The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1897-04-17
IN The Land OF THE AZTECS
Some Things Seen on a Visit to
Mexico.
Quaint Civilization Where Santa Anna
and MAMMALIAN Once Fought-Cost.
ly Cathedrals and Queer Art Wit
Messing Bull Fight.


describing his recent trip to Mexico
was written by DIR. George b. Morri.
without expecting it to be publish
| ed. However it has proven so yer,
interesting and readable that W.
take pleasure in giving our readers
many of whom are the personal
friends of the genial Doctor, the ben
eft of it.
| left Morgantown to join the Ma
tional Editorial Association on the
9th of Feb. and have had the grand.
est trip of my life. / have not been
sick one minute since left, nor any
of our party. There are 260 of us
three from Morgantown. We spent
two days in st. Louis. Were met al
the depot by friends with carriages,
driven to the West End hotel, and
kept in grand style. We were taken
over the city, saw the parks, the
grand bridges, hotels, threatres. and
were banqueted at the Grand Plant
er's hotel, and all did not cost us a
cent. Left on Tuesday night for
Galveston, Texas, by way of Mo-,
Ark, and the Indian Territory.
Our first stop was at Ft. Worth
This is a government station. We
took in the city, saw the scatfold
that 100 persons were hanged on
saw lots of Indians in their reserva-
ton. We awoke next morning in
Texas, in the finest farming country
ever saw; but as we went farther
south the country was more sandy
and not so good. Fifty miles out OF
the city the reception committee
met us on the train and served lunch.
We arrived in Galveston at $50 p.
m. and stayed days. The city was
open to us-that is, free street cars,
and everything at our disposal.
The Editorial Association was
held here for three days. We took
in the sights of the city, all their
parks, public buildings, theatres,
etc.
The Legislators adjourned and
came TO the city to do us honor We
left here at 10 pm. for Mexico Ar
rived at San Antonio the next morn
ing at 1880 and stayed there IL
hours. 1t is grand place of so or
60 thousand, with all the late
improvements, street cars, electric
lights, etc. This is a government
post of supplies for all the outer
posts. The climate is delightful.
This is historic city, as it is
where Santa Anna fought with our
men in the Mexican war. Here is
the Alamo, an old Spanish fort, and
in it, in the time of the Mexicans,
the slaughter was terrible; they say
the blood was ankle deep-here is
where Dayy Crockett was killed.
The city is 800 years old.
We left here at 10 pm. arrived at
Eagle Pass at 80 am. Here is
where we enter Mexico, and then we
had to change our money and got 2
for one. They won't take our money
in Mexico, so we felt as if we had
made money, but when we had to
pay twice as much for meal, or
anything else, we found we were
fooled. Then we crossed the Rio
Grande river, the dividing line be-
tween the two Republics. This was
a sight for me, as l never expected
to see the great Rio Grande. So now
we are in Mexico for certain. l was
surprised to see it such a sandy
desert, for thousands of miles be-
tween two mountain ranges, nothing
grows except by irrigation, but cac-
tus and palms to burn. Now for the
people. In this part of the republic
they are the poorest and most de
graded have ever seen. They live
in adobe huts and in the ground, in
fact, any way. They are all in rags,
and any amount of children, 5, 6 and
II years old are naked and all beg
CARS, and worry one to death for a
centava-which means J cent with
us. They fill my idea of China. We
visited one town OF 10000 which was
originally built by the Aztecs, 800 or
400 years ago tits seven miles long,
up ravine to some silver mines
and they have blasted out the rocks
for seven miles on both sides to
build the city. This is the city that
Maximillian fell in. They have a
mint and the government has just
| finished the finest theater now sup
pose in the republic. just think of
this-the government building a
theater and cathedrals to burn.
We visited the Catacombs, where
the old Aztecs were stored away
waiting for the resurrection. Some
have been walked over 300 years,
some are laid away with their origi-
nal clothes on, some with only their
boots or shoes; some of the chiefs
are labeled with the time they passed
away. There is a cathedral built
over them. The ladies, SO far as /
have seen, never wear any hats; they
have a long, thin wrap, about three
yards long, they wrap around them
and over their heads, and if they
have young baby from six months
to one year old, they wrap them up
in it, as it goes around their body,
and you never hear a cry. OF all the
filth and dirt / ever saw, this takes
the lead; but they have good rea-
son, for they have but little water.
They carry it for miles on their
backs, and on donkeys. The next
city is the City Of Opals. forget
the name, but every one was selling
opals. They get them out Of the
rocks around the city and sell from
10 cents to $l75. This is city of
$4,000 inhabitants. Have seen the
electric plant, met the governor of
the state, was shown his palace, Wis
tied the schools, churches, prisons,
plazas, markets, theater and every
thing that was to be seen, free OF
charge. Next we arrived in the City
of Mexico at $50 p. M Next morn
ing we were met outside of the city
by reception committee and escort
ed to the hotel. The hotels in the
city are awful compared to ours.
Now for the great and antiquated
crTy oE MExICO