davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

completed in 1722, just 1e9 years ago, and IS,
interiorly and exteriorly, handsome
structure.
The decorations Of the interior are exc
cuted with much artistic taste. Here are
the Offices of the Governor of the Federal
district and the halls of the city govern
ment for the City of Mexico is ruled py
nineteen Aldermen and has no Mayor. Inc
various departments Of the municipal au.
mnistratioD are governed by committees Oh
the Aldermen.
And il must be said that Mexico Is CITY
remarkably well managed, and that mar
yelously great results are derived from
relatively small expenditure. The property
owners, and not the rabble, govern Lnis
city. The ward politician and the WIRE
puller are unknown. The result OF the
Mexican system of municipal administration
is good order, fair degr,e of police ell
cheney, and general regard for adornment,
manifested in beautiful little squares and
gardens scattered everywhere.
The national palace of the republic,
where are situated the Offices of the Presl-
dent and most of the Ministers, Is build
ing of but two stories, with a frontage on
the great plaza of 625 feet. Its immense
facade, white in color, is often dazzlingly
brilliant under the tropical sun. Sometimes
people call it, facetously, the national
sugar factory" alluding to its unpicturesque
appearance. But inside, in the vast court.
yards. the ancient editice is not without
architectural charm. 1t is world in Itself
with its many c0urt-yards, Government
offices, barracks for artillery and foot sol
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

troops mar ching. bands playing, newsboys
soliciting the passers-by. and a great host of
people passing in all directions.
The great plaza, in times before the Span
ish conquest. in the days of feather-deco-
rated mOnarchs, and in the height of the
Aztec splendOr, was included in the grounds
of the great temple, where mems hearts
were cut out on the affairs, and the religion
of blood aud flowers reigned supreme, a
gloomy sinister faith, flourishing under the
brightest of Skies most awful and hdeous
superstition. All the horrors of the Span
ish conquest may easily be forgiven by one
who reflects on that deyilish religion which
was supplanted by the milder faith of the
Christians.
When the Spanish conquerors destroyed
the great and TepuIsiYe temple, part Of its
grounds was left open to the general public,
and this plat OF open land was the begin
ming of tie present stately plaza. In course
Of time this free space became crowded with
wooden booths, occupied by small trades
people, and for fully a century the plaza re-
sembed a country fair ground IN New En-
gland, but, fortunately, fire broke out in
the year 1911 among these frail structures,
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

his family till 15a9 when it was purchased
by the Spanish crown for the palace of the
Viceroy. The present palace dates back 1919
years, the preceding viceregnl palace having
been burned by the mob in 1892 1t is not a
handsome building. for it lacks distinction
and a weil-maintaIned plan.
The cathedral, one of the notable build
ings facing the great plaza, dates back
217 years to the day on which its
corner stone was laid. 1t stands
nearly, if not quite exactly, on the
( site of the ancient Aztec temple. For 366
years the God of the Christians has been
worshiped on this site-frst in little
church, then in cathedral built
later on and then in the present
great edifiee, finally dedicated in 1861
The cost of the cathedral was some
81. COO The length of the cathedral is
357 feet, its width 1T, and its height from
floor to roof 179 feet. Its twin towers are
each 203 feet high. In one tower is an enor-
nous bell, 10 feet high, called the Santa
Maria de Guadaloupe,' and the other big
bells have their individual names.
In front of the cathedral is q lovely gar
den. set out by the city government, and
adorned with rare plants. lovely shrubbery
ana fountains. 1t is a delightful spot at
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26
IN THE BEAUTIFUL
CITY OF MEXICO.
The Great Central Plaza and Its Sur
rounding Buildings.
a Little Garden Known as the Zocalo-The
Great Cathedral That Was Built on the
Site of the Temple of the Aztecs.

There is no place in all the ancient City
of Mexico more interesting than the Grand
Plaza or central square of the city, around
which are grouped the National Palace, the
cathedral and the Palace of the Ayuntami-
ento or city government In the center of
this vast space-one of the noblest squares
in all the worlds little garden, popularity
known as the Zocalo. where on afternoons
there is music by excellent military bands.
The great plaza is literally the heart of the
City Of Mexico, and, in fact, it may be said
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26
TIE KING OF FOLLY.
How H' / Received with Royal POND and
SDleld0T at Nice.

lightly welcomed in few places, toler-
ated in some and abhorred in most, the King
of Folly is annually received with royal
pOmp and splendor at Nice; and he, in turn,
through the hands of Europe's pleasure
seekers, headed usually by common royalty
in the person of the Prince of Wales, casts
a golden shower upon all good Nicois who
assist in doing the sovereign will. The city
sends suitable escort out to sea to meet
the King, all the yachts and other vessels in
the harbor hang Chinese lanterns in his
honor, and his faYorite subjects be nd the
knee and carry him in gaudy car to their
largest square, there to sit for week, the
one ana only ruler of his little kingdom
Benign OF continuance, holding easily the
Ieins of state, fifteen or twenty feet tau and
broad in proportion, he yet has his proclaim
alton written and delivered for him, with
lie modesty of an ordinary sovereign; butt
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

the confagration originating in Chinese
barber-shnp. for Cinnamon were early here.
The fire continued until the plaza as swe pit
clean. Shops sprung up again and remained
till the summer of 1892. when they were de-
stroyed by great riot. the lumber torn from
the shops serving to feed the fires that the
rioters had built in front Of the Archbishop's
and VicerOy's palaces, which were entirely
turtles ago, the great square has been an
open place.
A view or the great plaza from one or the
towers Of the cathedral shows the Zocalo, or
central garden Of the plaza. the city govern
ment building Ia the background and to the
right some of the arcades in which are stu
ated the famous shop of the makers of the
sombrero, the characteristic hat of Mexico.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26
THE CATHEDRAL, CITY OF MEXICO.

il is the heart of all Mexico, for here centers
the life of the Government and the gorgeous
ceremonials of the dominant church.
There is always life in the plaza, even at
night. ana there is no hour of the twenty
four when there are not sentries pacing to
and fro in front Of the palace. TT when po-
icemen are not coming and going, at night
bearing their lanterns, TIE nocturnal accom-
paniment OF the guardian of the peace in
Mexico. From dawn TIL sunset the great
square is full of Observation-Disclosures on
horseback. vendors of fruits and flowers,
continual ingress and egress Of street-cars,
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

great success. 1t has a special car Which
makes regular visits to the country districts,
and at every station where it stops 1t re-
celveS deposits, eashes checks, neg0tiates
loans and discounts and does all the regular
work of bank. This plan is great c0nve-
nience TO the settlers who are scattered over
wide area, and were it not for the new ar
rangement they would be obliged to leave
their farms aud go to towns whenever they
have business to transact The car is fitted
up something like the pay-car on an Ameri-
can railway, and it is said that the enter
priSiDg bank manager who caused the exper-
iment to be made took his idea from our
pay-car and improved upon the original. In
this connection it is proper to say that in
New Zealand there are few farms or estates
without heavy mortgages, and the pub
lie debt of the country averages $500 for
every white man, woman and child OF the
population. The annual taxation IS about
SIT Per head, but nobody seems inclined to
run away from the country on that account.
Origin of the Safe Deposit Company.
| was told recently that the safe deposit
companies, which are now so prosperous
all over the civilized world, had their origin
in New York in an accidental way. q man
who kepta bar-room near one of the markets
used 10 take care of the cash boxes of the
markesmen who were his regular customers.
One day he was at an auction and seeing a
large safe going for very low price he sud-
denly thought it would be good thing to
buy the safe and fit it mp in compartments
which he would rent to the marketmen for
enough to cover the cGst. He acted on the
idea, and his patrons gladly accented the i'm
prOvement upon the old method of caring
for their cash. An enterprising fnancer
heard of the new idea. paid visit to the bar
room in question, and then set to work and
formed safe deposit company with an office
and storage vaults on Broadway. 1t was
successful from the start and has had nu-
merous successors in the business of the safe
keeping of valHables.
CoDUriOht, 1891
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

ders, garden for the commander, who re-
sides there, the Government Revenue and
P0stagr-stamp Printing Offire, Postoffice,
museum, etc. The palace well merits the
careful exploration of the tourist, and the
apartments of the President are well worth
visiting ON account of their handsome deco
rations and general air of stateliness. Nor
should the Hall of ambassadors" where
newly arrived dipIomates ale received with
an almost royal ceremonial, be neglected.
This vast nail is adorned with iife-sized
portraits of Mexican Presidents.
The national palace stands on the site OF
Montezuma's new house." or palace, where.
after the conquest. Cortez built his own
house, which remained in the possession of
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

"You have been fighting, my son." said
the Alderman of tie 'Steenth Ward, Sc
yerely.
Eyes, sir" replied the boy. 8" The dirty
little scoundrel on the other side of the
street told me you'd sell your vote in the
council any time for 500, and chugged
him one on the jaw"
8 That was right, my son." said the AL
derman. One hundred dollars"-and he
spoke with much emphasis and decision
would be no temptation. Chicago Tri-
bune.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

nOontime when the great white sun Of
Mexico pours down its rays with a fierce
ness only tempered by the great altitude of
the garden appears planted with dwarf
trees, the people in the plaza like pigmies
aud the passing bodies Of infantry or cav
airy resemble toy soldiers.
family lives up on the roof and keeps it
swept clean, and receives from visitors the
small fee charged for the ascent of the
towers. 1t is a curious little home, and a
clean one, this house up on the roof Of the
mighty church, up among the din OF the
huge bells. and swept by the fresh air of
the surrounding mountains.
The City of Mexico, seen from the towers
Of the cathedral, is eminently Oriental in
aspect, with its fat roofs, towers and domeS.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26
A WONDERFUL MEMORY.

Lawrence Barrett Remembered Words
He Had Not Seen for so Years.
Poverty and drudgery kept Lawrence
Barrett out of school, and only when ''eail-
boy" did he really learn to read, " rites
Kate Field in Washington. Then that head
of his came to his aid. Begging candle-ends
from the theater, he would 20 to his
wretched little room and stick them on
tacks purposelY nailed into tue floor, as the
ends were too short for a candlestick. There
lying flat Oh his stomach. the future TRACE
dian taught himself TO read out Of an old
COPY of Johnson's Dictionary.
"Pll wager l can trip you up on the first
page" said Laurence Hutton, on being told
this incident.
"Iry me-" replied Barrett.
a very extraordinary page is that first of
Johnson's Dictionary, beginning with such
unusual words as aaronical, abacist, abatis,
all of which Barrett spelled and defined cor
rectly.
What's 'abaeot?
- A cap Of state, used in old times by our
English kings, wrought up in the figure of
two crowns"
Whats 'abannition? p"
" A banishment for one or two years for
manslaughter."
What's .abditOry?"
A place to hide and preserve goods in."
The very words of dictionary that Bar
rett had not opened for thirty years!
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

The building rising on the right, crowned
with dome, is the national library.
The Zocalo was laid out very much as at
present during the reign of Macmillan, by
direction, it is related. of the Empress Car
lotta. 1t is not handsome garden. the trees
deriving scanty nourishment from the
poor soil, impTegnated with saltpeter from
the lake Of Tezcuco, few miles away. Six
years ago the Zocalo was the fashionable
promenade of the upper classes on feast
days and Sundays, but the concourse of
senoritas and gilded youth has now betaken
itself to the Alameda, lovely little park to
the south.
The AyuntamienTo building Getty HalD,
is sometimes called La Diputation. This
edifee stands on the site of a previous City
Hail. built in 1864, but destroyed in the
riot above mentioned. The building was
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26
The Prince of showmen.

No man who has died in the last ten or
twenty years was more endeared 10 young
people all over the land than was the great
Snowman, Phineas T. Barnum. 1t is salts
faction to know that his work was so well
done that il will live after him; the humbug
that was connected with his shows may be
forgiven in view of the consideration that 1t
was as much in the interest of the spectator
as of the Snowman, and always had moral
and an educational side. The cause Of tenn
perance was greatly benefited by the lect-
ures, the precept and the example of Mr.
Barnum, and his worth as citizen Is shown
by the fact that whenever he consented to
accept The Office Of Mayor of Bridgeport
political differences were set aside be-
tween parties and he was elected by prac-
tically unanimous vote. Years ago L
became acquainted with him at the
house of Alice and Phoebe Cary; the
Cary sisters had weekly reception,
at which Mr.. Barnum was always pres
ent whenever he was in the city, and he
was usually the center of an interested
group of takers and listeners. AT one time
the younger OF the sisters was correcting
souvenirs from her friends for the forma-
ton of necklace, and she gave as the
reason for making the collection her desire
to hang her friends about her neck. As L
remember it, the necklace consisted OF sumo
dozens Of beads, varying in size from a pea
10 Uen egg. Inc btduo MClO VI Soiu, or
yer and other metals, and also of various
woods, stones, nuts, and all manner Of
tangible and solid things. Mr.. Barnum's
contribution was an ovold crystal about an
inch in length and opening in the center,
where there was tiny fish displaying an
enormous lin upon his back What huge
nm he has!' exclaimed Miss Cary when she
first looked at the souvenir OF the great
Snowman and proceeded to add it to the
string, while the rest of us gaZed In ad-
miralion. YES" replied Barnum, that's
why | gave it to you, so that you could re
member Phineas." Barnum was much
given to punnipg in his conversation, and
therefore the souvenir was decidedly appro-
pirate in his case.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26
A Bank ON Wheels.

The managers of bank in New Zealand
have hit upon a scheme for an extension of
business that is said to be meeting with
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

One realizes the charm Of distant cities and
strange lands in looking down on the court
yards of the inhabitants, and here and
there discerning signs of domestic life in
the carefully hidden interiors The enchant-
ment of the Moorish civilization, trans
the Spanish cities Of the New World The
vocabulary of words in daily use includes
many Arabic words used thousand years
ago in Spain. The jealous seclusion Of the
women in the great houses, the hidden gar
dens, the fountains murmuring in the
patios-all suggest the Spain of the Arabs.
And so may Mexico long remain, land of
poetic suggestiyeness, of a subtle charm not
often apparent to the passing traveller, but
to us who live in it city of maryels, of
romance and Of beauty.-F. r. Guernsey in
Boston Herald,
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26
A BOOK Neither written Nor Printed.

Book Neither Written Nor Printed.
The Prince de Ligne is the possessor Of a
curiosity Of literature. 1t is book that is
that be ?" YOU ask. Well, the letters are cut
out of the finest vellum and pasted ON blue
paper The book is as easy 20 read as II
printed from the clearest type. The rrecl-
sion with which these small characters an
cut excites infinite admiration for the pa
thence of the author. The book, by the
way, bears the title: "Liber PASSIONS
Nostri Jesu Christi, cum characteribus nnlia
materia composite" 1.-The Book of the
Passions of Our Jesus Christ, With Char
acters Not Composed OF Any Material"
The German Emperor Rudolph III is said to
have offered, in 1910, the enormous sum OF
Strangely enough the book bears the En-
glish arms. though it is supposed never to
have been in England.-Illustrated Amer
lean.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

Chauncey NJ. Depew is said to have re-
Gently refused an offer of 500, 900 a year to
edit a New York daily paper.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26
POOR PRINCE
PLON-P LON.
Ei0aafd M0ulieF Tells About Prince
Nap1lG0l's PeGlliaritiGS.


4 Victim Of Gloom and MeIaHG10lY-HiS Ab-
h0TGlGG Of Books, Reviews and News
paDaTS- Slave Of Order, With the
Glance Of a LYI-H0W His Last Book
Was Writtel-A. WGaTiSOmG Renewal Of
an Old Love Afilr-FiCklG to The Last
The Final Passion.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

More Sugar and Its Guaranty of Purity.
Recently friend in Vermont sent me
a quantity of maple sugar and called in
native of that State 10 enjoy the article with
me. You may be sure that it is genuine"
said the VermonteT, as the laws Of my State
are very severe in Furnishing aeulterations
of the product of the maple tree. ANY one
who mixes other saccharine matter with it
and sells or offers the product for sale is
liable to fine of $500; sharp watch is kept
for yiolators of the law, as one-half the
amount received from fines goes to the COM
pIainant The transportation companies
must give an account of every barrel OF glu-
cose that they bring into the State and to
whom il is delivered, and in other ways
a vigorous effort is being made to
preserve the reputation OF maple SUI
gar in the market You may adulterate
as much as you choose for your own use,
but woe is your lot if you mix cane sugar,
glucose or anything of the sort with maple
sugar or syrup for commercial purposes"
Maple sugar is now luxury, as il is worth
a great deal more than cane sugar. beet
sugar or any other kind of saccharine mate
rial. Before the days OF railways this was
not the case. Maple sugar in the interior
of Vermont was cheaper than that from
cane, as the transportation was very seri-
Gus matter and added materially to the cost
of all goods brought from the seabeard.
Life in sugar camp is not the easiest kind
of existence in the world, as the work of
sugar-making requires liberal expenditure
of muscle and exposure to good deal OF
bad weather. The demand for the product
of the maple is greater for syrup than for
sugar, and the greater part OF the product
goes to market in the liquid, rather than in
the solid shape.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26

How Russia Evaded the Treaty of Berlin.
A very important possession Of Russia on
the Black Sea is the port of Batoum on the
eastern coast. 1t came into Importance
when it was selected as the terminus OF the
Trans-Caucasian railway, which connects
the Black Sea with the Caspian; by the
treaty of Berlin it was made free port.
and it was stipulated that no Notifications
should be erected there. When Turkey held
Batoum il built some Notifications and these
have been maintained by Russia: the Turks
had allowed them to 60 to decay, but all the
injuries have been repaired and changes
have been made which make the works
stronger than ever before. The Govern or
of Batoum asked for estimates fof the
restoration of the forts and a contractor
handed in bid which he headed Repairs
70 Fortifications." The Governor sent for
him at once, and as soon as the contractor ar
rived the Governor said very emphatically /:
There are no Notifications at Batoum, as
they are forbidden by the treaty of Berlin.
Your estimates must be for Repairs to gar
rison barracks Remember this in all your
dealings with the Government" 1t is need
less to say that the contractor took the hint,
and, in the eye of the law, there are still no
forts at Baioum. But hostile gun-boat
would meet with very warm reception
from the cannon that bristie all around the
harbor, and a large feet would have serious
work to capture the place.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-09
Sol Smith Russell To-Morrow.

The words Peaceful Valley beside por-
trait of Sol Smith Russell would draw an
audience in any community where intelli-
gence and love of home are to be found. Its
name is an attraction in itself. 1t is said
Mr.. Russell's new character creation in
this play is thoroughly American and in
tensely human. When the comedian
walks on the stage dressed for the part h is
the character in all its natural simplicity AMI
sincere humanity. Mr.. Russells acting is
the best of realism-that which only per-
tains to perfect art. He touches the hearts
of his audience as only jefferson has been
able to do among the comedians of the
passing generation of actors. and with a
skill that no comedian among his immediate
contemporaries has attained.
There Is much to commend in MIR. Rus
sells acting. He is wholesome, clean, as
well as very dron comedian. That one
may be funny without becoming vulgar,
that comedy may stop short of suggestions
without losing zest and that it is as easy to
evoke laughter without at the same time
calling blush to the cheek are facts in
the sphere of humor that Mr.. Russell early
recognized and has ever respected. a pecu-
liar quality of sentiment and pathos bal
ances in him an oddlty of humor. Mr.. -Ber-
ger has surrounded Mr.. Russell with a
strong supporting company, which includes
Miss Minnie Radcliffe, Annie Belmont,
Lillian Chantore, Charles c. Brandt, Alfred
Hudson, Edw Vroom, Arthur Byron.