St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-26
A Metropolis Upon Which
Nature Has LaviShed
Everything.
The Grand PasSe, a Boulevard
Which Has an Equal
u Nowhere.
Historic Chapultepec, the
Home of MeXieo's Sue
ceSSive Rulers.
ALI in a Fair Valley, Whose
Beauties Are Beyond
Description.
Special Letter 70 the Globe.

Special Letter TO the Globe.
CITY OF MEXICO, March 1s.-Rail-
roads and telegraphs. the great powers
which have peopled the imperial North
west and added its golden treasures to
the wealth of the world, are lifting up
and ciyilizing this people and instilling
among them spirit of progress that is
encouraging. Since the advent of rail-
roads, which have seemed TO bind down
with iron bands the turbulent spirits of
the restless and revolutionary hordes.
there has been stTikingly marked rise
IN the general intelligence of the people
of Mexico; and with this rise of intelli-
gence has come a spirit of enterprise
ana desire to develop the natural re-
sources of this exceptionally rich coun-
try. The most extensive deposits of
every precious metal-including mex
haustible deposits of iron ore-are found
within the bounds of this republic.
Not even tens Of millions, but tens of
billions are required to express
mountains. Timber of every variety
grows in its valleys, and every
valuable fruit, gain and vegetable
flourisheS on its soil. Its great stretch
OF SeaeOaSt, its different degrees of
latitude, and its varying attitudes
from eternal summer to eternal winter
with every variety Of soil, combine to
make this one or the richest and most
desirable sections of the globe. The
government seems to be a stable one,
and is broad in its intelligence and its
spirit Of progress. Good order prevails,
and life and property seem to be well
nFa1latnA In RI re
ton and commerce, Mexico has a large
railroad mileage; butts trade is rapidly
increasing, and its most excellent rail-
road facilities are not greatly in advance
of its needs. With more liberal COM
merclal treaty between the two repub-
lies, the people of each may be i'm
mensely benefited. With our Chinese
wall OF protection we shut out from our
own people their nearest and most prof
liable customers. The unfriendly feel
ing toward Americans that so long pre-
vailed here is fast giving away under
the benign influence OF the railroads
and the commercial traffic encouraged
and developed by them.
-
The CITY of Mexico originally stood
on an island in Lake Texcoco. This
lake occupied the lowest point in the
valley. and the other three or four prin-
eipal lakes were higher. so that when
the great rains fell and the waters from
the mountains poured in, these lakes
0vertiowed into TeXcoco and caused the
complete inundation of the city. The
valley is completely walled in by a
high rim Of mountains, and the &C
cumulated waters could not be gotten
lid of except by evaporation. Away
back, nearly two hundred years ago,
T1ll IS
which completely inundated the city.
and it remained in that condition for
five years, and might have continued
so Indefinitely had not friendly earth
quake opened up seams in the ground
which afforded the much-ne6ded drain
age. Afterwards an immense tunnel
was cut through the mountain range
and Lake TeXcoco drained down to
small proportions 1t no longer sur
rounds the city, but its nearest shore is
now three miles away, and its surface
is six feet below the seat of the city.
The waters of this lake are salt, while
the waters of Chalco and Xochimilco
are fresh. 1t is in Chalco. which is still
connected with the city by one of the
great canals built by the ancient Az
tees, or their predecessors, that the IA
nous floating gardens are found. A
ride in a gondola along this canal, every
foot of which is historic ground. is one
of deep interest. The gardens are the
Ioveliest and the most luXuriant. Hun
dredS of boats, loaded with the choicest
vegetables and the rarest flowers. are
encountered on the way. In addition
to the marketing, the boats usually con-
tain jolly and picturesque crowd of
Indians indulging in native dances and
playing native airs on guitars and other
instruments
The Mayors plaza. which occupies a
central position in the city, is bounded
on the east by the great palace. which is
a very large building, and in which are
conducted the affairs of state. and on
the north by the great cathedral. From
this park street car lines run to every
point of the city and its suburbs. The
Alameda is another park, larger and
much handSOmer than the Mayors pla-
"a. Here are stationed two excellent
bands of music every Sunday, and the
rich and well-dressed citizens promenade
from church services. At O'Clock.
after lunching, they take up the line of
travel which leads to the Palace of
Paseo de la Reforma. Chapultepec.
three miles distant. But the objective
point with the great throng- at
this time. is not the palace
but the amphitheater, at which the reg
ular Sunday afternoon bull fight takes
place. The amDhitheater is an inciosed
circle, with raised seats sufficiently
ample to comfortably accommodate
10000 to Il, 900 people. The bulls are of
a wild and vicious breed, and are raised
for this especial purpose. One bull is
brought in at time. and he is fought
by the trained athletes with prodS and
excited by the Haunting of red rags.
Six powerful bulls are usually killed in
succession during an afternoon, but not
without the loss of some horses and
narrow escape of some of the men.
Among the American portion of the
audience. and this is especially true of
the ladies. the main regret Is that some
of the human bruteS are not killed in
stead of the inoffensiye horses.
After the fight is over, which is
usually about O'Clock, the Grand
Paseo, a magnificent driveway 10 feet
under the branches of the great and
wide-spreading cypress trees which
were more than LOCO years old when
CorteZ conquered this country. and on
TO the palace on Chapultepee-I say, at
this hour on Sunday evenings. as fine
a concourse of elegant carriages and
horSemen can be seen here as can be
seen in any American city. What
says bright and Yivaeious writer, s'are
the Central park in New York, the
Regents park in London, the Bots
de Boulogne in Paris, the Bieberieh
park on the Rhine, the Prater in
Vienna-nay. even the pride Of Berlin,
the Thiergarten-What are they all in