SALTILLO  , a

city and the capital of the state of Coahuila, Mexico, about 615 m. by rail N. by W. of the city of Mexico . Pop . (190o) 23,996 . Saltillo is on the Mexican National railway and another railway connects it with the important mining and industrial town of Torreon, on the Mexican Central . The city is on the great central plateau of Mexico, about 5200 ft. above sea-level . It has a cool and healthy climate, and is a resort in summer for the people of the tropical coast districts, and in winter for invalids from the north . The city is laid out in regular squares, with shady streets and plazas . The residences are of the Spanish colonial type, with heavy walls and large rooms to insure coolness during the heat of the day . Among its public institutions are a national college, an athenaeum, the Madero Institute with a good library, some fine churches, and the charitable institutions common to all Mexican cities . Saltillo is an active commercial and manufacturing town, and an important railway centre . Its manufactures include cotton and woollen fabrics, knitted goods and flour . The woollen " zarapes " or " ponchos" of Saltillo are among the finest produced in Mexico .

There are undeveloped

coal deposits in the vicinity . Saltillo was founded in 1586 as an outpost against the Apache Indians . It became an incorporated city in 1827 . In 1824 the capital of the state of Coahuila and Texas was at Saltillo . A partisan controversy removed the seat of government to Monclova in 1833, but it was returned to Saltillo in 1835 . The battle of Buena Vista was fought near Saltillo on the 22nd-23rd of February 1847 . After leaving San Luis Potosi, President Juarez estabiished his capital at Saltillo for a brief period .