The herald., 1897-03-28

point, in the early morning before the
clouds and mist obscure the view, the
scene is superb. Seventy miles away
and nearly 5000 feet below can be seen
the outline of the Gulf coast the city of
Vera Cruz and the big Atlantic steamers
that look like sailboats dancing upon
the water In another direction loom
the mountains of Orizaba and the Cofre
de Perote, their crests covered with
eternal snow.
There aer no idle men In Jalapa;
even the common laborery having con-
slant employment at 10 cents per day.
And what Is particularly striking to
tourists in Mexico, is the entire absence
OF beggars. The people are of better
CLASS and are cleaner and neater in their
dress than others have met with thus
far in my travels, but they are provin-
cial in some respects.
With the exception of two or three
carts, there ds not vehicle Of any de-
scription within the city.
General Frisbie, a pioneer Of Califor-
mia, whom I met at the hotel, invited me
to take a trip with him and his party to
Coatepec, village eight miles from ia
lapa, and situated in the center of a
large coffee producing district.
After a perilous journey we reached
our destination. We visited one or two
establishments where women were
cleaning and grading the coffee and
preparing it for shipment. In this val
ley are grown tobacco, sugar cane and
bananas, as we'll as the beautiful coffee
tree, with it's long, lustrous, dark-green
leaves and bright red berries, resem.
bling somewhat the cranberry in size
and color. The sweetest seeding orange
1 ever tasted found here.
On the return to Jalapa some one re-
marked to Gen. Frisbie that 1t was q
pity the Americans did not hold this
beautiful country after they had cap
tured it. "No," he replied, ut Is better
so. At that time the southern states
were dominant in national affairs. and
with the annexation of any part Of
Mexico by the United States slavery
would have followed. Now things are
different. Peace and amity exist be-
tween the two countries. Under the wise
and patriotic administration of Presi-
dent Diaz, Mexico is being moulded into
homogeneousness, and the mass of the
people have learned the value of peace.
Prosperity and civilization are in evil
dence everywhere. Capital is invited
and protected. The foreigner is as safe
as the native. There is no country in the
world that offers such advantages to
capitalists as Mexico. The past fifteen
years Of stability in government affords
only a faint idea Of future develop
ment. Mexico will not go backward; its
star of progress Is fixed and its brilliancy
will increase with the coming years"
General Frisbie, while rs years Of age,
Is active and energetic He has a con-
cesgicn for an electric railroad running
from Jalapa through Coatepec, out into
the coffee and sugar districts. The work
of construction will begin about April
1. The contract Is for 20 miles of road
at an estimated cost Of $40. 900 including
the equipment. Electricity will be gen.
Grated by water having 5000 horse
power capacity.
Here I pause. The scent Of orange
blossoms intermingled with that Of
roses, oleariders and tropical flowers.
fills the air. Peace and quiet reign, but,
alasl the busting, hurrying; intense
and unromantic American will soon be
here. The streams that now Leap down
from precipices ard traverse the valleys
undisturhed, sparkling in the sun like
sheets Of silver. will be harnessed to the
wheels Of industry by the worshipers Of
gold. "SKOLASTIKOS."