Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-11-25
OLD CITY OF MEXICO
CURIOUS LEGENDS THAT FLOURISH
IN THE ANCIENT TOWN.


In its early history the City of Mex
leo was divided into wards, or quar-
tiers, each one of which was the special
home of some trade or profession.
There was the street or quarter of the
shoemakers, the streets Of the silver
smiths, Of the bakers, of the saddle
makers. of the butchers, Of the watch
makers, Of the silk merchants, of the
wine sellers and SO on. There was
even the street of the coffin makers.
Many of these old names still exist,
though the caste-like character Of the
Streets has somewhat changed. One Of
the most fashionable streets of the city
is Plateros. the street Of the silver
smiths. Even today there are more
jewelry shops on this street than any
other kind of business, and here still
are to be found the most fashionable
jewelry and art curio stores Of the city.
The street of the coffin makers still
exists and is now very appropriately
known us the Street of Death. 1t is a
narrow lane, running the length Of
only one block.
Cinco de Mayo 9th of May street
was named in commemoration of the
decisive advantage gained by Mexican
troops over the French, which took
place upon that date. This naming Of
streets, parks and public places after
dates is common in Spanish countries.
One end Of Cinco de Mayo street en-
tiers the Zocalo, the principal square Of
the city. The Zocalo has seen many
historic happenings. There in olden
times was the grent temple of the Az
tees, which was, with its accompanying
base or pyramid, larger than ST. Pc
ter's at Rome, the largest church build
ing In the world. There, too, was the
palace Of MOntezuma, in fact, two pal
aces, both noted, one the old, in which
were quartered Cortez and his officers,
10 building whose vast size excited the
admiration Of even the Spaniards them
selves, used as they were to the vast
structures Of the Moors of their day,
which still existed in Spain in all their
splendor.
On the Zocalo, too, is the Cathedral
|of Mexico, the third largest church
building in the world, which occupied
100 years in building. On this public
square the common people believed for
a long time that the ghost Of the unfor-
tunate Aztec emperor, Montezuma,
wandered at night lamenting the loss of
empire and the destruction of his peo-
pie. Even today the humber folk be-
lieve that a tunnel connects the cathe-
dral with the castle of Chapultepec, the
presidential residence, three and half
miles away, at the end Of the Paseo de
10 Reforma, one of the finest and no.
blest public drives in the world.
One Of the historic streets of Mexico
Is Mariscala. This faces the north side
OF the Alameda, the largest and most
fashionable park Of the city. 1t was
along this street that the army of Cor
tez, the great conqueror Of Mexico,
passed on the Dismal night when he
was driven from the city by the Aztecs.
On this street, too, occurred some Of
the most desperate fighting on that ter
rible night. There the Spaniards were
able to do nothing against the tiger-like
ferocity and fanaticism Of the Aztecs.
On the opposite side Of the Alameda
is Avenida Juarez, named after the
great Mexican reformer, who had freed
the country from the grinding rule of
the church. This is wide, well paved
street and on account of its width and
Its central location is the scene of all
the public professions, especially those
of q civic character. This street is q
continuation Of the great public drive,
the Paseo de In Reforma.
Many Of the streets have very curious
names. For instance, there are the
Street of the Lost Child, the Street of
Peace, the Street Of the Arts, that of
the Wood Owls, the Deer, Sorrow, the
Sad Indian, the Holy Ghost, of Christ,
of Jesus, of the Sanctified Virgin. of the
Purified Virgin, of Death and the Lane
Of the Rat. All Of these have stories
connected with them. Many of the
streets have names that sound impious
to northern ears. But there is no more
thought Of impiety in naming them
than there is In calling boy Jesus. The
Street Of the Holy Ghost Was. original
ly the Street of the Church of the Holy
Ghost. So on with the other streets
bearing sacred names. This curious, in
congruous use of sacred names is to be
frequently noted in Mexico.
The streets of Mexico commemorate
the names of many famous rulers. They
also record the names of desperate
characters. There is the Street of Don
Juan Manuel, who committed murder
in defense Of his own honor, which he
believed his wife had trifled with, Re
port says that the house where he lived
was haunted and for very many years
It remained empty because no one
dared to live in it.
There is also the Street Of the Raven,
where it is said there lived an old man
who had sold his soul to the devil. Here
he lived with raven which the com.
mon people believed was the devil in
disguise. One day the old man and the
bird disappeared in the course of ter
rible thunderstorm, leaving behind
them only few feathers and sus.
piclous smell of birthstone. So the street
was called after the raven because the
people did not wish to take the name OF
| the devil In sain.-Modern Mexico.
-,s- ~-a,N- ~-1.-a.