Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 297, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1919 — TURNED TO COMMERCIAL USE [ARTICLE]

TURNED TO COMMERCIAL USE

Historic Mansion In Mexico C.ty Remodeled and Made Into Typical American Drug Store.

The conversion of thp "House of Tiles” tn the City of Mexico into a typical American drug store marks the passing of one of the most palatial and unique structures fever erected tn that city of Interesting buildings. Many persons tn the United States remember the house as the “Jockey dub." the most exclusive and aristocratic place of Its kind tn the republic, but for the past few years it has stood on*e prominent downtown corner, a bleak, decrepit structure, whose shiny aud gaudy exterior of tile gave evidence of its former glory. Soon ft will open for business as a drug store. The date when the building’s foundations were laid is lost In obscurity, but it is thought that it was started about 1596. Later it came into the possession of Don Louis de Rivero, a man of varied career, who was responsible for its exterior coat of tiles. These latter are of blue, yellow and white, Moorish In design, and were made by artisans brought from Talavera. Spain, by the Dominican friars in the sixteenth century. They were modeled In a special ceramic factory at Puebla, about 75 miles distant. and the completion of, this decoration was the occasion for a public celebration. The family of Don Luis de Rivero, who later became the count of Orizaba. remained in possession of the house until the time of the ill-fated Emperor Maximilian. Its last occupant was a sister of the then Count de Orizaba, upon whom the emperor conferred the title of marquesa de Ciria. Later the structure was taken over by the Jockey club and converted into a sumptuous club house. Stories of fabulous sums won and lost at lts K gaming tables persist to this day. Stirring revolutionary times caused its abandonment, and for several years the building was vacant until the present lessees secured It for a period of twenty years. Indicative perhaps of an intention by the government to restore it later Is the fact that before renovation started photographs were taken of all interesting portions of the building, including the huge earved door.