The Grenada sentinel., 1894-12-08
MEXICO.
A Letter Of Unusual Interest and
Information.
Important Subjects Discussed,
Interspersed With Wit,

Important Subjects Discussed,
Interspersed With Wit,
Written for the Sentinel by Our IDtelli.
gent Friend, Mr.. H. c. Dinkins.
CITY OF MEXICO, Nov. %, 1894.
Friend Buchanan:-I have just re-
turned from trip to the Isthmus Of
Tehuantepec, where Eads was to build
his ship railway to transport loaded
ships on wheels from the Gulfof Mex
leo to the Pacific ocean.
His concession was forfeited, and the
Mexican government has just COM
pleted a railroad from Coatzacoalcos on
the Gulf Coast TO Tehuantepec on the
Pacific, over the old route surveyed by
Eads.
believe brief description of the
trip, will interest some of your read
ers, among whom are some of my best
friends. l left Mexico on Nov, End,
with Mr.. Theo. Alison, IL city official and
capitalist of Omaha, Neb. The trips
over the Mexican railway to Vera Cruz
is one to be long remembered, and
passes from about ten thousand feet
above the Sea level to the Gulf in its
space of one hundred and twenty miles;
the line is two hundred and sixty-five
miles from Mexico to Vera Cruz, and
for more than half the distance we are
in full view OF the extinct volcano OF
Arizaba, which recent surveys make
the highest place in North America,
and to my mind decidedly the grandest.
| have seen them all, and think Arizaba
the grandest. Down the mountains TO
the city Of Arizaba ut the foot Of the
mountains of the same name, the SEN
cry is not only grand but beautiful; on
one side snow capped Arizaba and in
the Valley six thousand feet below US,
we see banana and pineapple farms,
you commence to see the most beautil
full orchids and lichens growing on the
trees aud many other evidences of the
approach to the true tropics.
The houses at Arizaba are all rooted
with tile and are very quaint and pic
turesque.
We were treated to a tirstClass live
earthquake at Arizaba lasting forty
four seconds. At Mexico the shock
was heavier, and twenty people were
killed by falling walls.
From ArizaM to Vera Cruz, the road
passes through tropical country
through Cordova, where the Cordova
coffee is grown. At Vera Cruz, we
we're detained several days, waiting for
Il steamer to take US down the coast to
CoatzacOalcOs.
We were informed there was case
OF yellow fever in the next house 10 our
hotel, and Alison hinted to me that his
family wodld be several thousand dol
lars richer if it were shown that he
died by accident, instead of fever. He
swore me by the great horn of the
Nooka-P Pooka-P Pooka, that after his
death | would mangle his body, which
l agreed to do, ana do it before death If
he thought it advisable. We had u
swell hotel at Vera Cruz. The first day
they gave US snails for dinner in the
shell. They were very good. Next
day they gave Us ''Gusanos" (pulque
worms fried.)I had been worked on
that before and ''passed." Alison
thought them fine, until I had ooe
brought in not cooked. Then there
was trouble. They gave US next day,
stewed octopus or devil fish. Alison
said he could live without that in future
and suggested We change hotels.
We left Vera Cruz in u miserable tub
of a so called steamer, and had rough
Il ip OF twenty hours. Every one ex-
cept the crew were sick. l was in 4
room with priest and a ranc her, and
we had all sorts OF fun as to who should
have the one can in our staterOOm.
We were all glad to get ashore at
CoatZacOalcUs, where we took rail for
the Pacific side.
This Isthmus road is destined to be a
great highway between the Pacific and
Atlantic coasts, rs it saves about 500
miles over the Panama route.
We took canoe at Santa Lucrecia,
the morning after our arrival for trip
back to Coatzacoalcos by river. The
canoe was made or dug out Of a mahOg-
ory log 40 feet long. At the former
places we slept in shack covered with
palm leaves, and after supper of beams
and eggs, we retired in full view Of all
the family, females and all. After re-
firing, our host locked US land couple
of pigs) in the socalled room for the
nj ght, with chain and paddock. This
was 10 much for Alison, who informed
the man in the best kind Of English.
pupctuated by an occasional blank, tn It
he was an honest man and high Off
cial Of the city M Omaha, that be had
committed NJ murder, nor stole any
chickens, and did not propose to be
locked up by any base footed animal OF
a Mexican, ;ud demanded that he
open the door Or the Mexican govern
ment would hear from it through the
Secretary Of State OF the United States,
to all Of which the man replied Isl
Senior, -not having understood One
word.
Our roule back lay down the Jalli-
pee rive. 10 the CuatZacOalc. river,
down that to tue mouth Of ihe Chul-