The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-04-08
MEXCIAN TRIP IS
IDEAL IN WINTER
PLACES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST
CAN BE VISITED AT LOW
EXPENSE.
RAILWAY SERVICE IS GOOD.
Trains, with Firstclass Accommodations,
Whirl One to Capital, Which
Resembles Paris.
METROPOLIS ENTRANCES TOURIST.

For an interesting winters outing ana
a foreign one-and one which is not out OF
reach of the ordinary business man
there are few trips that can compare
with a tour through Mexico. Not only is
the trip enjoyable, but there are many
places of historical interest
The trip is not a costly one; III fact
it can be made much more reasonably
than tours in the states and still not 50
interesting. The trouble is that there
are few people in the states who are
aware of the benefits and advantages to
be gained by a journey through the sis
ter republic.
Rail Service Is Good.
The service on the railways through
Mexico is of the best, with the eXcep-
ton that it would probably be more con-
yenient to tourists If regular diners were
run instead of having the buffet attached
To the regular sleeperS However. TINS
is overcome to great extent by the eat
inc houses along the route, the same rs
the Harvey eating houses along the San
III Ee system. The service is excellent,
however. and there is little inconVen-
fence during the run from FL IusO to
the City of Mexico. once the Mexican
metropolis is reached the traveller for
gets about any little troubles that may
have developed previously, for the first
impression of the city reminds one of
that gay city across the Atlantic-Paris
in all its delightfuiness.
Leaving Ell iaSo the tourist is Whirled
through Il sandy country with mountains
stretching along each side like great
walls There Is little vi interest dur
ing the iilst few hours, but after passing
MOntezumI great cattle ranches are
seen and varieties of the cactus plant
begin to show on all sides. In the dis
lance can be seen great WhirlwindS of
sand, which shoot into the air for hun
dreds of feet like the giant geysers in
Yellowstone park. Adobe houses are to
be seen along the line with poorly clad
children at every window and door.
Burros, donkeys, pigs and goats seem to
be their only friends This applies to
the poor classes
Poems Do Hard Labor.
The scenes reminds one of Il trip
through Egypt. 1t would be pleasing TO
former President Roosevelt, no doubt,
for there are no signs of race suicide
there. Everything is foreign, so foreign
in fact. that the traveller forgets about
his own home and imagines himself in
some far away foreign land. The poor
poems wears sandals and a zarapc
thrown over his shoulder with an i'm
mense hat ON his head, sometimes these
hats weigh 20 pounds. The poems do
most of the hard labor, both on the
farms and in the city. On the farms
they use the od-fashiOncd plow of one
pole pulled along by Il team of oxen.
They use Il rake made of tree limbs
They could have more up-to-date ma
.chinery. but they absolutely refuse TO
handle it.
Al Chihauhau the first sign of big min
ing interests are encountered. 1t is here
also that the famous Chihauhau dogs
are to be found. The city is quite up-to-
date and has all the latest improve
ments. Passing through more sandy
country the town of Torreon is next in
Importance. Torreon is a big mining
camp and full of American capital and
labor. The city is strictly up-to-date,
but the MeXicans retain their old Gus
toms Just the same.
Crowd Around Tourists.
The country from Torreon to Zacata-
cas- is interesting because of the immense
cactus plants which are much larger
than those encountered near the Amer
lean borders. Iacatacas is quaint
place. The town runs up the mountain
side and at the top of one mountain. an
old Catholic mission is still in use The
train circles the town far above the high
est building and the beauty and oddness
cannot be described. Old Mexican harp
stops and one centavo satisfies them.
peddlars, selling native goods, crowd
around with relics. 1t was at XacatacaS
that the famous Spaniard-COrtez-Se
cured most of his riches from the great
silver mines and used much of it in the
church ut Mexico City. Guadalolipe is
the next stop. 1t is smaller but even
more beautiful than Zacatacas. Here
Mexican women bring their tortilas
(corn cakes and eDslades, which are
Mexican dishes. for sale.
From this point one sees thousands Of
polque plants, variety of the cactus,
from which the national drink-poluue-
is made, and it can be said too that
this same drink is the curse of the coun-
try. 1t is INDUCED in mostly by the
poorer classes.
Leaving the polque plants for Il while
one comes to the famous city of Angus
Calientes. where most of the drawn work
comes from. II is great place for
American and English tourists ON ac-
count of the hot springs and the sale Of
Drawn work.
Mexicans Like Tourists.
At lrapuato the traveller finds the fin
est Strawberries imaginable and plainly
of them. From this point To the city Of
MeXica one passes through rich country
in farms and vegetable gardens. with
polque plantations all around. The Mex
leans through all the country are courte-
GUS and willing to please the tourists
Next comes the arrival in the big city
and it is surely a pleasing sight. for the
first impression is that of a gay place
There are 50 many Americans in the city
that one can get along nicely without
speaking the Spanish language, although
it does not take long to learn enough To
aid materially. There are beautiful
boulevards and over 10 fine catholic
churches. some of them historical places.
tThn wonderful ASters nrn Still ~ hn