et of some sort, as
we have suggested, and what result may follow remains to be seen. That
there is a steady growth of population and business here is perfectly
obvious, stimulated by closer business connections with the United
States, which are being constantly added to. People who look in advance
see that ten years hence the two suburban towns will practically be part
and parcel of the city proper. The new buildings now erecting in
Tacubaya are observed to be of stone, and built to last. Wooden
structures are almost unknown. Iron is used for many purposes, taking
the place of wooden beams, as in this country. We were assured by
intelligent persons that all skilled mechanics were busy, such as
masons, iron-workers, plasterers, and carpenters. It is surprising to
the writer that more has not been said relative to the extraordinary
growth and prosperity of the national capital of Mexico. The most
prominent agent in bringing all this about is undoubtedly the Mexican
Central Railroad.

One easily becomes acquainted with the topography of the city, each
point of the compass leading directly to the mountains, while the town
itself forms a perfect level. The chief business street leads from the
railroad depot to the Plaza Mayor. The most fashionable shopping street
is that known as the Street of the Silversmiths. It is of good width,
and nearly a mile long. Calle de San Francisco is another of the main
business thoroughfares. As a rule, the many sacred titles given to the
streets come from the names of churches or convents which stood or still
stand in them. Thus the Street of the Holy Ghost contains the church so
designated. Several of the most important avenues, beside the Plaza
Mayor and the alameda, are lighted by electricity, other portions of the
city proper by gas, and the outlying districts by oil-fed lanterns. One
peculiar object, always observable in the city at night, is the bright
lantern of the policeman of the immediate beat, placed in the middle of
the junction of the streets, with the man himself standing beside it,
ready to answer any legitimate call for his services. The police system
of the capital is certainly excellent, and in the two weeks which we
passed there no such affair as a street brawl of any sort was seen,
though we visited all parts of the town, and at all hours of the day and
night. There are few of our own cities where the public peace is so
thoroughly preserved, or with so little demonstrati