Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-06-28
Hotel Iturbide,

e "
eEd. Courier: My last letter was
written hurriedly and I have almost
forgotten what said then, but hope
{ that will not repeat anything.
This city is having quite an influx
of people from the states and this ho-
z tel is now well filed. Many men are
here with their wives to pass. the SUM
\ mer months and many more are here
on business and investigation. In ma
NY, respects Mexico is improving very
rapidly, both in the city and in the
republic. The effects of Spanish colo
nization, however, are quite apparent
in the habits and customs of the peo-
pie and it is likely to be long time
before they disappear. Bull fighting,
unknown before the advent of the
& Spanish, is gradually disappearing and
liz now a rare occurrence. Most Amer
leans, I am told, go to see an exhibi-
ton Of this kind when it occurs and
n that seems to satisfy them.
considerable attention is being paid
10 the education Of the children and it
j Up not uncommon to find pupils Of the
}. public schools just in their teens who
speak English very well and some of
q them earn no little money as guides
for Americans out visiting the library,
museum and gallery of fine arts. They
also go with American women on shop
4 ping tours, but most of the stores Of
any magnitude in the city either have
American clerks or Mexicans who
speak English. The sign, English
spoken here" is very common. Most
OF the merchants, however, have theI
+ Spanish habit, I am told, of asking a
much larger price for their goods than
they expect to receive,
Last Thursday was the festival of
Corpus Christi, which is, in, Mexico,
All of the departments and most Of the
business houses were closed and it fur
nished me with a good opportunity for
ming the mammoth bell of the great
cathedral began to send forth its deep
tones, followed later by all the bells
1 In the two great towers, and you can
Imagine the effect. Perhapsl nowhere
else than in Mexico could it be equall-
ed. went to the zacola and the Pla-
"a. to see the sights and it seemed to
be packed with humanity, all appar-;
emily bent on having a happy time.
The best of order prevailed everywhere
My companion and myself made our
way to the flower market which we
found unusually fine. The attendants
4 were very busy and the market had an
immense crowd about it.. This flower
market is particularly attractive to ey-
cry one who visits the city.
The people were going into the
great cathedral in large numbers and
when the bells ceased ringing the great
organ could be distinctly heard by all
4 for quite a distance. The streets and
the Alameda were full of people as if
all Mexico were out for holiday. The
Paseo and other drives were also full
OF the fine carriages and splendid
teams OF horses FOR, which this CITY is
i justly famed. In the afternoon I Wis
tied the public library, located in a
beautiful building with al very fine or
namental stone front. It was built for
y q nunnery. The interior is exceedingly
nice. 1t has, perhaps, fifty fine stat
ues in marbles of prominent authors
and other noted literary characters,
such as Cicero, Homer, Sallust, Virgil,
4 st. Paul, Aristotle, Plato, Confucius
and many Others, too numerous to
mention. Here. also, is a fine statue
of Fra. Bartolome defending the Indi-
ans from the conquerOrs, which is very
fines both in design and execution. The
next time have leisure expect to Wis
It the gallery of fine arts, which, ]
know ! will enjoy because its contents
\ are mostly the works Of Mexican ar
lists which are said to be very fine and
indicates the natural talents of the old
Aztecs.
Being an admirer of the character
of President Benito Juarez, theI Next
a can patriot and hero of Lincoln and
Grant, received permission thru a
friend to visit his tomb in the Panthe-
On Of the San Fernando church. This
edifice, built in 1875, was considerably
damaged by the earthquake of 1858,
but has been rebuilt. Adjoining it on
& the west is the famous San Fernando
. Pantheon, an excellent sample of bu-
rial or deposit in stone walls once SO
popular. 1t contains the remains of
n over $4,000 Mexican celebrities, all num-
bered and registered. The remains
of Juarez are in a beautiful white mar
BILE sarcophagus in the center of the
main court, and over the center of the
main court is a fine cut stond mauso-