The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-07-27


ways, and, on the other hand, from
towns like Zacatecas and Guanajuato,
which are great mining camps of long
standing, and have come into existence
without reference to the agricultural
qualities Of the adjacent territory.
In the ancient days there were two
roads leading from the port of Vera Cruz
to the City Of Mexico, and the principal
towns through which these passed,
Jalapa, Orizaba and Puebla, were nat
urally more or less in touch with one an
other, and with various points of the
world beyond. The traffic which passed
over these roads and through these towns
made them less isolated than OaXace, and
suggested that by producing for others
than tneir own Inhabitants they might
have some part in the advantages of this
traffic. Thus, when they were reached
by railways, they had made some pro-
gress in trade beyond their borders.
Jalapa became the seat Of fair in the
eighteenth century, which was intended
to hold the same relation TO the trade be-
tween Spain and Mexico that the great
fair at Porto Bello, on the isthmus, held
to the trade between Spain and South
America. In order to avoid the effects of
the unwholesOme climate of the coast,
goods arriving at Vera Cruz were trans
ported to Jalapa to be there exchanged
for Mexican products destined to be ex-
ported to Spain. Jalapa was chosen for
this purpose, although All inland town.
because OF its agreeableness and health
fulness as place OF residence. 1t lies
among the hills about halfway up the
eastern slope. 1t is sufficiently warm to
permit many tropical plants to thrive,
and. as it is favored with rain at all sea-
sons, the neighborlng valleys and hill
sides are perpetually fresh and green.
From the plaza, where one has the higher
part OF the town above him, and over
looks the lower part and the broken
country in the distance, the world APP
pears very beautiful place. Persons ar
irving from Spain were accustomed to
come Immediately to this place to rest
after the long voyage before completing
the journey to Mexico; and here those in
tending to depart for Spain waited till the
vessels were ready to SAIL as the old geo.
grapher elasco puts it, "in order not to
be IN ' era Cruz. on account of the dan
ger OF becoming ILL.," And the town has
kept this character. Although great
wealth is produced on the coffee planta-
tons not far away, still Jalapa does not
figure as center of commerce or manu-
factnres, but as a resort for pleasure,
or place OF waiting till the ships GO out.
And in this character it is becoming more
conspicuous since the completion of the
Interoceanic Hallway from Mexico to
Vera Cruz, which in descending from the
lakeland TO the coast passes through
Jalapa. AS sign of this change, one of
the old hotels has taken new name. and
has become the Grand Hotel, with all the
solemn pretentions, the mingled SUBJ
serviency and impudence, and the multi
tudinous extras which that title attached
to hotel for tourists often implies.
The old roads from the coast to the
Capital have been supplanted by the rail-
ways, the northern, that passing through
Jalapa, by the Interoceanic; the south
ern, that passing through Orizaba, by the
Mexican Railway. Orizaba, like Jalapa.
lies about midway between the two ex-
tremes of the coast and the plateau. but
in most other respects the two towns
stand in sharp contrast with one another.
At Jalapa the view ranges over a wide
extent Of hills and valleys; at Orizaba it
is limited by the closely surrounding
mountains. Jalapa has apparently few
and unimportant industries, while ORR
zaba is one OF the busiest manufacturing
towns of Mexico. Its cotton and lutte
mills employ large number of laborers,
Lying on the line of the oldest railway in
the country. not far from Vera Cruz and
with easy access to the interior cities it
has unusual facilities for obtaining i'm
ported raw material and for reaching
markets for its finished products. The
rapid stream which passes through the
valley furnishes adequate water power.
AMI in this lies one of its special
advantages as manufacturing town; for
one of the serious problems of manufac-
turing i'll Mexico is the problem of fuel.
Whoever will solve this problem will not
only have an easy opportunity to acquire
a fortune, but will also give the indus
trial development of the country pow
erful stimulus. Certain patents have al
ready been issued for making a composite
fuel, with peat as a basis, and one of the
attempts uuuer these patents is in an adj
vanced stage OF experiment. The peat is
to be obtained from the marshes near the
lakes i'll The valley of Mexico. At pres
emf the persons having this enterprise in
hand ii Y no price for their product, but
offer to those using fuel for mechanical
purposes 10 30 the work at 10 per cent.
below The present cost. If successful,
this undertaking will be of importance
even to some places where water is ordi-
nariiy used as q motive power; for in
places like OriZaba there are sometimes
periods OF drought when 1t is necessary to
resort TO steam, aud also periods Of too
great abundance, when the stones and
debris OF various kinds brought down
render the use OF the water at least incon-
venient.
In addition TO her cotton and jute mills.
OrZaba Is also taxing hand in one of
the uewer industries of Mexico-that of
brewing beer. This enterprise is con-
Quoted by Germans, and they claim for it
q special advantage in the excellence Of
the water obtained. The demand keeps
pace with the production, which is good
Tor the business, but bad for the beer.
But the beer of Toluca appears to have
the widest market 1t is fouhd wherever
the means of transportation have made it
feasible to carry it. Men, women and
children run about with it at the railway
stations, offering it for sale. and even the
pulque venders are not more energetic
in their attempts to secure market. It
seems to be the growing fashion to drink
the beer of the country, and the fashion
is undoubtedly encouraged by the fact