Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-04-22

CdtutuIdI III Spanish Aui6flCt II IL
built upon the site of the great Aztec
Temple which Spaniards destroyed
when they conquered the city in 1921.
The building was commenced in 1873 and
completed in 173I 1t measures 377x177
feet, interior height 40 feet. Ninety
quadruple pillars, each 50 feet in Gil
cumference, support the roof. 1t
contains 5 naves, II chapels and altars.
We tiptoed up and down its wonderful
rooms, around among the hundreds of
worshippers for long while, and were
lost in amazing space of architecture
and beauty A fine view of the city is
obtained from the two towers which are
2O3 feet high. Things here are old in
the matter of churches and the great
buildings are the real century plants.
AT distance of p miles from city
(reached by horse cars) is the collegiate
church of Nuestra Sonora de Guadalupe,
holiest shrine of Mexico. This beauti
ful edifce was completed and dedicated
May l, 1909 1t cost 81, ISL, 900. Value
of gold and silver plate and other rich
belongings, nearly all of which have
passed into possession of the Govern
million dollars more. The special
attraction for us was a massive railing
inclosing the golden covered altar, the
chancel, and the passage way between
choir and chancel. This railing contains
twentv-six tons of solid silver and is set
upon base of pure white marble. Fine
ebony and mahogany carvings, onyx
baso-relievos, marble figures and other
| things have been provided for every
nook and corner by wealthy patrons of
the church. The interior, well lighted,
is finished in gold and white. Am lost
for further description. Will l ever
wander in such sanctifed realms OF
elegance again? There are $50 cathe-
drals in the City of Mexico. Did not
visit all of them. Catholicism is the
almost universal religion throughout
the Republic.
And now back to Zacatecas S,044 feet
above sea level. Many in the party
troubled with nose bleed on account of
altitude. Temperature was So degrees
above zero. Monthly average does not
vary five degrees from this during any
winter, and in summer season runs from
81 degrees to 20 above. Not a bad
climate to stay in. Our train whistles
for departure and the parting words Of
our doctor friend sound upon the oracle
apparatus: eff free silver had carried
in the States it would have been a great
calamity to Mexico. We are glad you
didn't do it, but it is coming"
Forty miles from Zacatecas the train
has dropped some 1900 feet. We have
started now in more fertile and better
cultivated country. The next stop of
interest is Aguas CaIientes (hot waters)
the famous Hot Springs of Mexico with
population of 5000. Feature here
was the handsome and large bath house.
| For twenty-five centayos we gained
access to bath room containing a large
pool of running warm water 15X15 feet
square and four feet deep. There is no
top to the pool, but it has cement
floor and is surrounded by cement walls.
1t was jolly open air swim in the
winter time. These waters are said to
have many curative properties.
So many things of interest are noted
in Mexico that when one starts to tell
about them there is an almost irress-
tible tendency to wander all over the
whole newspaper tract in saying what
ought to be confined in a few para
graphs. That is what has happened to
me in this letter. [ hope, patient
reader, you have found few grains of
pleasure through this chaos Of words.
G.. E. L.