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

very cheap" "Bonito" is the Spanish
word for pretty and Is used contin-
ually In displaying the goods. Occa-
sinoally some genuine bargains can
about rs cents Mexican day, which
is 12h cents of our money and few
years ago less than 10 cents of Amer
lean coin, but tie rise in silver makes
goods cost more for Americans. as
one can only get 1873 Mexican dollars
for 100 American dollars at the pres
ent time, while when silver was down
tine exchange was about at the ratio
of 24G Mexican dollars to 100 of I'm
Gle Sans coin. Thus the purchasing
power OF the American dollar is not
as great now as formerly. but the gen
eral laborer who is paid in Mexican
dollars receives the advantage. Here
is where we find the genuine Mexican
blankets, as thousands OF men are
weaving them for local and export
trade. The demand is becoming
greater each year and prices are ad-
vancing for this character of work.
but In drawn work 1t Is said there
is little difference. We saw two girls
working on one piece that had taken
their time for nearly three months
and possibly another month to finish.
An ha trIa In Ia, fa
Aguas Caiiente affords plenty of
churches for worship, there being
twelve besides the cathedral which
faces the main plaza. About five
blocks from the plaza is the famous
garden of San Marcus While called
garden it Is simply park laid out
artistically with all kinds OF tropical
trees, oranges hanging from some of
the trees. shrubbery and flowers
which are just beginning to bloom nice
ly. The garden occupies the space of
three Durango blocks, being walled in
to the height of about six feet, Dur
ing the great fiesta DAYS. the goth of
April and 10th of May. which includes
the Mexican 4th of July, the city is
sought by the entire surrounding
country and the population ceases
work and puts on its best bib and
tucker. even the raggedy man don
ming new patch or two.
We found the market the most in
terestng of any visited. And the visit
was under peculiar circumstances.
Starting from the hotel about 1880
for an evening stroll we took the
wrong direction and really got lost
completely turned around. and not a
soul to call to our assistance. But
we kept following the crowd and soon
landed in the market, which occupies
an entire block. Around the four
sides we picked our way which was
difficult. owing to the crowd. Fully
5000 Mexican men and women
thousand Mexican men and women
must have been encountered and ey.
cry inch of space was utilized by ven
dors and the serving of meals. Men
and women congregated here for their
evening meals and 1t was indeed a
curious sight. II was well we mad eat
en- supper or 1t would have been use
less to have attempted to do so with
any success after the visit. The main
diet was tortillas and n mixture of
sop with little boiled beef and chill.
The price varied according to the
number of courses, Some made a cen
tave purchase their meal. being a nalf
cent Of our money. The individual
with three centavos to spare had tor
tillas and the sop mixture, while Ave
TO ten centayos bought regal repast.
After spending nearly an hour wan.
dering among this curious people, en-
tirely oblivious to the rest of the
world, We tried to make our way
home, but again got mixed as to the
point we entered the market. as 1t
was case of "all coons looking
alike 1t was useles to ask ou~s.
tions, as not one of the multitude
could understand word of English
and their jabbering was Greek to us.
Lost and still charmed. The evening
was delightful and 1t afforded a splen-
did opportunity to study Mexican life
In all Its poverty. In the course of
half an hour we encountered street
ear track and taking the direction we
believed would lead us to the plaza
we soon found ourselves andsin a few
moments were in the hotel discussing
the evenings experience.
There is located about two miles
from the city one of the largest cop
per smelling plants in the world.
Then there are several woolen mills.
hour mills and starch factory. The
Mexican Central railroad also has ex-
tensive shops here, employing large
number of men, and the railroad build.
ings occupy good deal OF ground.
The railroad maintains Its own hospi-
tai. which is a large building with well
kent grounds.