New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-09-22
CENTRAL AMERICA.
PANAMA

PoRTA1CE
From Sur Special Correspondent.
PANAMA, U. S. c.. S A, Sept. l. Isee.
IL early morning, and as look down upon the narrow,
filthy r1lous, baeonied thoroughfare which runs from
sea TO sea on either side the shops being opened Five
or six naked, black and copper coored children with
smilelcss countenances eaveess legs and exaggerated
launches walowins in the cutters like many little
pigs An old bent double with paralysis beseeches
me for aims with eyes whose mute eoqlence leaves me-
one dime poorer. -Four American sailors-One with his
face bleedng-and two delayed Caifoians are reelins
through the street from last nights debauch which co
them dollars head aches and perhaps Panama fever and
the poor degraded negroes like dead on tho side
walk. The head of Of the latter lies In pool Of
blood and both passed and repassed BY the moving
passengers without thought or even a casual glance
number of eonyets, each with chain and heavy iron ban
the night leg engaged, with black buZZards their
coabOTers, in cleaning up the filth which empted
from the balconies during the night trust that they win
perform their abors with conscience and judgment for The
lazy soldiers who supentend their sanitary efforts look 40
If they would shoot any one OF them on the slightest
proyocaton-that is shoot eonycts for the ouzzrs
are very properly protected By legislative enactment
| the chief Commissioners of the Panama Board Of
Health The cats and parrots are hang the rising
with mautinal oaths and squalls the little black zsrds
continue to up and down the ruined walls in search
of flies and the vendors of water trotting through the
street the dminutye mules indicate that the business
| of another sleepy day has begun in Panama
The atmosphere is sultry and very oppressive averaging
from SOC to IS Fahrenheit. Panama has at one time
boosted fine buildings The cathedal-amost the only
religious edce not totally ruins-presens rough b1t
graceful exterior at the time aoTding novel ap-
pearance account Of the roof being partially paved with
cleaning white shells nterspersed with moss and cngng
vines. The interior is poyertysrcken and woefu, AID
the good impression created on the visitor not increased
by the mseraby, cracked bell, which is kept changing
away in the belfry during the hour of services.
1.-The Battery" which fronts the bay, is massive
structure of granite which the and rains Of
three centuries have failed to materially inure On thu
NJ tha lis thp Promenade
Of cement where the Spanish ladies used to be made
love in The Olden times and under which, on tie shore
ward side is the vast system Of dungeons which are still
used prison and military quarters by the authorities
Only the walls of the jesuit College are now standing
the interior having been destroyed by fire about 100 years
ago. The Enclosure is now used ~ some enterprsng
Yankees for several purposes As is the case IN nearly all
Of tropical countries American enterprise here 10
be found The principal establishment is that OF Msss
on an extensive scale. The machine in use is. think
called the Nonparel Washing Machine, manufactured By
Oakly g. Heating a New-York firm, and the amount Of
work il is made perform by energetic propetors here
is something wonderful They have contracts with nearly
all the great steamship lines at this port and on steamer
day. when the sheets and pillow cases OF large steamer
are beng dried in the sum- there is presented grove
vast enough enohant the poetca soul OF john ChVe
himself The same firm the omnibus propretoTs and
iivervstable keeners of Panama Within the same walls
an American carpenter and builder, Mr. John Lee has,
through energy and the use of steam effected monopoly
in his peculiar line, which mainly consists IN making re-
pairs for old houses fall down much faster than new ones
are built in this town.
That competition Is the life or trade is nowhere mofe
markedly exemplifed than in Panama. Even the native
shopkecpers have ehened up considerably under the IN
iuence exerted by Americans. The drug Business Wmeh
most important branch Of trade has received healthy
impetus through the eXerons of DR. Harbruger who, y
sturdy opposition has at last succeeded III the course
three years. in wrestling from the native druggists ne
largest trade in the city. The American Exchange the
principal restaurant has also won its way 70 this lucrative
position, simply by tie pluck Of its proprietor MI A. ),
the infinite disgust of his rivals And there are other IN;
stances of the same lively character Even the Aspnwh
Hoelwhch is really very excellent one and by ia ths
best in Panama-is soon 70 have rival IN the Amencan
Hotel large building which rapidly approaches COM
petion on the Plaza. -
The natives of Panama are among the most squahd,
most happy and most immoral the face of the globe.
The wealthy classes are of course refined and educated in
a measure but sincerely trust that it viii not be IN my
experience 10 witness more degraded race of animals
than the lower classes Of the Isthmus An Austrian peas
ant is prince aud plantation slaye-o the olden dys
Emperor in comparison with these wretched people,
Happy because totally ignorant of decent condition,
both sexes yegetate promiscuousy in dark close novels
mostly matched and built Of cane, enthusiastically
inferior animals. Three-fourths Of them work.
Their subsistence grows their heaswhe,her the
low huge eaved plantan or the stately cocoahey take
account of tme and their ignobe sensual lives pass
from childhood TO maturity-there is no 'youtb-snd
from maturity TO the tomb in the placid squaor OF what's
10 unpleasant DREAM These lower classes may Do
slbdiYded into two casses-the mulattoes, or strange
cOpperc0l0red OF dozen Taces-nto Whch the OSlnai
Indian and pure African enter large eements and tho
The latter in every respect SUPERIOR and are
nearly alwavs preferred 8boTers and Of the latter the
Jamaica negroes the most vigorous. strong jealousy
prevails between the Jamaicans aud the native negroes
frequently resulting in bloody collisions from which the
latter mostly emerge second best"
The Northern portion Of Panama, called the Ayrabai,
and the suburbs beyond the walls are populated exclusive
by the lower classes and are usually the hrt scene OF
outbreak revolution" Ignorant tools in the hands
OF designing politicians they are easily inspired TO reyot
and in this respect their influence and Its use strongly re-
sembe those of the Ignorant foreign residents OF heW
York and other great American cities But after all rev.
olutions' in Republic like NewGralada are but small
affairs As general thing, simple Flrenan's not IN
\, Norr avad av auQU
hi, ody and lively affair than two three reyots combined
in this quarter Some kind of one was anticipated last
gh believe, but no interest was manifested, and 1t
failed TO come od.
ncomparaby lovely AS seen from Assistance, grit BY the
mountains II stands like jewel by the siyery sea For"
get the lazy pOpulace and the filthy streets and drive 10
the race course fine plateau about three miles 20 the
northward, and the like enchantment On one
side is the ancient otv lowered and domed and geam-
ing in TIE SUM- Mount Bolivar and Mount Ancon Ia ite
rear with the bay and ocean in front like Furnished
shield embossed with emerald isets, each mountain In
itself while far 10 the northward through the tropc haze
peak piled on peak and folded 10 the sky the eternal bills
the tigers haunt and the eondOr's home-sweep and
spread and broaden like dream Grander than the oceaa
itself there nothing more majestic than where God
sweeps his horizons with his glorious pencil OF mountain
blue and there be earthly cline wherein the ooors
stand more noby the sky than here who're on either
hand and almost to either pole, rolls the unbroken cham
with its colossal links of valleys aud bright peaks
There are exceedingly few Of the higher classes residing
distance from the c!tys walls as the frequent reyolts
and political changes render inconyenent and unsafe
There are, however, frequent remains OF NHs az one ne
occupied by the Spaniards, who must have lived on
princey scale
They have haunted houses here well as elsewhere,
and spiritual appincs by means confined 20 Amer
lea short distance from the city, eminence
looking the sea- there stands large building which at
one tine must have been handsome one The upper
portion in decay and it has been unnhabted for
hundred years of its being haunted" The
legend respecting its present supernatural isolation Is
quite romantic and as usual there is dark.eyed senor
tia in the case In the middle Of the Eighteenth Century,
this old house-then probably palace on hill Of flowers
was owned and occupied by Senior Gonzales, Spanish
nobeman of the hghheeled Casian stripe, whose chief
nnn.ns.iona urorn unlimited snnnH of and a