El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-17
many a shady nook and sylvan dell.

many shady nook and sylvan dell.
The country around old Casas
Grandes is exceedingly picturesque,
the old adobe buildings are interest
ing, the ruins are study and there
is much about the old town to observe
that would profit one for the trip to
this country, if the tourist did not pro-
coed farther.
Though nearly four hundred years
have passed since the conauering
Cortez passed over the country, there
is still to be seen substantial evidence
of the work of his day and time, and
ruins that we're once used as kings
palaces long before the Spanish set
foot on Mexican soil.
The town is supposed to be over 300
years old,
Carl Won Lumb holtz, a Fellow of
the Royal Academy of Sweden, who
recently spent much time in research
and study of the Aztec ruins near
here, claims that he is fully con-
vinced that Casas Grandes, was once
the summer residence of the Aztec
emperors, and the ruins to be found
north and south of town, were once
the genuine habitations of Moctezu-
ma and his immediate official family.
It is believed that the church in
which the people of the old town now
worship was constructed $50 years
ago, and one of the three old bells
that adOrn the top of the edifice and
call the people to daily prayer, is said
to have been brought from Spain and
is believed to have been cast eight
hundred years ago.
The old church is known as San An
tonic: after the monk, Antonio, who
lived during the time of Cortez, and
who established the church here.
The feast day of San Antonio is
celebrated on June 18th of each year
by the Inhabitants.
GOVERNMENT SEAT.
Casas Grandes is the modern gov
eminent seat of a large territory
known as the Galeana district. The
district includes the municipalities
of Ascension, Janos, Pa1omas, Corral
etOsi, San Bueanventura and Casas
Grandes, these covering many small
villages and colonies. All the lead
ing governmental and political Off
GERS have their homes and executive
Offices in Casas Grandes.
The Office of jefe politico is the chief
executive Office, the incumbent act
ing about in the same capacity over
the district that the governor does
over the state
The gentleman who now holds that
important position is Col. Eduardo
Burmedez.
Col. Burmedez is an educated gen.
tleman and an entertaining CONVEX
and an official of marked
ability. He takes an active interest
in the progress of the country he gov
erns, recognizes the value of Ameri-
can enterprise and capital co-opera-
ting with the great natural resources
Of the district and stands ready to
aid in a happy union of his people
and the Immigrant to the country.
Col. Burmedez converses in English
and in Spanish. and is very hespitable
with all Americans and others that
call upon him.
Three other important government
offices are those of District Juez
Judge, held by Hon. Eduardo Villa
real, and revenue collector, held by
Hon. Geronimo Azeorate; and COL
Lector of state taxes, Hon. Genevevo
Portillo.
What has been said of Col. Burme- =
1ez will fit these gentlemen also. 1t is
we'll for strangers contemplating To-
eating at Casas Grandes that four
such intelligent gentlemen are the
power that rules in the land, The
foreigner is just as sure of obtaining
tant.
Old Casas Grandes has it's literary
and dramatic societies, and on the
whole, its people enjoy themselves
about as we'll as in any small town in
the Republic.
The dramatic society which recent
y gave an eptertaiHment, the pro-
ceeds of which will go to putting new
ron benches in the public plaza, is
known as the ''Mejoras Materiales,"
and the literary society is named in
honor of Porferio PARA, a one time
famous Spanish tragedian.
STOCK RAISING.
While maHy head of cattle are
raised by the inha bitants of the little