The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-22
A PECULIAR TOWN.
Scenes In che Streets of the Busy Mex
raj

| Scenes in the Streets of the Busy Mexf-
| Capital.
By dav the town of Mexico presents
a very unique appearance, for from
| whatever point of view chosen, tho
J avenues are shut IN by the serrated
mountains surrounding the whole val
! ley.
| The straight wide streets. running in
parallel lines from north 70 south and
! from east 30 west, make it look modern
| enough, but, for all that, the old white
washed houses. the only architectural
/ beauties of which are the numerous
windows with projecting balconies,
give the whole place a superannuated
appearance These houses are always
built in four blocks, with one or two
patios or spacious court yards. On two
sides of this patio there is generally q
narrow veranda or some projecting ma
sonry, which serves as pro-
lection from the rain, and en-
ables the occupant TO reach dry-shod
the wide staircase with high stone steps
leading to the upper rooms These
rooms, which are mostly paved with
tiles instead of planlss, open on 20 a
gallery running round the court, with
balustrade at a convenient height for
leaning against, which balustrade is
decked with numerous pots of flowers
and shrubs The first story slone is
used to live II, the ground-hoor being
occupied by shops magazines, or
stableR The better houses are built Of
freestone, whilst the poorer teneTneuts
consist of a material known as amyg-
daloid, which is variety of porous
trap or basaltic rock II reddish color,
the blocks being bound together with
cement or sand Some buildings have
walls of great thickness, three feet or
more.
The foundations Of most Of the houses
being laid In water or in msrshy hsts>
they have no cellars. and are really
great eubes of masonry kept In place By
their own weight.
From the FIRST thing IN the morning
the streets are full Of traffic; richly
dressed horssmen, hired carriages, noisy
carts with uDoiled wheels, drawn by
four, SIX or eight mules troops % DON
KEYS and mules loaded with Al manner
of packages. jostle each other in tho
roadway Watsr-carriers. or agundors.
completely clad ia leather. and wear
ing kind Of iocltey-cap also q leather,
besiege the public fountains. carrying
two huge snphorse kept in place By
straps, which cross on the head over .
palrn-leaf cap with leather visor.
Indian men and women pass 70 and
fro screaming ont IN ear-spiittlng
tones the names CT what tnsy hare 20
sell, fruits. vegeta bles, chickens. etc.
carrying every thing on their backs In
wicifer-vork baskets. fastened on %
their shoulders like SOLDIER k7apsaeias,
bot supported by leather thong passed
across the forehead beneath ne bToac-
trinrned straw sonb-eros. Or VOTE Just
under the srrns across the chest
Street bovs follow the Tzssers-tv,
bresthlesslv sh0atiuv ont the names =
the daily papers zDd TIE numbers q
the Iast tic<ets % IRE Lote-iz Eae'oral.
or National Lottery Yos pause an IN
slant VOC give a silver rota- ha~-
rsr % horrors y0u have sesn noticed
ard you are Immediately surro3nd
by twenty beggar, ot az ages. followed
bv dozens % msrEy ysllow dogs.
which appear FROM every side. AMI 81
piteozs tones you are tzaplors4. ''Fog
The sake Of Jesus JssspA. ard Mary
dear ut;i, trje1d satzslasI. God and
your sweetheart vii reward yoa.---
Hsrper's Weekly