Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-03-29

delight Of the upper classes where
dress and wealth Is lavishly display
ed. very good view OF the sur
rounding country. can be obtained
from the top OF the I'LL.
But there are other attractions and
we cannot spend too much time view
ing the grandeur of Chapultepec.
We next go to the Plaza de Mayor
| de la Constitution, OF now known as
the Zocalo. The history connected
with the plaza Is very interesting.
On tnis ground there stood In 1872
the rocky island on which the long
| looked for sign was discovered by
the Aztecs. Here they built their first
temple, here was the enormous Te-
ocalli, or place of celebration and sac
rifice. On this ground in 1921 oc-
CURED the final struggle between
Cortez and Cuauhtemoctzin, and here
the new city was begun on the ruins
of the old one the temple making
way for the cathedral. For over 800
years, on the 18th Of August, the eel
ebration OF the conquest OF which
was celebrated here by professions
in which the mayor bore the stand
ard of CorteZ, the yiceroy, the coun-
ell. and the nobility following 1t on
horseback. More than 60 royal gov
ernors made official display here and
at least two emperors were here pro-
claimed. Since 1921 the fiags OF two
foreign nations have fioated from the
ilag staff. Prisoners of church and
state passed here on their way to
the fagot and the scaffold. The
square was practically a market place
until 1911 when royal order was
given for removal OF the booths, bu,
trading was continued, resulting in
+, famine riot in 1852, when several
million dollars worth OF property was
, destroyed. For century the plaza
was dirty, desolate place, but In
, 1908 the viceroy prepared place fol-
| the statue Of Charles ~. by enclosing
: large circular space by stone wall
md iron fence. The statue was re
moved in 1924 and later the founda
ton laid for Mexican Independence
, The band-stand of the plaza Is built
lpon that foundation. The plaza Is
: known almost entirely as the Zocalo
, rhe grounds nave been made beauti
} nj On one side is the great cathe
: iral and on the east the national pal
ace, or government building. The ma
. ional palace is the largest building
Ii the city, covering about eight acres
md Is three stories high. but the stor
, es are nearly double In heignth those
: ozen patios or courts within the
walls aud around these are arranged
. he offices, treasury, state and othel
departments OF government. On the
! lite was the palace of Montezums
, which was destroyed. then Corte;
: nuilt his palace there and that pal
, nee was used by the viceroys From
hat block has gone out the DEGREES
, hat have governed Mexico for more
han 500 years. In the building is 10
ated the postofiice, city and nation
,lso the national museum which We
will visit later.
, Between the Zocalo and the nation
libly 500 feet wide and twice as long
,sed for parade purposes. ON the
iouth side of the cathedral Is the
lower market This should be visit
ID early in the morning. Every one
!, ,omes here for flowers, and quar-
er will purchase a handsome bOu
, luet. There are wreaths. crowns anC
lozens of designs suitable for funera
, decorations already made and the,
, ire simply gorgeous. Roses of every
description, pansies Of every nue.
heliotrope, lilies, etc, too numerous
, o mention-all kinds and all the yea
round.
| The Zocala Is the street car head
quarters. 1t is to Mexico City wha
The Loop" is to Denver. One mus
ONE here to get cars for direren
parts of the city. There are no trans
ers given and every car line has ;
| lifferent price. with few exceptions
} that terminate inside what might b,
termed the business section. Tn,
' price varies from six centavos t.
4 nine. ten, twelve. fifteen, and thirty
, | according to the distance travelled
2 Street cars are largely used 70
2 funerals, almost entirely some year
: ago. Every now and then we see
, black car with canopied top. also tn,
2 white ones which means 1t is a child
The mourners follow In cars. Ii
connection with street car trave
there are two and three grades O
: cars-first, second and third class
t The latter grade cars are attached t,
, first grade cars for outlying district
4 or suburbs. In the city only one ca
, is run, and generally first class.
G. N. II.