Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-22
mexican Antiquities :::::;' = ;;

}. eosrzs. !
lit is said that President Diaz never
forgets a name nor a face.
Interesting Side Trips.
| There are many interesting side
trips to be made by the tourist from
the City of Mexico occupying several
| hours or days or even weeks. Every
tourist should make it point to visit
the sea coast, going from the temper
| ate zone of the tablelands down to the
TERRA calientes" or hot lands of the
coast. There is one trip that believe
will give the tourist better general
4 idea of modern Mexico as we'll as TAX
ing him to more places of historical In
terest than almost any other that can
termed the figure s, loop-the-loop trip
with Mexico City at the top OF the
figure. Vera Cruz ct the bottom and
| Puebla at the intersection in the cen
ter. This trip can be made directly
| by the short line to Puebla and thence
to Vera Cruz, via Jalapa returning
from Vera Cruz. to Mexico City via
Orizaba. By taking the Interoceanic
railway to Cuautla and swinging
around the base of Popocatepetl and
down into the sugar cane country, the
| trip becomes little longer but is
greatly enhanced in interest. This
trip carries one from an elevation Of
over 10000 feet to the sea level
through some of the grandestl scenery
in the world and through every eli
mate from that of the frigid zone
along the snow line of the mountain
tops to the Jungle of the tropics at the
sea level. On this trip one can see
every variety of vegetation and prac-
tically every style of Mexican home,
from the magnificent cut stone haclen-
da buildiDgfto the reed hut of the Jun
lyle Indian. Leaving Mexico City by
the Interoceanic railway there is
steady climb up the mountains to
Ozumba Popo park hotel near Ce-
dral station furnished delightful
place for a stop over4of a day or more:
From this point hardy mountaineers,
who enjoy mountain climbing, make
the ascent of Popocatepetl. From
Ozumba there is down the mountain
run of over forty miles to Cuautla
where the train stops at one OF the
Oldest and most unique railway sta
tons in America. Here an old church
dating back three CT four centuries is
now used for. the hurry and hustle OF
modern railway traffic. Cuautla is a
typical interior Mexican town in the
| temperate tropics where a day can be
spent with much enjoyment. Leaving
Cuautla in the morning at 1890 there
| is a leisurely all day trip through SUI
gar haciendas and beautiful as well as
exceedingly fertile valley country Of
loo miles to Puebla. This train
passes through. Cholula, stopping at a
station which is directly at the north
west corner of the pyramid. From
Puebla to Jalapa is ride OF
100; miles over practically the old
stage line route from Vera Cruz to Pu-
ebla where, in former days, bands OF
bandits lurked in the mountain and
pounced upon the unwary traveller.
Near Perote will be seen an ancient
fortress built by the Spaniards and
which for many years was occupied by
a large garrison of. soldiers that pa
l.trolled this road in order to keep 1t
clear of bandits. l have not time to
speak of Jalapa which is an interest
ing old city on the border of the tro-
pics, and about which cluster many
interesting historical associations.
From Jalapa the railroad fairly jumps
down the mountain side through seen
cry Of great beauty and at six o'clock
| in the evening the tourist finds him
self at the sea level in the old city OF
vera Cruz, the words meaning True
Cross" This city. was founded by
Cortes and is the oldest modern city
in the republic. 1t is the chief port of
entry to Mexico and has a population
of 10000. The Mexican government
has built here the finest stone docks
to be found at any American port. For
many years Vera Cruz has been known
during the summer months as hot.
bed of yellow fever, but in line with
the general advancement now noted
almost every where in this country
the municipality of Vera Cruz is devot
ing time, attention and money to the
sanitation of the city. The principal
streets Of the city have recently been
a severed. electric lights have been
4 installed and it has new water works
i system. tbs entirely safe for visitors
during the winter season.
4 The trip back from Vera Cruz to Mex
leo City will be made over the Mexi
can railway, passing through the large
manufacturing city of Orizaba. 1t is
a trip Of 263 miles and the railwa!
generally follows the line along which
4 Cortes and his "Conquistadores
marched from Vera Cruz to Mexico
This trip is a grand one in every re
spect some of the scenic features o
I the road surprising any thing that cal
be seen elsewhere today in Mexico
| The tourist will want to stop over a
Orizaba,s which is 81 miles from Ver'
Cruz and on the border Of the Ho
Lands. Here he will find city of 3S
!, 900 people and will be surprised t
learn that it has five big cotton mill
I which give regular employment t
many thousands of operators. 1t ais
has large jute mill and is in the Ger