Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-18
THE TOWN OF CORDOBA
1t Lies Under the Shadow of an
Extinct Volcano.
CONFEDERATES IN MEXICO
General Joe Shelby's Offer to Maxi
milan.
WHITE MEN IN THE TROPICS
Debilitating Effect of the Climate
Upon Moral CHARACTERISTIC
preston of Bandits.
WHITE MEN IN THE TROPICS
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

Shortly after the civil war In the United
States a colony of ex-confederates. chiefly
from Missouri and Tennessee. was founded
the city of Cordoba, on the English
railroad. leading from Vera Cruz to the
capital. They called it "Carlotta.' in
honor of the wife of Macmillan. The late
Senator Isham G. Harris of Tennessee was
alcalde. and among the leading citizens
were Gen. Sterling Price. Gen. Joe Shelby
Thomas c. Reynolds the confederate gOy-
ernor of Missouri: Mai. Edwards of St
Joe and several other equally well-known
men
Cordoba lies on the edge of the hot coun-
try, Is the center of the coffee plantations
of the eastern slope. and the junction or
the Vera Cruz and Pacific with the Mexl-
can railway North of TERRA Blanca. one
of the chief towns of the is.hmus of Te-
huantepec. and the headquarters of the
Vera Cruz and Pacific railway are several
large cattle ranches and sugar estates The
railway runs through them. ard they ex-
tend back into the mountains. As on the
TehuautepeC road, the jungles alternate
with highlands The river bottoms and the
lowlands are concealed by an almost i'm
penetrable forest of fine cabinet woods
palms and underground as dense 1t can
possible grow, and the trees loaded
with orchids and towering vines.
counted seven different kinds of morning
glores hanging from a single tree beside
one Of the stations So far as | can hear
no ore pays the slightest attention to the
orchids. No collectors come here. although
they might make good business.
II is asserted that the grass which covers
the pastures on the higher lands between
the juugles is very nutritious, but the herds
OF cattle do not show evidences of unusual
nourishment. When this was suggested to
the railway conductor he explained that 1t
was not the fault of the grass, but the
fault of the cattle: that it was as easy to
fatten a sawhorse as one of these Mexican
steers. Il costs nothing to raise them and
they sell for seven eight dollars each.
Some of the more enterprislng haciendados
are breeding up their herds by the intro
duction OF registered bulls from England
and the United States, but the majority of
the ranches are owned by non-residents
who are satisfied with their present in
comes and will do nothing to increase them
Quaint Old Town Of Cordoba.
The grade of the railroad gradually rises
as the train goes northward. the air be-
comes cooler. and finally we reach the foot
hills of the gulf range and climb slowly
upward until we reach Cordoba a quaint,
oldfashoned town. lying under the shad-
ow of Orizaba an extinct volcano about
1SOcO feet high. The aborigines called 1t
Citlaltepetl, the starmountain." All OF
the great mountains of Mexico have more
than one name, and the different Indian
tribes vary considerably in the pronuncia-
ticn.
Cordoba was originally selected as a win
ter retreat for that luxurious viceroy, Don
Diego Cordoba, descendant of 'El Gran
CAPTAIN OF Spain, who came to rule over
this country in 1918. The rich Spaniards
and the members of the vice-regal court
followed him here and made it a popular
resort and the atmosphere was particu-
larry grateful TO those who came from the
Fever stricken zones of the coast The city
Is surrounded by coffee plantat lions and
some Of the most beautiful gardens in the
world-masses of fruits. flowers and foliage
There Is a quaint plaza with the conven-
tonal government building and an impos-
Ing church on the other side, in charge of
an American priest, Father Kriii formerly
OF PittsBurg. who is restoring ii as fast as
he can raise the funds.
As we alighted from the gawky old street
car that brought us up the hill from the
railway station and started to enter the
church. noticed priest with the skirts
ar his frock tucked up under his girdle
giving directions to some men who were
bpairing the sidewalk. This was one of
DE most remarkable phenomena to be wit
tessed in Mexico, for outside of the capt.
- and few other progressive cities pave
DENTS are never repaired. Hence. to crafty
ty curiosity. l approached the scene and
D. my best Spanish babe the padre good
morning. To my surprise he responded In
English and offered his hand. He proved
TO be a typical American who is trying TO
resUscitate the spiritual life of this parish
ana introduce modern ideas into commun-
lly tIAl sui CIInES 10 the customs and
traditions OF the sixteenth century. He
has been here seven years and has at
tanned a wide influence. His church Is
unique In at least one respect. for II is as
clean as New England kitchen and Is be-
ing put IN perfect repair. Father Krll with
great pride showed us the ANTIQUE and
priceless altar ornaments which were hid
den Tor many years to escape the clutch
OF greedy officials, and a crown he recently
designed for the image Of the holy virgin
which Is set with jewels contributed by the
women of the parish. II an army of priests
Ike Father Kril could occupy the republic
of Mexico ii would be different country
Cordoba has had a place In history The
treaty OF peace between Augustin YturDide
representing the Mexican revolutionists and
ODonahu. the last Spanish viceroy, was
signed In one of the houses on the pIaza
August q. 1921. Under II the authority of
Spain was relinquished and intrusted to a
. trlumvirate OF regents until native king
could be elected by the people The ter
rtitory OF Mexico then included Guatemala
on the south. and extended as far north as
Arkansas. Colorado and California The
Spanish cortez refused to ratify this treaty
OF Cordoba, which forced the regents to
act and they summoned junta which
elected Gen. Yturbide. the commander-in-
cnlef OF the army, as emperor, under the
title Of Augustin |.
Gen. Joe Shelby's Offer
The confederate colony was located upon
tract OF about 10000 acres OF land con-
hscated by the government of President
Juarez from Macmillan sympathizers
After the fai! OF the confederacy Gen Joe
Shelby went TO Mexico and offered Maxi
milan the support of an army of 5000
Americans But the pseudo-emperor de-
cllned with thanks and Shelby. with a
thousand or more Missourians, Joined the
republican forces under Juarez and fought
with them to the end. There were three
prominent eonfederstes among MaximiIian's
advisers. One OF them was Commodore
Maury. formerly of the United States navy,
man of great genius, who wrote one of
the most charming books OF science In the
English language. describing the beauties
and the eccentrtcities OF the sea Gen
Magruder and Thomas C. Reynolds were
also with Macmillan. / visited Mexico
with Gov. Reynolds sixteen years later. as
a member OF the South American commits
sion. and accompanied him to several of the
scenes of his exploits during the imperial
period. Count De Soue. a son-in-iaw of
Gen. w. S. Harvey OF QUIZ army was aid
de-camp to Macmillan and asterward
chief-of-staff to Marshal Bazaine COM
mander of the French forces He acted as
the medium OF communication between
When say good shoes, I mean
good shoes; when / say fine shoes.