The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1904-03-04
-ETTER ERoM eEoReg COLE
GoOdIand Man Writes to Rev. woodward
About Mexico City.

UoooAand Man Writes TO Rev woodward
About Mexico City.
George CoPley, for three years a
freight conductor on this division OF the
Rock Island, and who has many &C
quaintances in GoOdland, is in old Mex
icO- In a letter 10 his grandfather,
Rev. Woodward, of PhiIipsburg, Mr..
COPley says:
Mexico is over 1000 feet high, bu,
the climate IS grand; some evenings a
light OvercOat Is needed. L am feeling
better ali the time; my appetite will
break me up IN business If It keeps on.
There is only one place IN the city where
a person can get a decent meal at a
reasonable figure and that is at an Am
erican restaurant, meals 81.
Il am roOming in the heart Of the
business part Of the city, in a house
kept by an American woman, 3 per
day, and not much Of a room at that.
/ might have done a little better by go
ing farther out, but not knowing where
to look thought 1 might as well stay
here, as wouldn't do but little better
The hotels here are the worst 1 ever
saw for the price they charge-from s.
10 s. per day for rooms alone-and
there IS not a modern hotel in the CITY,
all Old-fashioned buildings from one TO
two hundred years old. 1 think of
course they have been remodeled, re-
furnished, etc.
''The business part of the city IS
clean and well taken care of, but in the
poor parts of the city 1t is fearful-the
smell Of the Kansas City packing houses
can't compare with the stink in some
places through which have passed on
the street cars.
81 have seen a bull fight, and once
will be enough for me; It is too brutal.
But it seems that the more blood the
better the natives enjoy It.
Il have been to Guadalupe Cathed-
raj, about FIVE miles out, and which is
one of the oldest and finest in the Re
public. Also visited the presidents
palace, which is well worth seeing, es-
Pecially the grounds around it, but the
palace itself is quite unpretentiOus.
Had to get a permit from the United
States minister to get in through the
national museum, which is quite inter
esting. Was at foot of Popocatapetal
but did not take the time to go up
They go part way on burros and then
have TO finish on foot. 1t takes nearly
a day to make the trip.
There are two Plazas OF parks in the
central part Of the city, both large and
well kept, with all kinds Of tropical
trees and plants and flowers. The gov
eminent bands play IN these twice a
week-Sundays and Wednesdays.
I'm two hours last Sunday evening 1
saw more fine carriages and turnOuts
of all kinds than had seen IN all my
life before. Coming in from the Paseo
drive it seems to be the custom for
everyone to drive up the main street
just to show of. There was a line of
carriages so closely together that It
looked like a funeral procession; car
rage tops nearly all down, equipped
with drivers and foOtme1, 1t was a
sight. The main street is only wide
enough for about three carriages
abreast, and the sidewalks are in pro-
portion, the curb being lined with men
'rubbering' myself in line with the
rest.
There are numerous French, Ger
man and English here, but it takes the
rich Mexicans and Spanish to show Of
they do it to perfection. The cathed-
raj here in the city Is said to be one of
the finest IN the world 1t fronts on
one of the Plazas and the PRESIDENT
city palace fronts on the same plaza. It
is quite plain and only two stories high.
None of the buildings are over four
stories, It being against the law to build
them higher. In the hotels the rooms
on the upper floors are the highest
priced on account of getting the mos;
sun. Policemen are on every corner al
night and they all carry lanterns.
4 have tried to get a job either on
the road OF at Office work, but around
here they are LOADED down with con-
ductOrs, as one superintendent put It,
and in Office work the only demand is
for men who can speak and write
Spanish, OF speak II at least. Had quite
a talk with the assistant general man
ager Of The Mexican Central and be
said he never encouraged Americans to
come down here and start IN railroad
ing, as he thought there were better
opportunities IN the States"
Big Crowd at social
The efforts of the Ladies' Aid society