SUBURBS, ETC. The tramway expansion of the past few years has resulted in the building of new suburbs, formed of houses constructed in American style with MI modern conveniences. Although possibly more desirable as places of residence, they do not yet equal in interest the older suburbs. Prominent among the latter, at the far end of the Pasco, is Chapultepec, a mass of rock rising sonic 200 feet from the midst of magnificent cypress groves, and topped by the splendid structure containing the National Mili tary Academy and the President's summer palace. from which may be obtained the finest view of the valley. Farther on, reached by the same tramway, is Tacubaya, the most fashionable re sort of Mexico, situated in the most fertile por tion of the Federal District. Here is located one of the National Observatories, occupying a former palace of the Archbishop of Mexico. To the north of the city lies Guadalupe, whose beautiful and rich church is the Lourdes of Mexico. and whose traditional Virgin has become the tutelar divinity of the modern Republic. To the south is the Viga Canal. lined with the so-called 'floating gardens,' the region which furnishes the flowers, fruits, and vegetables for the city Markets. and whose inhabitants present some of the most in teresting pictures of contemporary native life. Upon this canal are the towns of Santa Anita and iztacalco, interesting pleasure resorts frequented by the lower classes. Also to the south is Tlal palm a resort second only to Taeubaya in im portance. To the west, Popolta contains the 'Niche Triste' tree, under which tradition says that Cortes wept on the night of his expulsion from Mexico. By rail it is possible to extend one's excursions beyond the mountain valley to the most interesting points of ancient and mod ern history. all of Which arc within easy distance of the capital.
IxDt'wfltf.8 AND COM.N1ERCE. The industries of the city are constantly increasing. Around the outskirts, completely encircling the city, is a belt of factories and other industrial establish ment:, cotton, paper. linen, silk,
gold and silver wares, pottery, feather articles, leather, carriages, bricks. corks, and soap; there are also several packing house:: in spite of the high price of fuel, all these establishments do a thriving business and will welcome the day when coal can be brought in cheaply to give them a new element of prosperity. A large part of the trade interests is in the hands of Freneh, Germain, and English merchants. (For eommunications with the united States and other countries, see Muss 'co.) The city is the wholesale centre for the na tion, and its banks, of which the most important are the Bane() National de Mexico, capitalized fit :7;20,000,000. and Bank of .1Iexico, London. and South America, capitalized at $10,000,000,eontrol its financial conditions. Its fifteen markets are large and well ordered and a perpetual source of convenience to its inhabitants as well as of in terest to the increasing number of visitors.
Ditxtxmit; A ND WATER SUPPLY. The city de its water supply from the western moun tains, the greater port hal coining from the vicin ity of Taeubaya. For the transportation of the water there have been constructed a series of aqueducts. the first of which was completed in 1576 and the last in 1900. When the city ob tains full advantage of these it will receive from them .55.000 liters per minute, an average of 195 liters per day for (Nach inhabitant. This is a larger average than London. Berlin. or New Orleans enjoys, and with the supply from the Wm artesian wells added this will he raised to 250 liters. _kt present, however, the water is very unevenly distributed, the poorer sections especially suffering in this particular: but when the new plans of the department are put in opera tion, sour• 12m00 of the 15.000 houses can he sopplitd with water at a cost of $30 to $'1S year, which rate will yield the city an annual revenue of S:500.000. In this way one of the present wretched conditions of the worst shims will be greatly ameliorated.