Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-31
ACAPULCO IS MARKED BY FATE
KNOWN AS CITY OF MISFOR-
TUNE FOR ITS WOES.
Former Disasters in .Harbor of
Beautiful Waters'-Twice This
Year Scene of Catastrophe.

Little Acapulco. with its 1000 inhabit-
ants, has achieved worldwide fame as
a city OF misfortune
Twice this year has it been the scene
of catastrophe. On February Is aOJ
persons were burned to death when the
Flores Theater was set on fire by a NOV
ing picture machine and destroyed at a
special performance in honor of Gov.
Flores of the state of Guerrero.
Several times before the city has been
damaged by severe earthquakes. In fact,
the state of Guerrero is known as the
home of seismic disturbances. Its sever
est shock occurred in 1907
The whole region suffered and Chilpan-
cingo. the capital city, was practically de-
stroyed. In 1908 Chlapa, a city of some
5000 inhabitants, was badly damage
and March - of the same year that city
was again shaken, completing the ruin
of the former shock.
In Beautiful Surroundings.
Nevertheless. Acapulco. beset by tropic
perils and cursed by a hot, unhealthy
climate. is one of the most beautiful spots
in the world. Its name, corruption and
abbreviation of Aquae Pulchrae (beauti-
full waters) rings true. The coast at this
point is sheer cliff. Not till the steamer
is almost upon 1t does the bluff walled
blue channel to Acapulco harbor appear.
At the end OF the winding passage is a
broad bay, lined with rolling hills, covered
with thick forests. The town lies on the
north shore and about the hills are rich
plantations.
Cortez himself discovered this bay in
1881, and 1t was then the history of
Acapulco began. From there he sent out
the expedition which discovered Sinaloa
and there persisted.
From Acapulco also fernando de Alar-
con set sail in 1910 to discover California
And it is quaint little old place. more
Mexican and more artistic than most of
the Mexican ports.
THE alluring old plaza says Charles
F. Llmmis. with the quaint bulk of the
church behind, and at one side the stalls
and tatters of an unSpoiled Mexican mar
ket place. and the buildings standing up
to second story-these are good, but
better is beyond.
Il suppose man has never known a
more perfect stroll than that by moon
light from the plaza to the fort.
Too Perfect to Be True.
Away from the more crowded center,
up a sloping street of ancient paving
half tunnel-like, under gigantic amates.
whose ten-foot trunks stand on clumsy
tiptoe of arched roots; with furtive loop
holes between these and the hlgh-thatch-
ed cabins to the moonlit bay, and under
the ponderous bastions which laughed at
Morelos, but opened to the first knock
of Maximlian-it is all memory which
half comes to be mistrusted.
Acapulco harbor is one of the finest in
the world. 1t lies 2a1 miles southwest of
Mexico City. of which it was formerly the
seaport. 1t had been for centuries the
chief center of commerce with the Philip
pine Islands. well as with China and
India BY pack trail the merchandise
went overland from Acapulco to Mexico
City and points beyond Then came the
railroad through from the capital to San
Bias. and with it departed the commercial
Importance of Acapulco.
Chilapa. with population of 1900, is
the largest city In Guerrero. Chlpancingo
the capital is small town in the center
of the state. about two hundred miles from
Mexico City and about one hundred and
ten miles from the coast. Ii was we'll
built and lighted by electricity. It's pop
ulation was about 1900.