New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-13
A BIT OF OLD MEXICO.
oR1zABA AND IT'S QUAINT SCENES.

uRIZABA AND IT'S QUAINT SCENES.
.,ru ar yHE MOST PICTURESQUE OF MEXICAN
SUBJECT FOR sTATUE-THE
RAILWAY SCENERY.
,ov . STAFF CORRESPONDENT TRIBUNE
sri.abs. Feb. S.-MaXmian crowned
..urns, who deserved to lose his throne but
- ,ras man of excellent taste. Orizaba was one
- his favorite hating places. Its quaint archi-
.s.ture picturesque rivulets. rural loneliness and
r,aiestie mountains appealed strongly to his ar
go fsslinc lie had a country residence near
~, a. InQenio, where is now a sugar plantation.
:, MAS al this beautiful spot that he renowned
~, determination to abdicatc when his retire
..ort frsm Mexico still practicable. The
pn,ess had failed in her negotiations at Saint
Cl.ud and had lost her reason. MaXmlian,
c,inp upcn the advice of General Bozaine, had
loft Chapultepec and set out for Vera Cruz, where
rrencb frigate was at anchor. At Ingcnio he
,,os received with signs of ELUSIVE loyalty by a
S.nrtaton from Orizaba. His courage at once
lived. The tranquil beauty of the scenery
.oo,bad his distracted mind Instead of resuming
his Journey to the coast in the morning, he re-
ma;ned for a week among the vine-clad hills and
suowed his clerical advisers, faithful priests, but
.,oor nolitcians to dissuade him. Then he pledged
h;mself TO return to the capital and defend his
leone against republican revolt. Orizaba, which
Nd witnessed the signal triumph of the French
ovor ,he Mexcans on the heights of Borrcgo, in
snired him with confidence in the rcltoration of
his fortunes. II the lovely capua in which
no listened to the cuckoosonS Of despairing hope
end invited his own melancholy fate by his
vacillation and credulity.
What Orizaba was in MaXmians time it re-
mains to this day-a Characteristic bit OF ola
Mexico With the railway station mile away
and with three lines of strect-cars, restricted to
short routes the old town has not been de-
spoiled of its picturesque quaintncSS by modern
innovation 1t is huddlc of lowbrowed houses.
rooted with red tiles and is pierced by three
rocky ravines, through which flow brooks of
sufficient volume 10 turn the watcr-whcelS OF
old-time factories. There is an alameda with
noble trees and miniature ZOcalo, with cluster
OF antique stone churches around II. FOUNTAINS
are PLAYING under orange trees and stone bcnches
are shadOwed by the gorgeous tulipan. The town
is in verdant valley, engirdlcd with bold hills.
which would be entitled to the dignity OF noun
tains if Orizaba were not close at hand, with its
snowy crown nearly $4,000 feet above the sea-
majestic, solitary and only rivallcd in glory by
huatl, beyond the plain of Pueba. Nowhere in
Mexico is tic foliage of more vivid green than
in this highly favored vale, for rains are fire.
ouent here and the atmosphere is always humid
The Corges where the rivulcts are flowing are
lnxuriant with tropical verdure Every bridge
spanning the foaming torrents is n study Tor a
psinter Every angle of the crumbing military
wall and every water-wheel among the rocks IS
an inviting target for the tourists camera. lhe
struggling streets, winding IN ana out among
the churches to the borders of the town, cnd III
plantation roads, with neatly trimmed hedges,
wbi;ewash shed cabins and stOrehouScS and we'll
cultivated fields of coffee, sugar and tobacco.
The coffee shrubs are shaded with rows of bananas
but the sugar and tobacco have full exposure to
the sum- The town is surrounded on all sides
by these plantations and embowered with ira
GRANGE and loveliness For variety of landscape
effect and antique architectural forms Orizaba is
unrivaed in this land of The picturesque.
Ii is genuine hit of old Mexico. Railways and
electric lights have come but the antique sim
plicitv of primitive customs remains The market
scenes in the spacious sheds near the plaza might
have been sketchcd by Diaz, the companion of
Cortes. nearly four hundred years ago. The dark
skinned women at the fountains filling their
water-iars. the long. struggling lines Of loaded
peasants in ragged raiment. with Solcs of leather
bandaued to their feet and their heads grand
lose hats Respondent with silver cord and tlnSel
ornaments caballeros with silver strTups and
gorgeous saddles, and beggars by the waysidc
with black-eyed babies carried in deep pockets
on their backs figures belonging to old Mexico.
which are disappearing from the northern border
and the chief cities of the central plateau. here
they are in accord with the scenic surroundings.
The covering beggar lying in a heap and mum
bling for aims, belongs under the an'Iquated
church tower. The pOverty-stricken burro is at
home in these crooked lanes and deep dehles.
The swarthy Indian faces, with black pial'ed
hair and cleaning teeth, arc appropriately framed
by the rough easements in the abode walls AS
evening comes the pretty little I0caIo WIN lts
circle of trees. is filled with musicians ana adj
miring spectators There is a full brass band re-
crnited from the muster-rOll Of an orphan asylum.
and another troop of street-mnstrels without uni
forms and in bare feet. Gay cavaliers in magnlh-
cent sombreros and faded trousers saunter up and
down. smoking cigarettes with airy grace Coy
senoritas with cotton tuncs and pettIcoats and
large brass pendcnts FOR earrings, look on from
the back benches under the surveillance OF ma
ternal eyes.
Under three large tents facing the ZOcalo are
scenes Which Hogarth could have painted with
grim bumor Hundreds of peasants and children
are playing a species Of Mexican keno To The
slow music Of half a dozen creaking violins IT
is Sunday evening and the game has been III
progress all the day under the shadow OF the
parish church. The master of the ceremonies
shakes the wheel and shouts out each number as
the ball comes out and hundreds Of men. women
and children keep tally with beans i'll diagrams
giving combinations of numbers. Al last some
lucky wight secures the coveted row of five
beans straight across his square and screams out :
IL have il now" All the receipts Of the game,
less the bankers liberal commissions, are paid
TO him, and then another round is begun. Hour
after hour the game is played in silence by these
stolid-looking groups until midnight falls Those