The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-22
MONTEREY MEXICO

ago by the Mexican International rail
road. in the auditors department, OF
which Mr.. Mead, Jr, is the chief clerk,
gives most graphic and interesting de-
scription of that historic city and antique
country. Through the courtesy of MIR.
Mead, ST., we are permitted to make the
following extract from the letter which
will be read with pleasure by the writer's
many friends and the public generally:
Monterey is delightfully."- situated on
the north slope of the Sierra MadreS del
Oriente, whose rugged peaks rise back OF
the city to the height of some 1000 feet;
to the east stands the famous ''Silla, or
Saddle mountain, where was placed one
of Taylor's battle flags, by, it is claimed,
the first person who ever gained the
peak, one of his private soldiers. To the
west we see the 'Mitre del Obispo," or
Bishops Mitre mountain, rising rough
and rugged some 5000 feet. From our
house the sun sets directly behind the
"Mitre," and the effect is most gorgeous,
every peak and tip of the grand old
mountain being tipped and gilded with
seeming gold and silver and capped by
banks of snowy clouds tinted and
touched with every sunset hue, as If by
some painter of fairyland.
In the center of the city is the "Ojo
de Aqua" or spring, discovered by the
Franciscan fathers, who here placed
their banners and founded the city,
naming it after the old Spaniard, Condo
de Monterey. From the springs the
water DIVORCES in three different direc-
tons, making network of creeks or
small rivers, their courses well walled
by stones and the streets bridged, but in
the style one might expect to see in
some ancient city of the far east.
Splendid water can be obtained at a
depth of about twenty feet, SO the city
is we'll supplied. According to the last
census Monterey has population Of 49,
600, and is a rising, pushing place,
and we'll named the Chicago of Mex
ico." In all branches of industries she is
well supplied, mostly being operated by
foreign enterprise and capital. There is
now in operation two large smelters,
furniture factory, foundry and machine
shops, brewery, ice factory, steam laun-
dry, cotton factory, pressed brick works,
electric light works, furnishing both arc
and incandescent lights, two hat fac
tories, cold storage house, aud number
of smaller industries such as match and
soap factories, etc. etc.
We have four different street car lines
running to all parts of the city and
suburbs, three beautiful plazas, four
Catholic and two Protestant churches,
Baptist and one Presbyterian,
telephone with some 800 subscrib-
ers, three banks, two telegraph lines,
two Express Co.'S, two railroads, three
hotels, one dirt cart and 81 dog catchers.
All that we now lack is some Doodle
alderman to make city life in Monterey
a perfect dream.
Water being plentiful, foliage is
naturally abundant, and in passing down
the streets through every open doorway
can be seen the clearly swept "Patios,"
or yard, dark from the shades of the
banana, orange, oguoeate and lime. In
the western part of the city from a house
top it looks like one vast forest, SO dense
and heavy are the trees and foliage,
The town is well supplied with vege-
tables and fruit in season, sold on the
streets by ''fruteros," and the Plaza
de Colon or market house, where can be
obtained anything desired from the
f1ageolet and fragrant bean to full suit
of clothes. The market house in early
morning is a wonderful sight for a
stranger. The exhibition of the various
wares, pottery, chickens and vegetables.
and the many-colored attires and rigs of
the Mexicans and Indians, buying and
selling, all talking at once, leads one to
believe that the misunder standing that
occurred at the tower of Babel, accord
ing to the description of lookers-on, was
but a side issue and the real original is
right here in Monterey. Servants are
cheap pecuniarily but dear in expe-
rience, inasmuch as they seem to be
afflicted with malignant kleptomania. I
often wonder the kleytomania bacteria
or microbe is not discovered, so that an
infusion in Mexican servants and bank
cashiers might prove beneficial.
Commerce is represented in all its
branches as this place for many years
has been the distributing point for the
states of Nuevo, Leon, Coahuila and
Tamaulipas. Formerly all transporta-
tation was made by burros and mules
but new the steam horse does the work
to a greater advantage to both shipper
and shipped for a small consideration
from which the Mexican and Monterey
Gulf railroad company derive the BEN
eft.
Monterey has one large theater capa-
BILE of seating 1000. While the place is
not the most beautiful in furniture and
scenery, still it is much better than a
number of Mexican theaters l have
seen. The "Tivoli Garden" another
place of amusement, is just on the edge
of the city and is most beautiful place
to spend an afternoon or evening. 1t IS
a large garden indeed like a falryland.
Bananas, figs, lines, oranges and other
tropical fruits all growing IN the garden,
and refreshments at your order In the way
of beer, sandwiches, ice cream, lemon
ade, ETC., ETC., and for exercise you can
try the roller skating rink, horizontal
bar, rings. swings, and bowling alley.
At night the garden is lit with electric
ity. The leading society members have
their club. the Casino. beautiful build
ing situated on the Hidalgo Plaza, the
erection of which cost some s5O,OOO and
is indeed q credit to Monterey. l am
told there is but one finer club house in
the Republic.
The climate here is superb. Now, IN
the middle of the day, in the sun. 1t Is,
as might be expected, very warm, but III
the shade cool and comfortable and the
nights are exquisite. So far have seen
but one mosquito and had him promptly
arrested and fined and have heard since
that he was given twenty-four hours TO
leave the town.
The Mexican and Monterey Gulf Rail
road company is. OF course, the leading
industry and about completing the line
into Tampico. This Will make the line
nearly 400 miles in length, starting from
Venadito. a point on the Mexican Inter