The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-12-07
Street Scenes in the City OF Mexico

By day the town Of Mexico pycsenta a
very unique appearance, for from what
ever point of view chosen, the avenues
are shut iu by the serrsted mountains
surrounding the whole valley.
The straight vide streets, running in
parable, lines from north TO south and
from east to west, makes it look modern
enough, but, fcr all that, the old white
washed houses, the only architectural
beauties of which are the numerous win.
dows with projecting balconies, give the
whole place a iuperannuated appear
ance. These houses are always built for
four blocks, with one or two patios or
spacious court yards. On two sides of
this patio there is generally narrow ye.
randa Or some projecting masonry, which
serves as q protection from the rain, aud
enables the occupant to reach dry.sbod
the wide staircase with high stone steps
leading to the upper rooms. These
rooms, which are mostly paved with
tiles instead Of planks, open on to q gal
lery running round the court, with bal.
ustrade at convenient height for lean.
ing against, which balustrade is decked
With numerous pots of flowers aud
shrubs. The first story alone is used to
live in, the ground floor being occupied
by shops, magazines or stables. The
better houses ara built of freestone,
whilst the poorer tenements consiet of
material known 40 amygdaloid, which ia
variety of porous trap or basatic rock
of q reddish color, the blocks bsisg 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 marshy flats
they have no cellars, and are really great
cubes of masonry kept in place by theil
weight.
From the first thing iu the morning
the streets are full OF traffic; richly dress
ed horsemen, hired carriages, noisy carts
with unoiled wheels, drawn By four, six
eight mules, troops of doukeys and mules
loaded with all manner Of packages, jos
| tie each other in the roadway. Water
| carriers, or aguadors, completely clad il
| leather, and wearing kind of jockey car
| also of leather, besiege The public foun-
tains, carrying two huge amphorn, KEEP
| in place by straps, which croas on th'
head over O pslm.leaf cap With leather
! visor.
Indian men and women pass to and fri
screaming out il ear-splitting tones th'
names of what they have to sell, fruits
vegetables, chickens. etc., carrying every
thing on their backs in wicker work bas
exits, fastened on to their shoulders lik
soldiers knapsschs, but supported by
leather thong passed across the forehead
beneath the broad-5rimmed straw SOM
breros, or worn just under the arms acroa
the chest.
Street boys follow the passers-by
breathlessly shouting utthe names ofth
daily papers and the numbers Of the las
! tickets of the Loteria Nacional, or Ma
tional Lottery. You pause an instant tt
give silver coin. horror of horrors
you have been noticed, and you are i'm
mediately surrounded by twenty beggar
of all ages, followed by dozens of NANCY
yellow dogs, which appear from ever
side, and in piteeus tones you are im
! plorsd, "For the sake of Jesus, Josepl
and Mary, senor, give q dole, a little dole
| Oh, dear little friend (amiguito,) God AM
your sweetheart will reward you. ."-Har
| ,,er'9 WeeElU