Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-09-23
RETURN FROM
REBELLTOUS MEXICO
Mrs. Agnes B. Murray and Daughter.
Miss Margaret, Arrived Wednesday
After Many Exciting Experiences.
Food High in Mexico Americans
Were Given Orders to Leave.

| Mrs. Agnes B. Murray and daugh.
ter, Miss Margaret, returned home
last Wednesday from Mexico City
where they had been settled for three
months. Miss Murray, during the
short stay was teacher of Latin in
1.-THE American School," a private
school of learning in which many
prominent Americans and American
Mexicans hold stock, and which is at
tended by the American -Mexicans, a
few Germans and French people and
during the past year, children of the
rich Mexican families were also en-
tered. Because of the conditions in
Mexico at this time the school as well
as several other private institutions
closed their study halls for an indeti-
mite time.
On June 18th, Mrs. Murray received
telegram from her daughter, Miss
Margaret, who wasin the East, which
said that she had accepted position
in an American School in Mexico
City and that she would sail imme-
diately. Joining her daughter in
New York on June nineteenth, moth
er and daughter embarked for Vera
Cruz. 1.-THE trip" said Mrs Murray
twas one of the greatest pleasure as
there were many Observation-Disclosures
on the boat going back to their homes
and we enjoyed every moment of it."
Arriving in Mexico, in Vera Cruz,
June %, and after a short time in
preparation for their extended stay
in the inland Mrs. Murray and her
daughter left for Mexico City, and
were settled in their new home by
July first.
Boarding in Mexico is simply
impossible for American people
unless they have a general knowl-
edge of Spanish" said Mrs. Murray.
"For several weeks after our
arrival we were obliged to depend
entirely on friends, who helped us a
great deal. One can find but few
Mexicans who are able to speak but
an English word or two. There is
not, | believe, a nation on the face of
the earth whose people are so slow to
take up anything new, to learn a
new language as our Southern neigh
borS although some of them have
lived among few English speaking
people for years, they may only say
Speak English few meaning that
they can say few words in English.
The conditions at the time our ar
rival were quite favorable, but the
resignation of Brown, the president
of the national railroad, Occasioned
the first disturbance. 1t was thought
that the United States would recog-
Iiize Huerte, but contrary to all ex-
pectations of the MeXican-A mericans
| this was not done and conditions
rapidly became worse. The exchange
in June was nearly normal but had
risen to 2.80 by the twentieth of
August and until the time of our de-
parture the exchange tiuctuated be-
tween 2.8O and 2.86 OF course, as a
result of this, prices for all imported
foods, Immediately increased % per
age of oat meal was in June 45c, but
in August it's price was placed at 60c,
! thus making an increase of 33t per
cent. 1t was almost impossible for
| freight to be gotten into the country
and when accomplished the prices
were put very high in order that a
profit might be made. The freight
cost on one ton was 500 Every train
carrying freight had to be guarded
by federal troops or the rebels would
seize the goods and this has occurred
many times. The only track open
was the one from Vera Cruz to
Mexico City. There was no commun-
ication with the ports of entry to the
north. The national (federa) rail
road runs irregulaTly between Laredo,
near the U. S. border, and Mexico
City. The trip which originally was
made in two days now requires four,
as no train is run through the night
but they are tied up at villages. Nc
Pullman cars were run, there was nc
mail taken on these trains, no freight
and only the baggage of the passen'
gers. When we left TampicO, which
we touched on our way to Galveston
the railroads were torn up in every
direction and an attack was expected
from the rebels at any moment.
/ 1t is really wonderful the police
system Huerte has inaugurated in
Mexico City. 1t is one of the best in
the world at present. day as well as
night, and there are four men sta
toned on the corners of each block
all heavily armed. The day police
carry coach reyolyers and knives
while the night patrolmen carry
Winchester repeaters. Each police
man has a whistle which has foul
different scales and every hour anC
half hour these whistles are blown a
over the city. On the hour, after tht
whistle to show the time, a pretty
tune is blown as a sign that all j:
well. Also hourly, day and night, {
= special troop of armed mounted polio,
thoroughly patrol the city"
: Mrs. Murray says that the Mexican
! people have two very degeneratins
habits. The first is that of drinking
, the Mexican national drink called
, "pulque." This beverage is not dan
gerous if it is drank before it is al
i lowed to sour. After n hours i
sours and then poisonous, intoxIcat
. ing drink is formed and it is thi
which is so pleasing, yet 81
injurious. Mrs. Murray says tina
she does not believe that in al
the world one could find as man.