The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-01-28

Iuu1es frequently. nusL uOt ioiSS
to mention the Alameda or Publ,
Park. the famous bull fight rings
and fhe use of two or three hundred
soldiers repairing the walks and drivel
in the Park they are equipped with
blocks of wood with ha njle or stick
through it and used as hampers it il
quite interesting to see this army Of
men, in line, all start off at one and
the same time, with the hampers lie
front of them, moving forward with
soldierly procession, all tramping the
gravel into the ground. 1t would
seem like it was all done with one
blow.
This Alameda, or park, is splendid
place to see the Mexican senoritas
going TO and from their churches with
their prayer books in hand, adorned
with their beads, and wearing the
mantillas. Bonnets are seldom worn
by the natives. One of the gentlemen
of our party was particularly interes-
ted in this array of walking beauties.
The principal church near sthe
Alameda is the "San Hepolito," the
second oldest church In the country
built by the Spaniards. Another one
Of the churches is called "San Juan
de dos" (St. John of COD. OF
course the only religion here is
Roman Catholic. Service is goiDg
on all day long in the Cathedral, peo-
pie going in and out all the time, can
dies continually burning the people
here, the poorer classes, especially,
are very devoted to their church and
religion.
The "Paseo de la Raforma" is the
drive of the city and is a magnificent
boulevard. AT different places ON
this boulevard have been erected very
fiue bronze statues that OF Charles
the Fourth, said to be the largest
bronze in the world, is at the entrance
to the drive, Columbus and GuatimOt.
Yin being farther along.
Our second day in the city was
spent visiting the shops and bazaars.
our ladies being accompanied by
lady friend resident Of Mexico, who
cheerfully escorted us from
place to place, acting as
guide and interpreter The
services of this lady were very vaIu-
able, for YOU will find very little
American language spoken; our la
dies made many purchases, especially
in silk shawIs, and they all declare
they got bargains. After dinner We
took a street car ride out to Guada-
loupe. of course visiting the Cathe-
draI. but our principal object being
visit 10 the hottest shrine in Mexico.
the Shrine of Gadaloupe,' which is
situated on the top of a hill. and is
reached by several score of stone steps.
There is also to be seen here, near the
top of the hill, what seems to be a
ships mast with sails all set, done in
stone, and said to have been erected
by some storm tossed sailors. who at
ter praying to the Virgin of Gada-
loupe, vowed if saved from a watery
grave, they would carry the mast to
the shrine, ami erect ii as thank Of
feriDg. This they did, shaving been
saved. and they carried it all the way
from Vera Cruz "a distance Of 265
miles, and incased II in stone and
erected it where it now stands to-day.
Early next morning We left the
Civ of Mexico for run to Vera
Curz over one of the grandest rail-
roads in the world. ror miles we
rode through plantations and farms
of the Pulque Plant (pulque is the
Mexican's beer.) Then followed the
grain fields, then the mountains, the
railroad ascending from point to
point until we reached an altitude OF
nine or ten thousand feet. The
scenery over these mountains, to-
gether with the railroad engineering
skill displayed, reminds us of and
compares favorably with Colorado.
Looking down into the valleys of the
tropics, the scenery;from such heights
is absolutely grand and magnificent
and it beggars description; we looked
down, it seemed, for miles and dis
covered town after town in the valley
plainly decerniDg their farm aud
plantations of tobacco, coffee, sugar
oranges, pine apples, bananas etc.
etc.
This is a wonderful country! The
genera! superintendent of the road,
who was on the train with us, tele.
graphed ahead for ten dozen oranges,
two dozen pine-apples and two bunch.
es of bananas for use on our car, and
you may rest assured that when they
were received we were ready to de-
your them. The fresh orange is SO
su,oot tbof it ypas O very pasy matter