El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-01-26
OUR MEXICO LETTER.
A General Review of Many Things OF
Interest
BELEM AND IT'S PRISONERS.

Interest
BELEM AND IT'S PRISONERS.
City of Mexico, Jan. q, 1S9l.-Some
| time since l paid visit to the penlten-
tiary of Belem and through the court
estes of the superintendent L looked
through all the different departments
of that famous institution. There were
about 3, 800 prisoners confined therein
when | visited the place. They are
distributed about in different depart
ments and Notwithstanding their crowc-
| ed condition fare very well. those con
| fined therein are charged with all kinds
of crimes and offenseS, but the majority
Of them are held for petty cases that
have been committed in the city. There
is one thing about this institution al d
that is that it is kept very clean and
| the prisoners are also compelled to
abide by the laws OF cleanliness and are
| required to battle in one OF the several
| bathing pools thatare in the establlsh.
ment for that purpose. Inc 1000 OF
the prisoners is solid and substantial,
and is well cooked, and from this TACT
MANY of the prisoners have been turn
ed out of this institution in the morn
ing and have committed some ohense
so they could be brought back before
night. Those prisoners who are con-
fined therein for political otfenses are
located in the upper story OF the build
ing i'll quarters that are either furnish
ed by the government or by the prls-
oner, and food is furnished the same
way, and if any ones purse is long
enough they need never eat meal that
| is prepared in the building. They can
also receive visitors who can remain as
long as they see fit. In fact the life in
Belem prison is far better and easier
than it would be for one confined in
any of the penitentiarieS of the states,
ho
therein can testify to this If they Will
only lay aside their prejudice
THE STREET CAR SYSTEM.
Last August the street car system OF
the Federal District was sold to a fore =
IGN company. This adeal was bitter y
fought by the Mexican papers OF this
city who claimed that the Mexican
owners should hold it as it was the
last great institution owned and con-
trolled by Mexicans that was left TO
them in this republic. However, when
the deal was made the new manage
ment promised to put new blood" into
the Institutions: electricity as motive
power would be adopted and many
other Improvements promised. None
OF the promised improvements nave
materialized, no changes Tor better
service have been made, the service Is
VIGOROUSLY bad, and the Mexican
papers are roaring: while the two
American,dailies are making mia
kick at the new management. Inc
trouble seems to be that the new man
ager had lot of friends and followers
that he gave positions to, turning OH
good experienced men to make places
for his friends. 1t is now openly pre-
dicted that the street car line OF the
| FEEDER District will always be run by
mule power and that the new manage
ment has shown total ignorance in Its
ability to manage the lis miles of street
railway lines in the Federal District.
NEW ARRIVALS.
Many Americans are Hooking into
this country and more especially into
the city, and are writing back TO friends
in the states to follow them picturlng
this country as the great Eel Dorado
where fortunes can be ScOCped IN
Quickly and all the immigrant will
have to do is to bring enough sacks
along to carry away the money he viii
make here. In fact they are causing
a boom that will sdo great injury to TIL:
country and cause great hardshlpS to
many poor, deluded immigrants who
will flock in. Blooms in the states DC
more harm than good at first, and the
difference of people, difference OF Gus
toms and difference of living makes
| this country not susceptible OF Doom:
or sudden rushes OF population to any
vice of the new corners to this repuoll(
and flock in here will only come tt
, want and misery. a slow settling III
, of this country is the kind of colonial
ton that is wanted and the only kline
that will possibly produce good results
| MANY more will come here that will be
dissatisfied than will be satisfied anc
!, one dissatisfied immigrant will DISCUS
a whole colony. This is my experience
in Mexico and | have been travelling
around the repu bile for 20 years.
! LA LOIE.
La Loie Fuller has come, conquered
and gone She is immense! She il
divine. She is beautiful and withal sht
is sensible and her dances are admira
+, BILE. Her manager told me- he woult
, try and make date in Ell Paso whel
he returned to the coast from the cas-
on their way to California. They wen
to San Antonio from this city and from
there will go to Nashville.
AMERICAN WOMEN RULE.
1t is surprising at the number o
American ladies who are married tt
prominent men of al nationalities ant
! reside in this capital. It is the subjec
of a good letter of which 1 will write il
the future. GERONIMO.