The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-05-07

| pied by an extensive plaza, where stood
the largest pyramid with the principal
temple on top; and in it are gardens of
flowers and trees perishing for want of
moisture, and handsome fountain which
was constructed without any expectation
OF ever having water in it. The streets
are remarkably broad, for Mexico. and
the side walks are four feet wide, but
paved with rough stones that render them
anything but pleasant to walk upon. All
the streets slant sharply from the side
walks toward the middle, which is low
est, thus forming a passage to carry the
water off During ordinary rains small
rivers form themselves, flooding the
streets from side to side, rendering them
impossible for houTs-sometime for days
| together, for Merida has no natural drain
age, being elevated less than % feet
| above the sea level. The oldest thing
about the streets is their nomenclature, or
rather the manner of expressing it by
object lessons, SO plainly portrayed that
she who runs may read' without the aid
of letters Of course the subiugated
| Indians could not read print, and for con-
yenience in sending them from place to
place, the Spaniards called the streets
after the names of familiar objects and
set up representations thereof at the
street corners to serve as perpetual re-
minders. Thus the street upon which we
are now living is named Gale del
Flamingo and has a huge red Flamingo
painted on the corner house. Another is
known as the street of the elephant and
the representation of it is a well mould
| ed figure of that animal with exaggerated
trunk and tusks and body big as a barrel.
There is the street of the Old Woman
| (Calle del Mujer viege), and ON it's corner is
the caricature of an aged female with
huge spectacles astride her Hebrew nose.
| The ''Street of Two Faces" has a double
faced human head; and there are others
| equally striking The idea is a capital
one and might well be utilized in other
parts of the world. Come to think about
it, most countries have some approach to it,
In many places where numbers of the peo-
| pie cannot read, the shop keepers ornament
they have to sell; and even in the United
States, where illiteracy is not the rule, the
watch maker continues to hang out a big
wooden watch, the shoe maker a boot or
/ shea ha
etc. In every street of Merida, few
blocks distant from the CENTER stands an
ancient gateway arched high above the
pavement, and just beyond are the bar
rios, or suburbs. Over each gateway is
now dismantled niche, which not long
ago held its Christ, or Saint, or Virgin.
before which the people We're forever
kneeling and crossing themselves There
are no fewer than Is public squares i'll the
city, each one OF them facing a church.
Around the great central plaza are ar
ranged the principal edfices of church
and State-all Of them immensely large
for population of only 30 900, and which
was probably less than a third of that
number when they We're built. One whole
side is occupied by the cathedral and
Bishops palace. The latter is a plain
structure two stories high, so dilapidated
and down at heel that the title of pal
ace is somewhat a misnomer. 1t is
painted bright green and is entered by a
gateway opening into the courtyard, above
which is emblazoned the crosier and
mitre. But the cathedral, erected early
in the 10th century, is grand enough to
make amends. 1t is said to have cost the
pious Meridans upwards of $500, 600,
equivalent TO fifteen times that sum at
the present day; and luckily it was built
then, if ever, for in later centuries the
people have been too poor to indulge in
such expensive Injuries. 1t is 179 feet
wide by nearly 300 feet long. On its 9TH
erwise severely plan facade is a central
pavilion, in which is the main entrance,
ornamented by Corinthian portico. 100
feet above this is a grand vaulted arch,
supporting gallery, and on each side are
two steepies, with a number of galleries
narrowing in upward succession, each Or
namented with light balustrades of stone
The interior of the church is equally i'm
posing. 1t consists of three naves with
round arches, supported by II immense
columns of solid stone, while 20 other
pillars of like dimensions are imbedded in
the walls. Small chapels with splendidly
decorated shrines run along the sides;
over the doorway is carved the arms of
Mexico, (the eagle on a cactus bush with
a snake in his beak) tlanked by Saints in
bas relief
On the south side of the same plaza. in
strange contrast to the Governors ginger
bread palace and the great Casa Munich
pal, is the oldest house in the cty-one of
the most remarkable buildings l have ever
seem 1t is the house of Montejo, Jr.,
built for him in the year 1549, and in the
cur;ously sculptured wall is a stone bear
ing this inscription:
Fate obra mendo hercule ell
dale tod n L.