Mexico weekly ledger., 1904-03-31
LETTER
Distance Lends Rnchantment to the
yiew'-Trip to Amacamecca and
Near View OF P~opocatepea.
Hy DIR, u. n. \

Correspondence OF the Ledger.
Sacred pilgrimages are still kept up
in Mexico, and feast days are very
frequent. Sacred shrines are scattered
all oyer the Republic and these pill
grimages 10 them. from time to time,
are for the purpose OF returning thanks
or asking some special blessing. 1t
was by accident that We struck one OF
these pilgrlmages to Amacamecca, for
II we had known Of II we should have
selected another day. AS 1t was. so
great was the crowd at the San Lazaro
depot, that ] had 10 climb in a back
way through a window to get our
tickets. IL was said there were twenty
thousand visitors at Amacamecca on
that day.
We had for sometime contemplated
this trip to get a near view of the
great snow-capped mountains. l had
read Of them from my b0yhood and
since / came to Mexico last December,
it had been my daily habit to go to
the top of our house and enjoy the
view, forty miles away, Of these high
est mountains in America, seemingly
only FIVE or six miles distant.
Amacamecca was founded by the
Chickimecs, A. D., 647; the Toltecs
drove them out in 713; the Aztecs SUBJ
dued the Toltecs in SSj; and Cortes, in
1920, made the Aztecs subjects and
slaves Of Spain. The route from Mex
leo City took us over historic ground.
1t is from near San Lazaro station
that the great drainage canal takes its
start. The canal is one Of the greatest
achievements Of modem engineering.
1t serves the double purpose of pre-
venting the overflow Of the city from
the lakes and carries of the entire
sewerage OF the city. Including the
tunnel into which 1t empties its length
is fifty miles, and the total cost APP
proximates 1000, 900. After a weary
search OF centuries for relief, the &C
complishment Of this great engineer
ing feat will not only make permanent
the City Of Mexico, but will secure
both the city and the entire beautiful
valley Of Mexico, against sanitary evils
that have so long resulted from de-
fective drainage. With this accom-
plished end Mexico is destined to be
not only Of the largest, but one Of
the healthiest cities on the continent.
1t is worthy Of notice that La Viga,
the pride OF Mexicans, constitutes an
important part Of thissystem OF sewer
age. Taking Its rise in Lake Chalco,
which is fed by living springs, it flows
gently 70 and through the eastern
portion Of the city, and becomes a
part OF the sewerage system, which
empties into the great drainage canal
which ends in the mountain tunnel.
failed 10 state at the outset that
my travelling companions for the ex-
cuTsion were my friend, Jno. J. Steele,
Of Mexico, Missouri, and my wife.
After obtaining our tickets it was
some difficulty, on account of our
limited Spanish, that we found our
proper places on one Of the long
excursion trains. Mr.. Steele and my
wife emphasized the fact that we had
first class tickets, and prided them
selves on being proof against
"rateros.'i
AS WI moved across the plain, Lake
TaxcOco soon appeared an our left,
g~listening like FURNISHED silver, and
we were reminded that it was on this
beautiful lake that 0OrteS launched
his fleet of boats, built at Vera Cruz
and transported by the Indians across
the mountains, which played such a
conspicuous part in the final capture
OF the city. AS we passed along the
shore of the lake, and sometimes
through its waters, we saw thousands
Of ducks within close gun shot Of the
cars, so gentle that they paid no at
tentiOn to the near approach Of the
locomotive.
On our right Lake ChaleO soon came
into view, and on its northern shore
we passed the famous olive village of
Ayotla and 500 came to La Compan-
ia, where w begin the ascent Of Sierra
Nevada.
We pass some beautiful valleys
fringed with extinct volcanic noun
tains, and before reaching Amaca-
mecca pass through a vast plain in
which thousands OF acres Of corn are