight of the
city. Once these mines produced enormously,
| aid from them was obtained the largest piece
! 8
| TO the King of Spain. who in return gave the
| great clock in the Cathedral.
| think ii was in 1920 that the first Spanish
| settlers had their attention attracted to this
| mineral district, which, fifteen years later. SET
the world agog. The royalties alone from the
| san Pedro gold contributed fabulous wealth to
! spain. i'll the course of hundred years. In
! iG'lSa SERIES OF hard>hip> checked these mines,
and finally closed thein--but not before so
much wealth had been obtained that already
| there was rich colon, settled upon neghbor-
| ing estates. whose values have continued to in
crease till the present day.-for propOrtionally
Is the climate becomes dryer and the popula-
| tlOn more numerous, more irrigating tanks and
| bitches have been constr acted by those who
could afford it, thus rendering the crops more
valuable and ensuring ready market.
| As in most mineral districts, the presence or
| absence of water finds 10 ''gOllen mean" il
! either does not exist at all, or comes in over
| whelming floods. On the San Pedro hills there
| was not drop. and the ore was carried in all
| directions wherever water could be gathered
the most satisfactory supply being found in the
wells Oh the site now occupied by the city OF
| San Luis
| When deprived of the support of the mines
the colony found itself the centre of rich agri.
| cultural district, while the miners scattered
among nrighboring fields notably the district.
Of Matehuala. ChareaS. Ramos and Gua,lalca-
| Zar--brin@i.g, hv their original connection
| with san Luis, the benefits of their researches
| to that established centre. BY and by, owing
| to its amazing progress, the reigning Niccroy
incorporated the Spanish colony as a ''city. >
the title being confirmed by Philip III. in 1853
But still the question of an adequate water
supply was most veNing one. Finally, moi
| long ago. Il concession was granted TO a firm OF
| London contractors TO supply the city will
portable water, the original wells which led tc
its foundation, being no longer sufficient. Al
matter of course, the owners of the old well.
had long before become rich from their share
| in the mineral wealth of the locality. and sc
they refused to sell the water, but walled it ul
| for their own private use. Thcreupon tht
poorer inhabitants were obliged to waste mucl
4 of their timc often standing far into the nigh
I awaiting their turn to gather meager suppl,
of water from the public conduits.
Fortunately nature lent material assistance
| to the contractors aforesaid, to offset the grea
expense of Introducing foreign tubing and mp
| paratus. Certainly no country can offer bette
occupation to the hydraulic engineer. A glance
| at the map shows an extensive drainage are;
falling to the east and west from the centra
table-lands. That to the westward forms tho
beautiful Lake Chapala. while on the east, til,
basin of the mile-wide river Panuco is fe.