Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-06

hudded together, from fifty to a hundred
in each ''galeria." The confusion in a
"galeria' can be imagined better than de-
scribed. Some of the dodgers are sober,
many drunk, some sick; but they all lie
side by side
In better class mesones the dodgers do
not sleep together. In mesones where a
charge of Is cents Is made for a night 3
lodging there are no separate rooms but
each large room Is subdivided into a num-
Der of small ones by partitions about the
height of mans head Here again the
petate serves for a bed. MeSones which
charge % cents provide a rough wooden
bed and a coarse mattress. Sometimes
there is a pillow and a couple of sheets
which evidently are washed about once a
year.
AS may be judged from the fact that
mesones where a nights lodging may be
obtained for cents are numerous restau-
rants where food can be obtained on reIa-
lively the same scale abound 1t is
matter of fact that a peon can live on 10
cents. silver, day. He won't grow fat
but he can and many do exist on this sum-
spending whatever surplus they may have
drink.
The restaurants for the poor are called
fondas, cenadurias and ''polarias."
Fondas' are restaurants where breakfast
dinner and supper are served. In "cena-
durias" only supper can be obtained, while
'pollerias' make speciality of ''asado de
polio and other dishes prepared of chicken
There are different kinds of "fondas" In
Inc CiiSdpcSt q reg meal costs 10 cents
and in the best 81 cents. The food In the
cheap restaurants may be judged is of
the poorest quality. A regular meal gen
orally consists of some kind of soup an
egg, stew, some kind of meat a dish of
''frfjoles, or beans, and coffee.
However. the very poor rarely patronize
these places. They generally obtain their
food from women in the market places who
cook various dishes over "braseros." There
for 3 cents they can obtain large dish
of 'menudo," or "mondongo" a sort of
stew. with four or five ''tortillas," or corn
cakes. For 6 cents 1t is possible to obtain
piece of boiled meat. dish of "friJoles,"
some rice and five six "tortillas.'' or a
meal of ''carnitas," small scraps of fried
meat. chill" "friioles'' and "tortillas" may
be obtained for a similar amount
''Tortillas" are prepared in endless combi-
nations. When warmed up over a
"brasero' and some Chilli placed on top
they are called "enchiladas." If cheese is
used instead of chill they are "uuesadilIas
If. besides chilli. minced meat is added they
are called 'chinampinas If the "tortillas''
are simply fried in lard and nothing added
they are "sabroasas tostadas."
Excessive drinking. without question Is
the curse of the poor OF Mexico City.
Puque, the fermented sap of variety of
the maguey plant, is the favorite beverage.
Some idea of the great consumption of
pulque may be obtained from the fact that
there are nearly 1000 places where puloue
are sold. and almost an equal number of
"cantinas'' and ''piqueras." where other
liquors are handled. The government is
restricting the sale of liquors as rapidly
as possible, and 1t is planned to exclude
the pulquerfas" from the central section
OF the city and reduce the number by in
creasing the license tax
Pulque" is a cheap drink. Large glasses
OF the stun. holding nearly quart, are
sold for cents. Enormous quantities of
1t is drunk by the lower classes, no meal
being complete without one or two glasses
In the 'cantinas" and "piquerias" fire.
quented by the poor the worst kind of
liquors are sold. but always at cheap prices
A favorite liquor is chinguere," which Is
the poorest brand of alcohol produced by
the distilleries 1t is generally mixed with
the juice OF various fruits and plants to
give 1t flavor. and is sold at 1 cent a glass
Smoking is a universal habit among the
poorer classes, even quite young children
being addicted to cigarettes. One habit
the government has been compelled to
combat is the use of ''marihuana," weed
which, when smoked with tobacco in the
form of a cigarette drives the user tempo
rarily insane and often causes him to run
amuck. Frightful crimes have been COM
mitted by persons under the influence of
'marihuana." When under the influence
of the weed the victims imagine that the
persons he sees are wild beasts who are
attacking him. The cultivation, sale or
smoking of '.marihuana" is strictly forbid
den, but, in spite of the stringent regula-
lions, 1t can be obtained in many places.
One of the greatest difficulties encoun-
tered by the government In attempting to
improve the condition OF the poorer classes
Is the Discrimination Of the average peon to
take bath. Several large free bath houses
have been established by the government,
where the poems might not only battle free
of charge, but also have their clothes
washed without charge, but the average
peon never visits them.
Without exaggeration 1t can be said there
are many of the lower classes who never
take bath. Some belonging to little
higher sphere battle but once year, on
ST. Johns day following an ancient Gus
tom. while with nearly all 1t is a matter |
OF little Importance whether they take q |
bath this week or next month.