El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-03-01

REXICO CITY, Mex, March l.
MI The revolutionary troubles are
~ crowding the national pawn
shop and scores who have been ruined
by the recent bombardment are "hock-
ing everything under the sun
How would you like 90 borrow mon
ey of Uncle Sam at one percent a
month";
but something like five, 10 or 50
''plunks" TO tide you over till next
salary day. That is what you can DO
in Mexico City
which you can hook your watch or
your wedding ring. or even an oil stove
or a porcelain bathtub. 1t IS known
as the Monte de Piedad. or national
pawnshop. The Spanish words mean q
mountain Of piety," and this mountain
Of easily getable gold stands just Op-
posite the cathedral and within a
stones throw Of the National palace,
on one of the corners Of CincO de Mayo
street and the great plaza right IN the
heart of the capital
It is a big, three story building which
looks like a prison. 1t has cross on
one corner Of the roof, and the Mexican
coat Of arms over the portals. II Gov
ers almost a block and II IS 1llleu win
everything pawnable under the Next
can sun 1t has millions OF dollars
worth Of gold and silver stored away
in its vaults. and in the sale cases to-
day I saw a peck of gold ornaments and
Of precious stones, and also rings and
bracelets galore
In the National PayynshOU.
During my stay I went through the
various rooms, seeing people Of all
ages. sexes and financial conditions
borrowing money on articles Of every
description. watched the selling and
saw crowds looking over the stocks OF
various pledges TO get bargains. In the
loan rooms the people stood before long
counters. above which were wire net
works like those Of our banks, and in
the great patio or square. around which
the rooms OF the building run. saw
them bring in automobiles, steel safes
baby cradles. parlOr sets and pianos
I watched the opening Of an upright
piano. The owner was pretty girl
dressed In black, with a mantilla over
her head. and the tears stood in her
ewes as she saw IL unpacked. In an
other part Of the patio 7 saw a man and
his wife getting a loan on their parlOr
carpet, which still showed the dust or
recent wear. and away off in one cor
ner lay half dozen old bathtuDs,
which had been evidently taken from
the houses and brought here as pledges
II may be they viii be redeemed by
Saturday night
In going through the building saw
warehouse after warehouse filled with
household goods Of every conceivable
kind There were hundreds of porcelain
candlesuclzs and tables and beds with
out number. There were great shelves
filled with clothing. and organs, talk
ing machines and pianos by the dozens
There were also kitchen and cooking
utensils and things one would not be
able to pawn in the states The small
est sum loaned on any article is six
cents of our money. and the loans run
from that TO $4,000 I am told that
about $4,000 pieces are pawned every
month and something like 100000 in
loans is given out in that time All
but about 10 percent are redeemed the
interest paid in monthly amounting TO
$50, 900 and upward.
How Money Is Loaned
I watched the process Of loaning. The
moment q pledge is brought in an ex-
pert valuatOr fixes the price, and the
loan is only a certain percentage Of
this. The price is low for If the pledge
is unclaimed and it cannot be sold the
valuatOr has to take it himself, giving
therefor the amount of the loan and
the interest As long as the interest is
regularly paid all pledges are neld, but
after this they are offered for sale. In