The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-04-24
"IN OLD MEX"
BY JAMES VERNON.

The party attended a bull fight while
in the City OF Mexico, and more dis
gusting, brutal performance it has never
been the misfortune Of the writer to wit
ness. The disgusting feature is the kill
ing of the horses. The poor beasts are
ridden into the ring to certain death;
they are not given the slightest show to
save their own lives, but with eyes blind
folded are forced into position where the
bull can gore them, and are often ridden
about the ring afterwards with entrails
protruding from the wound. 1t would
have been positive pleasure to the en-
tire party, l am sure, had the bull have
killed rider instead of the horse. The
habit of the bull closing its eyes when
charging was made the most of, and some
very narrow chances were taken by the
people on foot whose duty it was to keep
the bull sufficiently aggravated to fight
well. The actual killing of the bull is or
rather ought to be a really fine piece
of business, for it should be done with
SlllRlc VI OllC CNOib NY 0CNCllnB
the spinal cord near the shoulder. 1t
was not done, however, for our benefit.
The quarters once occupied by Cortes,
at the request of Montezuma, now are
covered by the palace of Diaz. We call
ed upon him in body and were very
cordially received, he shaking hands with
each member of the party. One can bet
ter appreciate how in the old days SO
many men found accommodations in q
single house. Imagine block, two hum
dred feet square, covered by building
with q large court in the center One
| opening from the street gives access to
| this court; balconies all around the court
at the second and third floors give access
| to the rooms, which in turn get their
| light from windows opening into the
street, and in front OF which are grated
windows, then you can see the possibili-
ties of such economical use OF space. The
window grating is universal in the city,
as is also in most cases the interior court.
| Such an arrangement would naturally
suggest prison were it not for the fact
that those gratings are made quite orna-
mental. II is said that the young ladies
of the house are constrained to carry on
their courtships through these bars until
matters have progressed far enough to
|
sent of the heads of the house.
Mexico has some regulations that
strike the observer quite favorably.
Their policemen do not 90 wandering
about the city like man out of job,
but they are located at certain defined
stations like sentinel; they have Ian
tern at night and place it in the streets
where it can be seen at distance and
they await calls. If q person gets into
| trouble all he has to do is to get to one
of those lanterns, and they are not so very
far apart either. Then again, the carri-
ages are divided into three grades, and
are designated by colored bands on the
door. The price is for yellow one half
dollar an hour; red, three-quarters, and
blue one dollar. Street cars are run in
pairs, and ace colored green or yellow.
The green comes first and is the cheap
est; the yellow comes right behind and a
penny or two more is charged. They are
all mule cars and the driver has horn
which he blows at the street crossings in
stead of whistle or a gong. 1t sounded
rather queer but it made q noise and
worked satisfactorily.
One of the breathing spots in the City
of Mexico is the Almeda. 1t is a park
that occupies two blocks. has walks laid
out through it in all directions; it con-
tains fountains and large cage of bright
plumaged birds, and is general prone
made ground for the public; but to see it
at its best you must visit it on Sunday
between twelve and one o'clock. At that
time the band is playing, the awnings are
erected over the principal wals, seats are
placed along it, carpets are spread in
front of the seats and the people, well,
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