Semi=weekly graphic., 1896-04-25
SIGHTS IN OLD MEXICO.
A LITTLE ROCK MAN WRITES
 OF SCENES AND PEOPLE.
How Their Money Fluctuates and Its Relative Value to American. Natives Polite and Cour-
 teous.
Little Rock Press

Little Rock Press1
 Prof. James Mitchell has just re turned from his trip through Mexico, which extended over the entire coun- try and lasted about four weeks. During this trip he visited nearly all the important points in the Repub- lie, and closely studied the people, the conditions and commerce of the land which was once the home of the Aztecs. Press reporter fonnd Prof. Mitchell in his office in the postollice building this morning and asked him ahont his trip.
 As soon as 1 crossed the Rio Grande, said he in the conversation that ensued, .'i realized tine fact that 1 was ill d foreign country. The peo- pie are different, their habits are dir ferent, and their language is differ ebt. There was nothing eventful during our trip. The City of Mexico was, oi course, ti,,. most interesting point we visited. II is built upon n pla ateau-the whole country is series of plateaus-7,3 300 feet above the sea level; and still, notwithstand- ing it's altitude, it is in a valley with enormous, snow-capped mountains all around it. The climate-well, the climate is good, only the nights and mornings are somewhat cool; and flat ic an ino.1nxanianca baaauco of the complete absence of heating stoves, grates, etc. We stopped al an hotel which had been constructed from an old palace. 1t is an enor nous fonr-story building, surroend- ing a court as is the style in oriental and some European countries. And right here is where l would like to pay my respects to the Chattanooga newspaper man who made the asser- ton that one could get as good q meal for one dollar m Mexican money in Mexico as one can get for one dol lar in American money in the States. He can't do it. He can't get re- spectable meal there for less than from $l50 to $175; and more than that he can't find in the whole Re public of Mexico a meal for any price as good as one can get at any hotel in Little Rock Now!"
 And as he uttered this peculiarly female period Prof. MitchelPs hand hit the desk with a sIhuck that fully attested his honest American disgust at such condition of affairs.
 "This hotel is without lights in the rooms, except those which can be furnished by common coal oil lamps and sperm candles. And they charge S3 a day for fourth floor rooms. You pay extra for your meals, too. To give you an idea of how much a meal costs, one evening l became oyster hungry and ordered a dozen and half of the bivalves for two of us. This bill was $l20 Breakfast bacon which you don't see much of until you get into the northern part of the conntry-costs 80 cents a pound, and ham is worth 65 to 70 cents pound. Canned tomatoes sell for 60 cents can, and oysters bring 75 to so cents can. About the only food that is cheap in Mexico is the native fruits and vegetables; they are both cheap ana very fine. The staple food is the everlasting bean friiole and pepper, and the cakes called tartillas, made from a paste which is composed of hand-crushed corn and water Laked on flat rock.
 But to get back to the City Of Mexico. There is an American colo ny of some four or five thousand in this city and they fraternize very closely They have their own clubs, churches and newspapers-and ny the way, one of those papers is edited and owned by former Arkansas man. This is the Two Republics, and the editors name is J Mastella Clark. This paper was started by the present owners father, George w. Clark, who number of years since ran the Van Buren Intelligen- cer. I knew the old man, but only remember his son as a small boy.
 ''Erom the City of Mexico we took n run down to 0rizaba, some 250 miles south and some 5000 feet lower, although it is 4,0O0fee above the sea