Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-03-29

aDONe description VIII siNe ISi""
readers an idea OF the section In which
the City of Mexico is situated as well
as some of the interesting history.
Now we must close and take an
other trip about the city.
City of Mexico. Marcn Z.
1t would take up too much time and
occupy too much space to detail mat
ter that might be written about the
interesting City OF Mexico. The MS
tory of tne city is practically the MS
tory of the country. For more tbah
Ave and a half centuries IL has been
n capital wnere snccessiveiy cacique,
conaueior, viceroy, emperor. dictator
or president has made aud executed
the laws of the land 1t has always
been the commercial, social and po
litical center Of the country. On the
island In Lake TexcOco In the year
1912 the Aztecs, after wandering more
than 700 years, discovered the prop
hetic sign by which they were to know
where to make their final home. Here
they laid the foundations OF the place
which was called Tenochtitlan. in hon
or of their holy guide, and also Mex
leo, iu honor OF their war god, Mex
itlio, and M xico Is the name not only
of the country, but OF the state In the
national union and OF the federal dis
trict. The relation of the ancient to
the modern city is traceable as we Wis
1t various points.
Naturally the visitor first seeks the
| Alameda. And, being Sunday, we OBJ
| tanned our first glimpse under favor
able conditions. The Alameda covers
about 23 acres of ground and has miles
of walks. Thee trees comprise great
many varieties and furnish splendid
shade. The grass Is kept short and
the macademized walks are bordered
| with flowers while immense mounds
| appear TO be solid mass of pansles,
other mounds displaying different
| flowers. There are several fountains,
| a number of baHd-stands, little
deer park. bird garden and tea gar
| len where one can secure refresh
ments.
| Mexico owes debt of gratitude
to the unfortunate Carlotta. wife OF
| Macmillan. for the reformation OF
the plaza which Is said to have been
a barren square. She transformed 1t
into lovely park. Here the military
| bands entertain the people In the
forenoon and afternoons OF Sunday
| and different evenings OF the week.
One could spend day lounging
and enjoying the balmy atmosphere.
watching the great mass OF human
ity. The panorama comes to YOU
1t will pass and repass you. Here we
find every nationality represented
and every class and condition OF the
natives. The beggar with tattered
clothes brushes against the million
aire: the dark-browned maiden
passes tine handsome and beautifully
gowned senoritas with scornful smile.
They know nothing better and few
envy those more fortunate. 1t Is
surely picture. Where can you see
such another? Nowhere but In the
Alameda of Mexico, and thore only
on Sunday or on some political or
tCCltSldStlCal least uay.
Then the next thing to do Is to get
acquainted with the city-as we say
In the states, get "our bearing" This
can best be accomplished by obtain
ing hack. And this Is the cheap
est thing in Mexico. There are
three grades of cabs-first, second
and third class, and one with small
| means will not fare badly with the
| lowest grade while the second is very
| good-apparently very little differ
ence from the first except the fact
that the class is designated on the
| outside. The first class hacks have
small blue flag the second a strip
painted red on the side and small
red nag. and the third a yellow emb-
lem. One can obtain the first class
for n dollar nm hour. Mexican money
or second class for rs cents Mexican.
Thus one is only out n dollar OF I'm
Gle Sans good coin for a couple of
hours and be declared FIRST class or
40 cents and no one need know the
difference. The driver will humble
something in Spanish. which means
| 'o |ch want W WISH CDepultepeC
park and castle and enjoy ride
along the famous Paseo?" 1t is one
oi the finest boulevards to be found
in any city. 1t is two miles long in
a straight line; 40 feet in width.
On each side are trees and between
the driveway and the passage for Pc
| destrians is strip of lawn and flow
ers which adds to the beauty of the
drive. Then there are several glor-
ieias with monuments in the center.
These giorietas are probably 100 feet
In diameter and the ground not oc.
cupied by monument is mass of
flowers.
Facing the entrance to the Paseo
stands the oldest and largest bronze
in all Mexico. 1t is an equestrian
statue of Charles the w., and has a
very remarkable history. In the first
place 1t is wonderful piece of work
Humboldt says that, next to the mon.
'iment OF Marcus Aurelius, in the
city of Rome, this is the finest eaues-
trian statue In the world. 1t Is near
ly 10 feet high, weighs about 80 tons
and Is cast In a single piece. II was