New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1929-03-22

grow pineapples. dates. bananas.
pomegranates, figs, and lemons.
Cueretaro sweet potatoes have a
reputation in Mexico like Idaho po-
tatoes have in the United States The
situation Of Queretaro City, capital
of the state. 1000 feet higher above
sea level than Denver. gives further
clue to the surrounding geography.
Mexico classes Queretaro as one Of
the Estados del Centres, occupying
the elevated Valley Of Mexico.
Through Queretaro run the trade
routes from the north. converging
on Mexico City. And by the trade
routes come the famous Mexican
opals mined in Queretaro Mountains.
Indian Tribal boundaries Used
1.-THE States Of Mexico were or
iCinally laid out to coincide roughly
with the areas occupied by the In
dian tribes which the Spaniards
conquered. Then the conquerors ap-
portioned the districts among them
selves. Thus fernando Cortez was
Marques del Vale of Caxaca. AS
Marques he laid waste the Zapotee
Indians chief town, built new city
on the same site and named it An
tequera. after a town of Spain near
Malaga. When Mexico won its in
dependence from Spain, the city re-
sumed its old Zapotec name, Huaxi-
acac (modified in Spanish to Oaxa-
ca) and the state took the same IT,
tie. This is story repeated with
variations many times in Mexico.
Practically all the states have re-
sumcd their Indian names. There
are exceptions such az the states Of
Vera Cruz. San Luis Potosi, GUIANA
juato and Nuevo Leon.
Low, High and Higher
ALTHOUGH the ancient Aztecs.
Zapotecs. and Mayas are responsible
for the boundaries of modern states
of Mexico. the borders often out
line definite geographic units. There
is classification handy for Mexican
states which our Republic cannot
use to advantage. In Mexico there
are low states, high states and high
er states. The low states are the
eastern scaboard units from north to
south Tamaulipas. Nuevo Leon.
Vera Cruz and Tabasco. The Yucca
tan Peninsula group of Campeche.
Yucatan and Quintana Roo also
hugs sea level. Pacific coastal states
are, for the most part. low states
too. but not SO low as east coast
states; Sonora, Nayarit. Colima.
Michoacan. Guerrero, Oaxaca and
Chipas. Then come the high states,
that is, those which are 5000 feet
above sea level, Chihuahua, Coah,ii-
la and Durango. The first two lie
in the Rio Grande basin between the
wide open arms of the mountain
ranges that border the famous VAL
ley of Mexico.
South of Durango are the high
er states, and. ii may be added the
smaller, and the most populous and
the richest states of Mexico. The
average elevation Of II states and
the Federal District is more than a
mile above sea level Orizaba Peak,
125 miles southeast of Mexico City,
ia the key pin of gigantic pair Of
dividers opened to sixty degree
angle. Each arm of the dividers is
a mountain range. the left arm con-
meeting with the Rocky Mountains
and the right losing itself at Mon
tcrrcy.
Has Its Federal District"
Between the arms spreads the
fertile mile-high or higher region of
blue lakes and fruitful valleys, ele-
waited enough to have an equable eli
mate. Just as the mountain ranges
converge on Orizaba, so the trade
routes converge on Mexico City. Like
Washington. the Mexican capital has
been isolated within a small 'Distrito
Federal, administered by the Ma
tional Congress. But there is this
difference. Mexico City is the New
York as we'll as the Washington OF
Mexico. It's population OF 100000
nearly equals that of the most popu-
icbS VI lHS Ihltoli ploNiilIto'
Just as the United States has. in
the State of Washington, common
wealth named for the hero OF It's
revolution, SO Mexico has honored
the father of its freedom from
Spain. Padre Hidalgo was parish
priest in Dolores. in the State of
Guanajuato, until he led the revolu-
ton in $40. Dolores has now be-
come Dolores Hidalo. Hidalgo State
is one of the most mountainous in
Mexico. Six ranges cross the reat-
lively small area creating maze Of
peaks and ridges. In this tangle OF
mountains are some of the heaviest
mineral deposits in the Republic.
a nearby area of $500 square
miles Of the Valley Of Mexico has
been carved out to make the State
Of Hidaleo. South of Mexico City
another relatively small state, Nor |
clos, honors another hero of Next
cos war Of independence.