San Luís Potosí

San Luís Potosí, capital of the Mexican state of the same name, stands on the edge of a plateau, 7400 feet above the sea, by rail 362 miles NNW. of Mexico city and 275 W. of Tampico. It is well built, though with steep streets, and contains a handsome cathedral, a seminary, railway workshops, a cotton-factory, and great smelting-works. There are silver-mines near by. Founded in 1586, the city has taken a prominent part in the country's civil wars, and in 1863 was the seat of Juarez' government. Pop. (1895) 69,050.—The inland state of San Luis Potosí, largely mountainous and so far healthy, has an area of 27,503 sq. m. and a pop. (1895) of 570,814. Some districts are very fertile, and much gold and silver is mined, besides salt and other minerals.