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GRIND
YOUR COFFEE AT HOME
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MEXICO, MEX. |
The City of Mexico,
formerly Capital of the Aztec
Empire, and of the Spanish Colony
of New Spain--now of the Republic
State and Federal District of
Mexico--stands on the Anahuac
plain, 7,524 feet above sea
level. It is the largest and
finest city in Spanish America,
forming a square nearly three
miles both ways, and laid out
with perfect regularity. The
native inhabitants are pure
Indians or mestizoes, but
Europeans and Americans
monopolize the trade, and
consequently wield the balance of
power. The broad, well-paved and
gas-lit streets present a
picturesque sight, with their two
and three-storied stone houses,
painted in gayest colors, against
a background of rugged
snow-capped Sierras which,
although 30 or 40 miles distant,
seem quite close, owing to the
bright, clear atmosphere at this
elevation. |
The
Plaza de Armas or Main Square,
covers 14 acres, and is
tastefully laid out with shade
trees, gardens, marble fountains,
and seats. All the main
thoroughfares converge to this
point; here also are grouped most
of the public buildings, over
which towers the Cathedral, the
largest and most sumptuous church
in America. It is in the form of
a Greek cross, 426 by 203 feet;
was over a century in process of
construction, at a cost of
400,000 pounds for the walls
alone. In the interior, the Doric
style prevails, Renaissance on
the exterior, which has a fine
dome and two open towers 218 feet
high. At the foot of the left
tower is placed the famous
Calendar Stone, the most
interesting relic of Aztec
culture. On the east side of the
Plaza is the old Vice-Regal
residence, now the National
Palace, with 675 feet frontage,
containing most of the Government
Offices, Military Quarters,
Meterological Department and
Observatory. |
The
city is supplied with good water
from Chapultepec and the S.W. at
the rate of 44 gallons per
inhabitant per day. |
Population, 329,355. |
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