Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-03-15

ing on and tbis district, which has
been worked almost continuously for
over 300 years. startles the country |
every now and then with rich strike.
Some say that Zaca tecas may be lit-
tie ahead of Gnanajufto in matter OF
output. which is placed at nearly one
thousand millions dollars, the average
yearly output for some Years past be
ing six million dollars. Necessarily
there are many reduo ion works here
and had time permitted a visit would
have been interesting owing to the
old methods employed. although In
some instances up-to-date machinery
is being installed. Having procured
guide at the outset our party is
given much Information regarding ev-
erything of interest. After visiting
tne theater. church and plaza we take
another line of street cars for ride
up the narrow canon. passing en- route
the residence section of the American
colony. which impresses us very fav-
orably and makes one feel that life
here would not he so bad if dCmiciled
in one cf the han6 some. ne covered
and cool look house,. with spa
cIous lawns s1i trees. Leaving the
end of the street car line we enjoy
two reservoirs. one OF which supplies
the city with water and the other di-
verting the water from mills snd re-
fuse. At the end of the alameda Is a
beautiful plaza and open park sur
rounded by great trees II is here the
populace gathers on Sundays and IL
esta days. Re rr ing to the cits rrc -
er we visit the city OF the dos d. which
is reached after long climb to the
top OF one Of the hills, ON which a
splendid ew is obtained of the city
and surrc pding country. especially Of
some OF the mines being operated,
which have > d,crd so many mil
lions of dollars, The cemetery. or
panteon. as tine, call it here. enbrar-
es about ten acres of gro ind enclos, Il
by walls abcr' ten feet hish. Around
one side and ed are series of
vaults, one above another. and bod e
are deposited in chan oers. Here
graves are dug and bodies .ltaTed
according to the desire OF tie re La
tives. Spire In the vaults can be Sc
cured for Ave years at rental OF $25,
or the same price In grave. FJr 800
one can obtain perpetuc sht to =
OF the chambers or sp''cienr ground
to permit your bones II re. t-until r..
surrection morn. In case Y cal NOT
afford this the next be.o thirg is the
fve-year lease pro osit'on. AT the
expiration of f.e yyirs the b-G. is
removed from the chan bel q, grave
the bones consigned to an under
ground receptacle. and the coffin snd
refuse burned. While we wee Ia the
cemetery some half dozen & sees and
chambers were opened and the cof-
Ans tthey can not be termed casketsJ
placed in the furnace. But the most
wonderful experience is to follow. By
winding stairway yod descend into
an immense sub-cemetery where the
bones are placed at the exp. ition Of
the chamuer leases. A feel ~ of awe
creeps over one as the great cnarnel
house is entered. Here is a space said
feet wide and about twenty feet high,
all under ground, and said to contain
all that is left of over - 900 good
Mexicans. Bones and skulls ere pI'e d
up at one end of this store hol Sc In
discriminatory and without reference
to ownership. At the end Is a space
devoted to petrifed mumnies. They
are placed in standing pos6JIe d
are covered with white gown extend
ing from the shoulders to little
above the krees. Tha features of the
mummies are true to life in N ny in
stances while in otr ars tby re
drawn out of ! semhlar re as thou h
going through untold ,,-lres, smird-
ing one OF the possibility Of h ylng
been buried alive and finding them.
selves imprisoned in the grave their
expression takes on one of horror,
which Is retained in the petriied con-
dition. These mummies are taken
from the hve-year lease che nhers and
every now and then one is added to
the collection. There is something
about the at.nosphe re ara climate that
aiGs In developing the mrmmy. 1t
was relief when we again reached
terra hrma.
Reaching the main plaza our atten-
ton Ia called to the flood III 1t overlook
the town the first of last July. which
took on the proportions OF tae Johns
town disaster, although the lc i life
was not Dear SO great, being placed
at about 200. 1t is ma velot, tn {
thousands were not sweFt q IN the |
narrow stream ms he water Tag lied
many of the buildir gs we thous-
ands were srhmerged to the depth of
five to ffteen feet. The main bank of
the city contains an inlsid slab giving |
the date and high water mark OF the |
flood. The food was caused by a |
cloudburst In the hills above the first |
reservoir and the We ers comit down |
in great force, broke out portion |
of the wall. thus increasing the vol
ume OF water sweeping down the val. |
ley. The food took place about 4
O'Clock in the afternoon. and the peo-
pie, having some warning. escaped to
hiRh grounds Tho late. nra,to,,z |