Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-19
THE MEXICAN RAIL WAY
Was a Daring Exploit When 1t
Was Built.
ASCENT OF MT. ORIZABA
No Other Locality Affords Such
Grand View.
PULQUE, THE CURSE OF MEXICO
Drink Made From the Century Plant
Raised In the Plain Of Apam-
Immense Consumption.
PULoUE, THE CURSE OF MEXICO

By WILLIAM q. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicag
Record Herald.
CITY OF MEXICO, April 10. 1905.
The Mexican railway. connecting the cap
ital Of the republic with Vera Cruz its
| greatest seaport, was one Of the first Of the
mountain climbers, and for years was the
scene of much descriptive writing and tech.
| nical discussion by engineers. Although
such-construction is commonplace now, fifty
| years ago it was daring exploit, and this
was perhaps the most expensive work OF
the kind ever undertaken. It's cost was
enormous, but a considerable portion Of the
expenditures was not legitimate. The work
was interrupted frequently. by revolutions
and financial difficulties. and that. Of course,
added to the cost. 1t is. however. one OF
the most profitable railways In Mexico. The
roadbed is Of the same solid sort that you
find in England. with heavy rails laid upon
steel ties and ballasted with as much care
as Is usually taken In building the walls OF
a house Although the engineering feat has
been initiated many times, and even sur
passed, In the Rocky mountains and the
Andes, the Mexican road still ranks very
high and can never lose its interest from q
technical standpoint. Its scenic attractions
are unsurpassed In Mexico and are equaieo
by few railways on either hemisphere
From Cordoba. an ideal of tropical cities,
the track runs through coffee plantations,
fields of sugarcane groves OF oranges, gar
dens of mangoes and pineapples, and forests
Of palms, palmettos and bananas. climbing
gradually up the mountains until 1t reaches
the city of Orizaba, one Of the most en-
terprising and important in the republic.
sitting at the base of the extinct volcano of
a
climate and stimulating atmosphere be-
ing on the edge Of the tropics, 400 feet
above the sea. There is unlimited water
power from mountain streams, which has
been utilized to q considerable extent by
manufacturers and the surrounding coun-
try Is divided into fertile haciendas whose
owners occupy luxurious mansions In the
city; that is, from the Mexican standpoint.
There is difference In the standards of
living. To northern people the great apart
ments OF these houses. with their high cell
ings and tiled floors, would seem comfort
less. but from the Mexican point Of view
there is a great deal Of magnifcence and
luxury in the private palaces Of Orizaba.
Ascent of Orizaba Mountain.
The mountain of Orizaba, or Citlaltepeh
(Star mountain). as the natives call it. is
easily and frequently climbed, and there has
been long controversy about its height.
Many meteorologists insist that 1t is the
100 feet higher than Popocatepetl. which,
according to the official measurements of
the Mexican government. Is 17.7s2 feet. By
the same authority Orizaba is 1856 feet.
Humboldt made it 1875; a geographical
commission some years ago found it to be
IT 1854. but Prof. Angelo Heilprin OF the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania reports that he
measured the three great peaks of this sec
ton with the same barometer. and found
10 hct-a no fol inc al {lri-
zaba, 1S203 feet; Popocatepetl, 1923 feet;
Ixtaccihuatl. 1890 feet.
In support of his observations Prof. He'll
prin quotes DR.. Franz Kaska, who makes
Orizaba 1S.045 feet; Prof. Bunsen of the
University Of Texas. who made 1t IS, ITO
feet, and N. J. T. Scoville of Terre Haute.
Ind, who made it 1884 feet.
People who wish to climb the peak leave
the railway train at st. Andres station, 1877
miles from Mexico. at an altitude of 1912
feet There they can find guides, outfits and
provisions. By leaving the City OF Mexico
at O'Clock in the morning they can reach
st. Andres at noon. and have plenty of
time to prepare for an early start the next
morning from Chalchicomula, little town
situated on the western slope of the noun
tain, at an elevation of $500 feet, which can
be reached by tramway. There Is q good
road for horses to cave al elevation of
Ii, 100 feet, where camp is usually made for
the night Starting at daybreak, it is pos
sible to ride to the snow line, at an ele-
walton OF about 10000 feet, where the horses
are left and the real climb begins along a
ridge which forms the eastern boundary OF
a glacier. The ice is firm and furnishes
good foothold. and there is no danger or dis
comfort except from the cutting winds and
the burning rays OF the sun. The face
must be protected by thick wells and the
eyes by goggles Of smoked glass
The descent Is made in day and q half;
the first stage to the cave and the next
morning to st. Andres in time to catch the
noon train to Mexico. The entire excursion
may thus be made comfortably lin four
days.
The best account of an ascent that have
read Is given by Mr.. NJ. J. T. Scoville OF
Terre Haute. Ind. who went up few
years ago with party Of scientists. in
Guiding w. s. Blatchley of Terre Haute,
Henry d. Seaton of Cambridge, Mass. A.
j. Woolman of South Bend. Ind, and u.
0; Cox of Mankato, MINI.
Prof. Scoville found the elevation 1894
feet He says that the crater occupies the
whole summit, measuring about 800 feet
from north to south. 600 feet from east
to west, and about 800 deep. The inside
outside. the angle being between thirty and
thirty-five degrees. The bottom of the
crater is filled with fragments from the
crumbiing walls. "Citlaltepetl has a hot
the rim Of the crater are hot giving on
steam and gases. Sulphur Is found in
considerable quantities In the crater, but
saw no evidence OF sulphur gases
or anything to indicate an eruption OF
lava within historic times The mountain
Is covered with thick mantle Of fine. pull
verified volcanic material. and in some
places black sand. No other locality on
the globe affords such full and compre-
hensive view as does the eastern sIope OF
Cftlaltepetl. whether seen from shipboe ri
some twenty or thirty miles at sea, or from
the summit Of the mountain. The view from
the summit is clcarest during the forenoon
of the wet season when the DIR is free from
DUST"
For thirty or forty miles beyond Orizaba
the scenery is sublime The train climbs to
an altitude of 1888 feet through canyons.
tunnels and long shelves which have been
chiseled in the rocky mountain side. You
go up 400 feet In twenty-nino mites
reaching the summit and the grand divide al
water tank called Boca del Monte. fron
which Is one Of the grandest spectacies
that can be seen in all the universe. THE
picture may be Hkened to one OF thu TOW
villages that are sold In the shops of swift
xeriand. a level valley. 1000 feet below
being covered with miniature farms and VII
lagos, groves and orchards, and quaint
adobe houses with roofs of red tiles.
The Manufacture Of Pulqus.
The descent is slowly made through a
very picturesque group OF mountains and
about eighty miles from the capital the
train enters an immense field OF maxuey.
or century plants. stretching In both di-