Chapter XVII: Hidalgo

Richly endowed by Nature, the State of Hidalgo contains throughout its extent, rich metalliferous deposits exceeding the wealth of Ormuz or of Ind. The innumerable enterprises for developing this country have produced marvellous results in mining its great resources.

Besides silver ore, lead, gold and iron, some precious stones abound. It is rich in woods and luxurious verdure.

This State bears the name of the great patriot, Hidalgo. It has a cluster of prosperous cities, El Salto, San Antonio, Marquez, Nopala, Cazbero, along the lines of the Mexican Central, Pachuca the busy capital, Tlaxcoapan, Rosal, Temoaya and Concepcion are on a branch line. It is a comparatively small State but it ranks as one of great importance, being a prolific source of agriculture and manufacture as well as mineral wealth, which has attracted the attention of the world. With a splendid chain of railroads and tramways, all parts of the State are easy to reach.

Majestic mountains, valleys, and plains add to the natural beauty of the State and this part of the republic enjoys a pleasant but varied climate.

Few rivers are found, but there is one famous water-fall, called the Regla Cascade, some mineral springs of medicinal note, and the beautiful lakes of Metztitlan, Tecomulco, Apam, Zupitlan.

In the district of Pachuca are the mining camps, Zimapan, Jacala, and Cancando. Cancando, a magnetic iron mountain ten thousand feet high, appears to be one mass of iron so rich as to contain about eighty per cent. of pure iron. The ore, however, is so rich that a flux is required to smelt it. These mines were not exploited until after the war of independence, although as early as 1824 many mining claims in that district were taken up and denounced, among them San Antonio, El Carmen, San Cosme and Las Animas.

Encarnacion has an up-to-date works, producing a million and a half kilos of bar iron per year and possesses all the modern equipments. One of the best known gold mines of the early days of New Spain was San José del Oro, ten thousand feet above the sea. It is difficult of access and is not worked to any great extent at the present day.

The State of Hidalgo produces millions of dollars worth of silver per year from its two mineral centres. Among the most notable mines of the district are Zimapan, San Martin, San Judas; of the Real del Monte groups, San Francisco, Santa Gertrudis, San Eugenio, San Rafael, San Miguel Tajo and Barron.

Pachuca has twelve reduction works; El Chico, nine; Real del Monte, eight; and Zimapan, eight. There are in this State many iron works and in the districts of Zacualtipan and Huejutla are deposits of coal now developed by an important company. In Molango are graphite deposits. The mines in Pachuca were worked by the Spaniards in 1523, only two years after the conquest and untold millions have been withdrawn from the inexhaustible resource where busy men to-day still delve with the same eagerness as in the days of old.

This is one of the few districts in the world where the plant vanilla grows, which contributes to the enormous, almost fabulous, riches of some of the Mexican planters. In this State is found the same class of maguey as in Mexico. It is called the marvel plant and is the very highest quality and largest yield. In Apam, Pachuca and Tula all classes of cereals are produced and Apam and Pachuca are the greatest centres for the production of pulque. In the hotter districts coffee, india rubber and other valuable products yield splendid bounty to the farmers and there is abundant supply of medicinal plants and valuable cabinet woods. The yield of pulque is about a gallon and a half a day for each plant during three months of the year. This industry alone yields millions of dollars a year in the State of Hidalgo. Mescal, a highly intoxicating liquor, ordinarily called Tequila, is made at the Tequila Hacienda. It is one of the popular drinks among certain classes and is noted for its fiery strength, which none but a cultivated taste can endure.

The capital, Pachuca, is most interesting, with characteristics of a miners’ town. The houses are built with an idea of comfort and their appearance is somewhat different from the dwellings one sees in other large cities. American and English capital has taken a firm hold and the spirit of enterprise and energy has given this city the appearance of a business centre. The hotels are alive with mining men and travelers of staunch purpose, the colonies are alert with social enjoyment, while the government of the city is conducted with zealous care and attention. The conditions of the state, especially under the present Governor, lend themselves most favorably to the establishment of new enterprises.

Señor Don Pedro Ladislao Rodriguez was born in the State of Oaxaca, from whence came so many of Mexico’s noted statesmen. He has given his energies and active service to his country. He fought in the War of the Reform, the War of the Intervention, and afterward retired to a private life of strenuous work. He became expert in all branches of telegraphy, erected lines between Mexico City and various capitals of the states, besides being the director and manager of telegraph offices throughout the republic. He evinced such strong interest in political affairs that he was elected to Congress and through his strength and splendid bearing in public matters he rose to the prominence of one of Mexico’s leading political powers. Since assuming this important office, he has dedicated his best efforts to the advancement of his State. Through his wise administration, Hidalgo has paid its public debt, has a large surplus in the treasury, and the government has been placed on a splendid business basis. Public instruction is one of the main features of the administration of this able executive. He is endeavoring to wipe out illiteracy among the people; the school system has attracted widespread attention. There is a Scientific and Industrial Literary Institute in which are prosecuted the studies necessary for the occupations of assaying, topographic, hydrographic, and mining engineering. There is also a practical mining school belonging to the Federal Government where all practical training in mining exploitation under professors of Metallurgy is acquired.

Pachuca has splendid architecture and some old palaces and churches form an interesting spectacle of the city. It is considered one of the most prosperous cities in the republic, in proportion to its population, and its rich metal districts make it noted as one of the most celebrated mining centres of the world.

The churches, La Parroquia, San Francisco and San Juan de Dios are notable for their solid masonry and size. A beautiful theatre, a literary institute of higher education and good charitable institutions are among the more notable buildings. Private academies flourish and a Protestant church built by the English-speaking colony help to make this city picturesque and interesting, with its admixture of ancient and modern architecture.

During the month of September, when the Mexicans were celebrating their Centennial of Independence, this capital was foremost in its enthusiasm. Triumphant arches were erected, the city was festooned in gay national colors, myriads of lights gave a dazzling appearance of gaiety and the ceremonials that took place were very imposing. New schools were inaugurated, new monuments dedicated and all public buildings opened officially.

Tula is a city built upon a series of terraces in a beautiful valley teeming with tropical flowers and foliage. It is noted for Toltec ruins and relics which have been found there. The old church built three hundred years ago has walls seven feet thick and the tower is one hundred and twenty-five feet high. It lies in the valley which the Toltecs entered when they came southward in 648, over twelve hundred and fifty years ago. A thousand years ago Tula was an important town and was the capital of Mexico until 1325. Proof of this antiquity lies everywhere--the grand houses, the broken columns, and quaint images that are still remaining relics in the present town. Here is the witchery of an old world, shadowy people, vague and mystical rights and ceremonies. In the small Plaza stand the remains of old gods, and crumbling into dust is an old pyramid, built many centuries ago. Where once the idolatrous worship of the Aztecs took place, a purer religion of to-day is worshipped and the people have thrown off the lethargy of the past. There are three ancient bridges in this vicinity. It is claimed that one of these bridges was built in 210 A.D., the ruins of which remain, forming a picturesque bit of Tula.

“The Treasury of Montezuma,” now in ruins, is on the top of the hill. There are two distinct kinds of fragmentary walls, eight feet thick. There is one large room thirty-two feet long with the chunam flooring nearly perfect. The people of Tula visit these ruins continually, believing many treasures to be concealed there. They dream dreams, and then go out and sink pits in the flooring, hoping to enrich themselves with wonderful treasures of Montezuma’s time.

There are other strange relics of ancient times on another hill near Tula. These are carved rocks resting upon a stratum of adobe, below which the hill slopes down to the river precipitously. The carvings are symbolical, and are supposed to have been made about 1160 A.D. in the Chichimec era.

The canal of Nochistongo is an open cut about twelve miles long with an average depth of one hundred and eighty feet and an average width of three hundred feet, but one part is six hundred feet wide. It was built in 1607, to save the city of Mexico from the floods of Lake Tezcuco. It can be seen from the railroad, the trains passing along the side of the cut.

In the Barranca of Itzala nature has been very lavish in her imposing and majestic beauty. The mountains of this State are unusually high and picturesque. The Sierras of Pachuca have lost much of their beauty on account of the mining camps interspersed, but the cañon of the virgin Omitlan affords beautiful views. The principal mountain chain is in Zacualtipan and Metztiplan which forms deep ravines and is a beautiful aspect to the lover of nature. Journeys through these mountains on the road to the different mining camps are very interesting.