LEON, or LEON DE LOS ALDAMAS, Mexico, state of Guanajuato, the first city in population and second in commercial import ance in the state. The distance from Leon to the United States border at El Paso Tex., is 996 miles, to Guanajuato, 34 miles anti to Mex ico City 258 miles by the Mexican Central Rail way. The altitude of the city is 5,864 feet above sea-level. The situation, in the midst of a fertile and highly cultivated agricultural dis trict, is most favorable to the industries to which the city is devoted. It was founded in 1576 and has always maintained a condition of even and locally satisfactory prosperity. While there are no great manufactories in the place, it is one of the most important manufacturing cities in the republic, a consid erable proportion of its simple homes being given over to the making of rebosos, zerapes, leather clothing embroidered in gold and silver, saddles, harness, bridles and numerous other articles of necessity, in which labor practically all the members of the family take part. There
are also numerous other and more pretentious industrial establishments, including cotton and woolen mills, but the greater part of the manu facturing is in the modest homes of the work ing people. Here are located the headquarters of the northern military zone of the republic_ A cathedral, a public library containing over 2,000 volumes, a church library with 9,000 vol umes, a number of imposing church edifices, numerous creditable business blocks, well paved streets and several attractive parks add to the advantages of the community as a place of residence. The banking facilities are pro vided by branches of the National Bank and the Bank of San Luis Potosi and an agency of the Bank of Zacatecas. Pop. 57,722.