Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-02
THE CITY OF M0REL|A
One of the Most Interesting
Towns of Western Hemisphere.
MUCH ATTACHED TO SPAIN
More Loyal to Mother Country Than
to Mexico.
THE CENTER OF CONSERVATISM
Clerical Influence is strong-Resent-
ment at the spoliation Of
the Cathedral.
HE CENTER OF CONSERVATISM
by WILLIAM E. CURTIS
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.

MORELIA, Mexico, April %. 1906.
Morelia Is one OF the most interesting
towns on the hemisphere and resembles
those OF old Spain more closely than the
progressive cities Of Mexico. 1t was origi-
nally settled by colony of rich and proud
Spaniards from the aristocracy of CASTLE.
anG their descendants now constitute the
larger part of the population. Nor have
they lost any of their pride or prejudices.
The town was originally named Valla-
dolid. after the ancient city of CASTLE in
which Columbus died, but, much to the in
dignation of a large part of the inhabitants,
the congress OF Mexico rechristened It
Morelia in honor of the priest who led the
revolution for independence. He was born
here and his relatives live here still.
Morelia Is reached after an all-day ride
from the City of Mexico by a narrow-g gauge
branch of the National railway. and it Is a
very interesting ride. The train crosses the
Cordlleras. the backbone of the American
continent, by the Salazar pass at an alti-
tude of 10000 feet above the sea, which, l
believe. is the highest reached by any rail-
way In the republic. The ascent is made
through gorges and along the breasts OF
soaring peaks. After crossing the CONT
mental divide the train descends gradually
toward the Pacific through SER s of lovely
valleys, watered by little lakes and cult
hills. They call this the California of
Mexico. and 1t is we'll named because of its
fruits and flowers and the fertility of the
soil.
Much Attached to Spain.
Morelia Is the commercial center of one
of the richest agricultural sections OF
Mexico. The surrounding territory is d.
vided into large haciendas. upon which
enormous crops of corn, wheat and other
,ya yNJa. ~ 10
covered with sugar estates and the high
lands with cattle. The city is very old
fashioned. There have been less progress
and fewer changes here than almost any
where else. The rich plantation owners all
have houses in town and spend good part
of the year here. They adhere tenaciously
to ancient customs, well opinions.
They have very little sympathy with the re-
public and mostly monarchists. They
are more loyal to Spain than to Mexico.
During the Spanish war Morela was not a
comfortable place for Americans to visit.
believe there are no American residents
in the town, except the wife of one of the
professors of the university. The relations
between the people of Morelia and Spain
are closely maintained. Every family of
position visits Madrid at frequent intervals,
and the children are sent there to complete
their education and make their social debut.
Few of them ever go to the United States.
The residences in Morelia are of the old
Moorish type and through the arched door
like the forbidden Eden. Banks of bios
SONS sometimes cover the roofs. and often
as you pass a patio you can scent the frag-
rance of the flowers that are blooming in
side.
Features of Morelia.
The Bosque, a park of natural woods
the edge OF the city, is one of the loveliest
in America and is greatly enjoyed by the
people. 1t is reached by a beautiful and
IA cd ba 20 10 v,yJ,to
was built 200 years ago by a liberal minded
bishop. 1t is a wide walk in the center of
the street shaded by two rows of venerable
trees with INTERVENING branches which
make a continuous arbor more than half
mile long. On each side is g. massive stone
balustrade and uncomfortable stone benches
are placed at frequent intervals. All the
population of Morela come out there in the
afternoon to promenade and gossip and hear
the band play.
a spring in the foothills three miles away
through one of the most picturesque old
aqueducts you can imagine, supported by
graceful arches to an average height OF
about twenty feet. The material iS a pink
sandstone which has become mellow with
age and furnishes a pleasing contrast to
tho foliage which shelters 1t. and the flower
ing vines which climb its walls between the
arches There Is a famous aqueduct near
Queretaro, but 1t Is not so picturesque or so
beautiful as that of Morela- This was built
about 200 years ago by F'riar Antonio de
San Miguel Iglesias. bishop of this diocese,
in order to give employment to the people
during q famine, and at the same time 10
furnish q supply of pure water to the town.
There are good hotels at Morelia. One of
them. originally erected as a palace for the
bishop, is unique as a specimen of Moorish
architecture Standing in its patios you
might easily imagine yourself In morocco
or Aigiers I have not seen anything else
so Moorish In Mexico.
Another unique feature is the street. Ian
terms which are similar to those you see
in the old-fashioned cities of CASTLE. The
people hope TO have electric lights soon.
The electricity Is to be brought from cas-
cade in the neighboring mountains, hut IL
would be pity to destroy .he pieeunesqI !,
effect of the present iighting s!s'eih' ~
makes Morelia fascinating.
Curious Street Names.
was not able to get any explanation OIL