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


everywhere are proofs OF fertility ana
industry. About 30 miles out OF Az
uas Caliente we cross the river En-
carnacion. the bridge spanning the
stream being seven hundred an thirty
five feet long and one hundred and
fifty feet above the stream. We pass
through Lagos. a place OF 10000 peo-
pie. In passing we are told OF two
legends. one that the council q twelve
was to hold meeting In the hall
where was bench on which all
should sit. Six came. and each put
his nat beside him on the bench.
When the other six came there was no
| room for them. 1t was decided to
stretch the bench Each man put his
hat on his head and the twelve men
| pulled on the bench, six at each end.
| They now sat down for the bench was
long enough for them all. The other
| legend is that In some work on the
| plaza at Largos hole was left un-
| filed; several children fell into 1t.
| The council held session and order
ed 1t filed. It was fllled by dirt dug
near by: and 10. there was another
| hole. Now that was ordered filled.
| It was filed. but 10. there was still
another hole as dangerous as the first
| but of course farther away from the
| plaza. BY a series of filings the sue
| cessive holes were annihilated and the
last hole was away out OF town. Thus
was the dangerous hole moved from
the plaza OF Lagos. Again, 1t was re-
ported that grass was growing on the
roof OF public building. The coun.
| Gil resolved that the grass must he
| removed. BUT how? After serious
deliberation 1t was ordered that an in
eat the grass from the roof. These
are fairy tales that we sandwich in
| but do not vouch for. Twenty miles
| farther on we enter the state of Guam.
| ajuato. and descending into the val
ley are soon at Leon. located in an
agricultural section and said to have
| a population of some sixty odd thous-
and. the city is also known for its
| large tanneries and leather interests.
It is a manufacturing center for the
| zarapes and bebosas worn by the men
| and women. The city is said to con.
| tain dozen or so of plazas and n
theatre which is more beautiful than
ital. description indicates that
| greater care was shown in its build
ing against fire than Is practiced in
the most progressive builders of Am
| erican theatres OF the present day. A
| lady who visited the play house said:
"A fine edifice of stone, with great
| entrance, filled with flower beds, a
| fountain In the center, and domed
| with glass into which opened the wide
| galleries OF four separate flights of
| bread stone steps. Behind every
| group of eight seats a latticed door
gave egress to the gallery on each
of the four stories, so that no possible
panic could produce more than mo-
mentary result"
| The paseo or alameda, an avenue
we would call it, is part of highway
to Siloa. 1t is causeway paved with
| reddish stone, shaded by triple rows
of great trees and often bordered by
clude a description of the place by a
| fellow passenger will suffice and we
| journey on TO this place.
| Siloa is division headquarters for
| the Mexican division of the Mexican
Central r. r., and a very interest
| ing little city. While the population
is only about 10000 1t is necessary to
stop here II one is to visit the more in
teresting city Of Guanajuato. Siloa
| Is the center of great wheat and
corn section. the best in Mexico.
From Zacatecas we have been getting
down until now we are only $500 feet
above sea level. In Colorado this
would mean pretty cold nights. but
here the winter months is the great
wheat growing season. grain being
sown between November and Janu.
ary and harvested in April and May
Here we found the usual plaza. And
here Is where the Mexican people
| outshine the more civilized countries.
If they have nothing else they have
beautiful parks with trees, flowers and
comfortable seats where the poor peo.
pie can enjoy themselves. listen to the
music, the band playing in the small
Ter places two to three times week,
and mingle somewhat with those
above IN the social world.
Before leaving Colorado we were
told this is the cheapest place in the
Republic to purchase drawn work and
this is probably true. although the res.
idents. even the American colony at
Aguas Caliente laugh You to scorn
when the question is brought M. AT
Cp1