Querétaro

“ The churches and priests are the chief characteristic of Queretaro. No wonder it is such a church-town. It is more completely filled with these structures than any city I have seen—than any, probably, in the land, except Guadilajara. Puebla has far less, proportionately to its inhabitants, and far inferior ones, excepting its cathedral, which here is cheap and poor. ”

“ As Irapuato for its strawberries, and Celaya for its sweets, so Queretaro is famed for its huge, cheap hats, of a sort of reed, large enough to serve as umbrellas, and for its opals. From the time he steps off the train here until he boards it again, the traveler, especially the "gringo," is incessantly pestered by men and boys offering for sale these worthless bright pebbles—genuine and otherwise. ”

“ The inhabitants are mostly engaged in silver mining. Passing Irapuato, Salamanca, and Celaya, we come to Queretaro—capital of the State of that name—a beautiful and interesting city—familiar to all as the place where Maximilian, Miramon, and Mejia were executed. ”

“ The capitol was covered with fluttering streamers, banners and bunting of tri-color, stretched from balcony to balcony, from post to post and from roof to roof. At night the illumination was general. Queretaro seemed wrapped in a mantle of fire. The towers of its church and the roofs of its highest buildings were crowded with flames of different colors that oscillated in the winds. Fireworks were kept up till midnight. A Mexican Christmas is very unlike one in the United States. ”

“ Still further north-west in the state of Querétaro, three groups of antiquities are reported, but very inadequately described. At Pueblito a league and a half south of the city of Querétaro, said to have been a favorite resort for Mexican tourists and invalids in the last century, there stood on a natural elevation, in 1777, the foundations of a large rectangular building. The walls were built of stones laid in clay, and were not, when visited, standing above the level of the ground, one or two feet having been, however, brought to light by excavation. ”

“ We take our last glimpse of the city beneath us, the hills hugging it and bending over it, like a mother, or a dozen of mothers, fondling a childling. The plains of Queretaro and Leon glisten in the morning slantings, and Luz, like that of eld, sits at the top of the land, glowing like the silver at its bottom, responsive to the coming day. ”

“ Far away to the north and east, the grand plains above Queretaro roll out, a scroll written over with industry and its rewards. It will be yet better written, when this age shall be a palimpsest for the one, near at hand, of equal rights, higher faith, universal culture, and social reform. How intense the solitude of these mountains; how profound their silence! It is a stillness that can be felt. Not a bird wings its way across the summits, or sends an echo along their sides ”

“ We fly through the village and in among the stunted oaks of a moderate hill-slope, up the rough road, hardly abating our speed, for such oaks are splendid for ambuscade, and we scarcely walk our tired mules until we emerge from the last low thicket that overhangs the valley and the city of Queretaro. ”

“ The next stop in the journey towards the capital was made at Queretaro, eighty-five miles from Silao, or one hundred from Guanajuato. It is a city of from fifty to sixty thousand inhabitants; it has no mines on which to base its prosperity, but is devoted to manufacturing, having been famous for 200 years and more for its production of cotton goods. The largest cotton-mill in Mexico is at Queretaro ”

“ But the men were worn out with fighting, and the Emperor refused to leave them. He declared he had not come to Queretaro to fly from danger. To those who saw him during those anxious days, haggard and aged, with a long beard flowing over his breast, and the fever of despair in his eyes, conducting the defence and constantly under fire, it seemed that he was longing for the glory of a soldier's death. ”

“ The plains are frequently cut up by deep barrancas or gullies, rivers and streamlets. The agricultural portions of the State are consequently confined chiefly to the vallies of San Juan del Rio, Querétaro, Cadereyta, Amealco, Toliman and Jalpam, in which the soil, enriched by the vegetable products and debris drained from the{307}
QUERETARO. mountain sides, is usually found to be very productive. Querétaro is generally remarked by travellers for the picturesque character of its scenery and the beautiful site of its haciendas, cities and ranchos. ”

“ Querétaro has one of the oldest and largest cotton factories in Mexico, employing about 2000 operatives, and maintaining a small private military force for protection. It was built in the days when brigandage held the whole country in terror, and was strongly fortified and provided with artillery and garrison. The latter was also used to escort pack trains of goods and supplies before the building of the railway. This old factory has also played its part in the civil wars of the country since 1840, becoming a fortress whenever Querétaro became involved in military operations. ”

“ From Queretaro to the City of Mexico is a distance of 150 miles. The route of the railway lies through a region which is excellent both for agriculture and stock raising. Frank and Fred wished to stop at one of the cattle haciendas, but the Doctor said they would have an opportunity to see one of these establishments at a later date; so they continued to the capital without making a halt after leaving Queretaro. ”

“ They are like those on the cathedral of Leon, though these fall short of the suggestive divine assumptions that Leon ascribes to her nature and power.
This city still maintains its bull-fights, and the amphitheatre is preserved, and used every Sunday night, except in Lent. The priest has to be busy then, said a good Mexican Christian, in absolving the bull-fighters. Near this favorite resort is the alameda, dry and treeless, and far inferior in beauty to Queretaro. For so large a city its attractions are exceedingly small. ”

“ Querétaro, with an area and population of 4,500 square miles and 235,000 inhabitants, is one of the smallest of the states. Its capital city, of the same name, is of much interest historically, for here Maximilian fell. Some important industries are carried on, among them being the largest textile factory in the Republic, the great "Hercules" mills. The famous "Doctor" mine, vast producer in past history, is one of the remarkable features of this state, whilst in the adjoining state of Hidalgo are the great mines and ore-treating haciendas near the capital city, Pachuca. ”

“ He has to regret the loss of many important papers during the occupation of Querétaro by the liberals and his own imprisonment. He had written while a prisoner an account of these events for the emperor of Austria, and delivered it to Mr Price to forward it by the English courier to Vera Cruz. ”

“ A success, which in reality is but insignificant, has taken place, which is much boasted of. To make up for it, there is
a report that the rebels have entered Queretaro without firing a shot, the imperialists having evacuated the town. This news, however, is not at all certain. It is feared that the road to Mexico will now be closed for Maximilian. As the French retired, they solidly strengthened the whole road which might serve as a line of retreat for the emperor if a moment of danger arrived. ”

“ In communication with the insurgent leaders in Querétaro were those operating in the Huasteca and Mexico. The progress made by the revolution in the eastern part of the latter province was rapid and alarming. During August and the succeeding months of 1811, the insurrection spread southward
Eastern Districts. ”

“ We are now quartered at San Angel, near the city, on the Acapulco road, but we do not know what moment we may have to move, as it is rumored here that the Mexicans are strongly fortifying Queretaro City and that they have an army of from twenty to twenty-five thousand men; but this is nothing, for we have met them ten to our one, and we are ready to meet them again. The next movement that is to be made upon the enemy will be by our division; it is to take the advance. ”

“ It is a solid and enduring structure, built by the munificence of an old Spaniard, the Marquis de Villadil, previous to the Revolution. Of late years Querétaro had lost a large portion of its population; the mines have become nearly exhausted, and it is without manufactures, or inland trade. After the occupation by the American troops of the city of Mexico, it became the headquarters of the Government, and seat of the General Congress; and again all the world had flocked thither, and not a tenantless house or spare nook was to be found. ”

“ Victory could not be doubtful, especially with the co-operation of the brave Mejia in the interior, whose military fame was no less potent in the Sierra than in the state of Queretaro, which had been aforetime witness of his triumphs. If necessary, immediately after the bands in the north were put to rout, the victorious forces of the monarchy might turn round against the rebels of Oajaca, whom they would soon bring to reason. ”

“ I reported my arrival to the American Commissioners, and took quarters with the officers attached to the escort. They entered the city on the 25th, as the vote upon the Treaty was being taken in the Mexican Senate: very possibly it may have hastened it. The division stood but four in opposition—much excitement prevailed in Querétaro, as the measure was decidedly unpopular among all classes of military men; there being no less than twenty-seven hundred officers of the army, besides immense swarms of empleados and every species of Government people, awaiting the action of Congress. ”

“ Thanks to the vigorous measures of Miramon and the clerical party, Maximilian found himself at the head of an army of more than eight thousand men. Among these were found the most active and valiant chiefs of the old regular army, who showed great bravery, as did their trained soldiers, but nearly half the troops were raw Mexican recruits, ready to run away at a moment's notice.
Querétaro was soon invested by the army of the north under General Escobedo. Daily skirmishes took place, which showed great daring on both sides. ”

“ Las Casas Grandes, the settlements in the Sierra Madre, the ruins of Zape, of Quemada, recalling the monuments at Mitla, others in Queretaro, together with certain features in the building of temples and altars, which remind one of the Mexican manuscripts from which the Toltec, Aztec, and Yucatec temple was built, make it clear that the civilising races came from the northwest ”

“ Linan advanced through Querétaro into Guanajuato, incorporating all the troops possible, and encouraging them by placing a price on the heads of Mina and his followers. [30] This leader had just met with a repulse—his first—in an attack on Leon, [31] and had retired into Fort Sombrero with 650 men, to whom were added some 300 women, children, and laborers. ”

“ Revolutions followed one another with various intents, and arising from different causes. In the tierra caliente, and in Puebla, San Luis Potosí, Guadalajara, and Querétaro the government had to quell disturbances. ”

“ The tobacco factory also employed three thousand workmen and women, producing annually cigars and cigarettes to the amount of $2,200,000. [14]
Such was the city of Santiago de Querétaro at the time when the spirit of Mexican independence broke out. The reader will recollect that Miguel Dominguez had been reinstated in the office of corregidor of Querétaro, after having been deprived of it by Iturrigaray. From that time forward he was a secret supporter of the independence party. ”

“ The 85,000 people all get a living and are happy and what more is needful.
Queretaro with its fifty thousand population is especially noted for opals. It is a remarkable fact that every industry in Mexico is distri{288}buted by towns. Irapuato for strawberries, Celaya for dulces, Lerdo for cotton goods, Leon for leather, Puebla for onyx, Orizaba for fruits, Saltillo for Zerapes, Guadalajara for pottery, Jalapa for beautiful women, and so on from Dan to Beersheba. ”

“ But even allowing that his orders were positive to return to Querétaro at once with the funds he could gather and the garrison of the capital, it is doubtful, from a military standpoint that he could leave Puebla to its fate. He had only 5,000 men. Had he attempted to go back, without affording relief to that town, it would have surrendered at once, and then Diaz, with the forces of Leyva, Cuellar, Lalanne, and others, together with Guadarrama's 4,000 men, would have annihilated him, and the fall both of Mexico and Querétaro must follow. Zamacois, Hist. ”

“ Its ayuntamiento was composed of a corregidor, two ordinary alcaldes, twelve regidores, two honorary regidores, a procurador, syndic, and escribano mayor y de cabildo. Glorias de Quer., 5-6. ↑ Hernandez y Dávalos, Col. Doc., i. 9. At these conferences with Allende, Hidalgo continually and prophetically expressed his opinion that 'the authors of such enterprises never enjoyed the fruits of them.' Ib. Negrete, however, states that he went several times to Querétaro. 'Varios viajes aunque de una manera occulta, hizo a Querétaro Hidalgo, con el objeto de fomentar la revolucion. ' Hist. Mex. Sig. ”

“ All our men are at this moment on board their transports. The Mexican colors are flying over the citadel. The French intervention has come to a close, and is now a thing of the past. . . .
PART V THE END I. QUERETARO, 1867 The end is known. On February 13 the Emperor, with Generals Marquez and Vidaurri, at the head of a column of some two thousand men, sallied forth from Mexico to establish his base of operations at Queretaro. ”