Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
NOW A PLAGUE SPOT.
A Washington Traveller Tells Of Ma
zatlan, Mexico.

zatlan, Mexico.
LAS the spot on the western hemisphere
where the dreaded bubonic plague has gain
ed footaaold. Mazatlan. the softly pronounc-
ed name of picturesque, far-away and
practically unknown little city on the west
coast OF Mexico, has suddenly become known
In the United States through. the press dis
patches" said Washingtonian who has
Travelled in the tropics.
''Mazatlan, In the Mexican state of Sina-
lea, has heretofore been distinctive as be-
ing the first stopping place OF Importance
in the Pacific south Of San Diego for the
Pacific Mail steamers, 1350 miles south Of
San Francisco. When / visited MaZatlan a
few years ago little thought It would be-
come a plague spot, and can fully under
stand how the inhabitants. as described in
The Stars dispatches. fled precipitately to
the interior, 5000. it being stated. having
left the place. If this dispatch be accurate
the best part of the entire population must
have decamDed.
The danger of the spread Of the plague
overland may be said to be quite remote. if
strict quarantine regulations should be en-
forced against Mexico, II 1t comes to that
unfortunate pass, as Mazatlan Is uncon-
nected, or was when visited it. by railroad
Durango. the capital OF the state Of that
name, was. 1t is my recollection. the near
est railroad city. and Durango Is several
hundreds OF miles to the east on this side of
the high range of mountains called the
Sierra de Nayarit whose sharp peaks cut
off much OF the west coast country Of
Mexico from the interior Acapulco the
next principal landing place on the west
coast touched by the Pacific Mail steamers
and perhaps 1000 miles. or Whereabouts
south of Mazatlan, is also cut. of from the
interior by a high range Of mountains It
Is well to bear this fact in mind should
report reach us that the plague had broken
out In that ancient Mexican city. Traffic
with the interior from both cities was
maintained by mules over the narrow passes
Of the mountains.
"Mazatlan lies on gentle slope On
land-locked bay, with the garrison post on a
hill surmounting the city. I recall the hot
day trudged through the narrow streets
of the town and UP the hill. and wondered
how the little Mexican soldier In full uni
form stood his clothes and carried his big
rife without succumbing to the heat as he
paced UP and down doing guard duty The
principal wealth of the town comes from
the rich mines in the interior, their product
OF crushed ore being shipped ON the steam
ers for reduction elsewhere A large trade
is done In coffee, and the American tray
eler will always remember Mazatlan as the
first place where. under the awnings on
the steamers deck in the hot sun Of the
tropics, stvarthy skinned Mexicans tempt
ingly offered him native cigars at such
prices for quality that made him invest
heavily in the weed. a good cigar being OBJ
tatnable for cents. and fine one for and
6 cents.
'.Mazatlan and Acapulco rely almost ex-
clusively upon the steamers and coastwise
vessels for communication north and south
and with the outside world and the great
est danger Of the plague entering the United
States from any west coast Mexican city
would lie in its importation In this manner
rather than Z. overland. Mazatlan has a
large cathedral. custom house. several
good-sized hotels. where American iced
drinks were neatly served: many CONNER
ciai houses. and one portion OF the city
overlooking the sea where the Weather
classes live Is built mp with fine houses of
Mexican style of architecture. Taken altos
gether the city, with its picturesque tropi-
cal surroundings. would be about the last
place one would associate with plague"