The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-03-23
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Enroute from Mexico.
March 10th, 1000.

Enroute from Mexico.
March 10th, 1900.
Since our last letter we have travelled
much, endured good deal, but withal
have had very enjoyable time. In many
respects Mexico is wonderful country.
1t is expectionally rich in silver copper
and gold; the climate in winter cannot be
surpassed anywhere, and it is possessed of
large areas of fertile agricultural lands.
Fruit of almost every conceivable kind
grows abundantly, and the oranges are
particularly fine, with a delicacy and de-
liciousness of flavor unknown to those ship
ped north.
We must confess that the disposition to
write. even to ones own paper, is not
gnawing after the wearisome hours of
sightseeing necessary where time is limit
ed, and this indisposition is not thrown off
to any appreciable extent on Pullman
car that is whirling around curves at 40
mile speed with 90 mile shaking up.
But having waited for about ten days to
see if the spirit would not move US to
write something of the cities and country
through which we have passed, and the
waiting having been in vain, we arose this
morning on our way to FL Paso determin-
ed to do or to be done, and while we shall
succeed in 'doing" it may have disas-
trous effect on the readers of the Free
Press, for as a matter of fact we have seen
so much during our brief sojourn in Mexi-
co that it becomes more of problem what
not to write about than it is what to say.
Press readers on our advent into Monterey.
This city was really our initiation into the
Republic. and it was not an altogether
pleasant one. For several days the rail-
roads had advertised excursion rates very
low from points out as far as eight hundred
miles to witness bull fight on Sun
day. We reached the city Saturday
morning and found every hotel full
to overlooking. Of course this situation
was decidedly pleasant" for one in {
strange land and among a strange people
whose language we were not entirely
familiar with. But the Lord smiles or
His own, and while we felt for the mo
ment that we were out of Gods country
and among people with whom we had
not made full and complete acquaintance
our dream of dreary forebodings was hap
PLY and abruptly broken as we turned
from hotel that had no rooms" by meet
ing lady who really spoke English. She
took us to restaurant conducted by ar
American and this led to our getting
sleeping accommodations with an Ameri-
can family and so we were made happy
Fully eight thousand strangers we're in the
city-mostly from Texas vand while all
were taken care of in way. it was mighty
poor picking for many. Our intention
was to see the bull fight. In fact we had
no other thought until our thirst for blood
and raging bulls was fully quenched with
out money and without price by listening
to the narrowing details of eye witnesses
to other fights. We have yet to meet g
single American who has witnessed one
bull fight that could be induced to look
upon second. There is horror about
the whole affair that is repulsive in the
extreme, and we at least shall be content
to let others tell the tale and be content tc
feel relief that we have never been an eye
witness to the savage practice Of leading E
poor blindfolded horse into the arena with
an Infatuated bull ready to gore him to the
death. 1t is, however, pleasant to note
that civilizing influences are at work in
the Republic, and bull fights are not nearly
so numerous nor popular as formerly, anc
it will be but few years until they will
be prohibited entirely. Even now the
better class of Mexican ladies are con-
spicuous by their absence, and they nc
longer feel it creditable either to them
selves or their country that this relic Of
barbarism should be permitted.
The city of Monterey is one of the
cleanest and most promising cities in the
Republic. 1t has population of about
$4,000. is beautifully situated at the foot
of the Sierra Madre mountains, 1853 miles
from the Texas border, and at an eleva-
ton of I 800 feet above sea level. Mon
terey is quite cosmopolitan city People
of almost every nationality may be found
here. There are about 1900 Americans
engaged in various kinds of industry, and
through their capital and push the city is
rapidly forging ahead. There are rich
iron ore mines near here, and these will
be extensively worked in the future. A
large smelter and rolling mills will be start