The broad ax., 1896-09-12
Copyrighted, 1896. by Chicago Press
Bureau)

chihuahua is a city OF 10000
inhabitants living chiefly in one-story
adobe houses plastered In front and
built In long rows. The face OF the
houses are built on the line OF the mar
row street, which have narrow stone
sidewalks. This style Of house has
the advantage Of being cool in summer,
warm In winter, and Is practically
indsstructible by fire. Not a spear OF
grass or a tree surrounds them; they
are grown in the patios, or inside open
courts. As in every well regulated
Mexican city, their plaza is the center
of town and the center of attraction.
At present the plaza is being improved
and when completed will be much more
attractive than the average. Facing II
on one side is the old cathedral, which
was erected at a great expenditure OF
labor and money during the years from
III to 1889. The facade is deliberately
ornamented. climbed the eighty-six
winding stone steps in the tower, where
hang several bells which are rung by
pulling a rope tied to their clappers,
Instead of revolving, as with US. One
Of the bells was pierced by q cannon
ball when the French bombarded the
city In 1866, making a rent in Its side
twelve inches in diameter. The city OF
Chihuahua was founded as Tarau-
mara In 1889, fully one and one-half
miles from where the city now is. The
location is supposed to have been
changed because of the frequent floods
to which II was subjected. l find this
fact mentioned in none OF my guide
books, but visited the ruins Of the old
city. Rev. Eaton, in charge Of the local
Methodist Mission, very fine gentle
man, by the way, arranged for me an
Interview with Governor Ahumads-
learned the governor has served
four years and was reelected for four
years on Sunday, the 9th inst. He is a
gentleman Of large statue and COM
manding presence, and while he i'm
pressed me as a foreigner 1t was only
when speaking l could think Of him
as Mexican. / asked for the financial
condition Of the state and his people
now, as compared with five and ten
years ago: He modestly replied ITO
do that must necessarily speak Of ny
own administration, which is better
said by others" Assuring him ! be-
lieved he would not exceed the truth
he said:
Our state IL In a very prosperous
condition. Five years ago 1t was in
debt $3.50, 900, Of which $150,000 was
bonded and passed due and 100000
floating indebtedness. The bonded in
debtedness, both principal and interest
has been paid and 500. 900 of the float
ing Indebtedness and all accumulated
interest, so that now we owe only be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 all together
In the meantime many permanent and
costly Improvements have been made
or are in the course Of construction
For instance, the school OF arts or Man
ual training school is now complete
and is receiving its machinery and
furniture. There our boys will be
taught all the useful trades at the ex-
pense Of the state. A school has beer
erected and is now in successful oper-
| dlAOA LII Jul 6lAoB NACy q
being taught domestic work, teleg
raphy, stenography, typewriting, book
keeping, etc.
Agriculture and Stock Raising.
Our largest industries are agricul
ture and stock raising. Our farmers
stockmen and merchants are prosper
Gus and contented. New industries arr
being established and appear to bC
thriving. There have been no failure!
worthy Of notice for many years Oul
commerce amounts to $15,000,000 an
nually. We welcome manufacturers II
new lines, and when Of reasonable mag
nitude exempt them from taxes for iv,
or ten years, according to the impor
lance Of the industry. The present de
mand for labor is in excess Of the sup
ply.
The city was to have put in q system
Of sewers last spring. AS we wer,
about to begin operations the Officials
were waited upon by citizens, whit
stated that there was such a scarcit,
Of labor that IL we went on with tn,
sewers the buildings contemplated
could not be erected. Upon investigat
ing the subject the statement wa
foand to be true, and IL was decided Il
postpone the sewer building until fall
The introduction Of the new supply o
water necessitates the construction o
sewerage at the earliest practical day
I hope another year will see them Ii
use.
Talk with . Banker.
It was my privilege to interview
number Of prominent citizens. one o
whom was Mr.. Henrequi Creel, presi
emit Of Minero bank, a manufacturer
mine owner and the most Influential
fnancier Of Northern Mexico. lear
his father was an American from Phila
delphia and his mother a Mexican, tina
he was educated In Mexico, a self
made man and a muti-millionaire. Tn
bank Of which he is president has re
. Gently absorbed one bank and 1