Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-09-13
A MEXICAN CASTLE.
The Palatial White House of the
Nation at Chapultepec.
A Magnificent Pile of Marble
and Its Surroundings.

President Diaz, says City of Mexico
correspondent of the Omaha Bee. has
moved his official residence out to tho
Castle of Chapultepcc, which becomes
once morc-for the first time since the
unucky Macmillan aud his charming
wife lived thcre-thc white house" of
Mexico. Chapultcpcc is orc of the love.
licst spots imaginable. 1t is UNIQUE in
itself rs well as in lis name, which SIG.
nifcs, "The Hill of the Grasshoppcr."
| Montczuma made his summer house
here, and an underground passage, still
In existence. was made by his direction,
to point in the valley below, so that
the Aztec chieftain could go and como
as he pleased. Under the old cypress
tree in the park the conqucror Cortez
pitched his tent after the celebrated
"Noche Tristc," or night of sorrow,
when the Aztcc' fell upon the Spaniards
and mastered them. Here Maximilian
and the unfortunate Carlotta made love
rs they promenadcd the magnificent
marble terraces which were built by or.
der of the ''Austrian Grand Duke"
Here the American army fought a
bloody but decisive ba,tlc-onc which
has made the queer word Chapultcpcc
familiar to American cars. One might
narratc nUm5crlcss historical Incidents
connected with the spot which abounds
in memories, if space permitted, but the
place itself demands some description.
Imagine park of 1000 acres, covered
with dense growth of cypress, many of
the trees 500 or 600 years old. The gray
Spanish moss festooncd from limb to
limb adds to the picturesquenc,s of the
scene. In the centre of this park. which
Is surrounded by massive walls on three
sides, the old aqucduct forming the bar
ricr on the fourth, rises prccipitous
mound, if such Il term will express the
idea This mound is composed princi-
pally OF rock and is probably 200 feet
In height. There is but one road to
the top, the summit being inaccessible
except by this single route
Upon the very apex stands the castle,
! completely covering the space, 90 that
70 matter from which direction YOU
look there is a shce. descent of nearly
100 feet. The castle was built in sec
tons and presents no singular feature
'' architecture except a pccu.iar double
staircase tina. seems to have no supports.
When Maximllan first saw this staircase
he remarked TO the architect thai he
would not trust his own weight upon it.
whe?eupon the designer, with Ills
Majcsty's permission, brought regi-
ment OF soldiers and marched them up
and down the stairway ten abreast, thus
demonstrating its strength. This stair
case Is the only one of its kind in OK
istcncc, and is built of white marble
and brass.
The terraces at Cnapultopcc arc one
OF the sights of Mexico. They are
floorcd with white marble, with brass
balustrades and Lighted b. electricity.
The upper t:rracc extend, the entire
distance around the castle and is twenty
four feet broad. Lovely little flower
gardens arc located at frequent intervals,
and here are blooming geranums. fuch-
sias, heliotropc and mignoncttc, maxi
ing the air rich with perfume and add.
ing to the beauty and brightness of the
scene.
The furnishing of the castle for the
reception of President Diaz In, been
very elaborate. The private apartments
arc in the northwest wing. Each room
is frcscocd appropriately. The chess
room has 4 chess board in the centre of
the ceiling, with the bishops, kings
and queens in merry dance about it,
the pawns furnishing appropriate music
from the four corners of the room. The
private reception parlor of the Prcsi-
dents wife is "donc up" in pink silk
with plush and brocadc hangines to
match. Every wall IN the entire suit
of rooms is covered with silk brocade
instead of paper. The bedroom occu-
pied by the President and his wife was
decorated and furnished at an expense
of $50, 900. The dining room has a
seating capacity that is limited t, 80
persons. The magnificent solid silver
That once belonged to the Empcro OF
Macmillan is to be used, but the china
and glassware are not in Keeping with
the royal magnificencc Of the silver; one
If the soup turccns requires four men to
carry it when filled.
President Daz is greatly loved by his
followers, and he will doubtless make
the Castle Of Chapultepcc quite as bril-
liant as it was in the days when the
Aust