Connecticut western news., 1873-05-02
The City of San Salvador.

The City of San Salvador.
 San Salvador, which has recently sui
 fered so severely from earthquakes, ii the capital of the Central American Re
 public of the same name, and situated on a small stream that runs into the Pacific Ocean, 105 miles southeast oi Guatemala. It lies in latitude 13o A
 south, and longitude 800 g. west. The earthquake shocks continued for full month, culmipating in disaster which resulted in terrible loss of life, fully 800 persons having perished in the ruins of the devastated city. So violent were the shocks that it is estimated that property amounting in value to over SIP, 900, 900 was destroyed.
 To add to the horrors of the affrighted people, confagration broke out as soon as the earthquake subsided, and a large number of buildings were burned.
 San Salvador was founded in 1928 by Jorge de Alvarant of Cortes, on the site of the Indian town of Cuscutian, about eighteen miles northward, but in 1539 It was removed to Las Bermudas, the position 1t now occupies. Under the crown 1t was the capital of the province, and afterwards of Central Ameri until its dissolution in 1889. The Republic is divided into four federal districts for administrative purposes, and they are called from their principal cities San Miguel, San Vicente, San Salvador. and Santa Anna. The Federal District of San Salvador comprises 0 radius of eleven miles round the city, and on the side of the Pacific to the port of Libertad is twenty-six miles distant. The city IS built in well watered vale, between wooded heights several thousand feet above the level of the Pacific. The land IS peculiarly adapted for agricul- tural purposes, the principal products being indigo, maize, sugar, etc., and even cotton has been grown, but in no considerable quantity. Tobaccofo do- nestle purposes is produced, not only in the immediate vicinity of the city of San Salvador, but throug ghout the entire Republic, and wheat, barley, and other productions of the temperate zone are cultivated in great perfection.
 The climate is generally salubrious, although its temperature, owing to its less average elevation, is higher than that of Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica. The heat is never oppressive, and the seasons are well defined, the wet season commencing in May and ter minating in November. For the re- mainder of the year the sky is clear and beautiful, and, by comparison, the rain fall is considerably greater than in any of the adjacent States. The inhabitants of the city fairly represent the general character of the people of the State. The ratio of the white population, or those having preponderance of white blood, is probably one-fifth :; one-third are Indians, and the remainder are la- dinos, or persons of white and Indian blood. The number of negroes and mulattoes is insignificant. The Indian inhabitants, though professedly Catho- lies, adhere to their primitive customs and rites in the city to certain extent, but in the State, particularly in the Balsam coast, they preserve them with characteristic csteadfastness. The Roman Catholic religion is the religion of the State, but there IS marked absence of bigotry, and the private exercise of all forms of worship is guaranteed by law. Education is better fostered than in any city of the neighboring republics, and 1t contains numerous high schools and one university, which is endowed by the State. About three miles southeast of the city is the volcano of San Salva- dor, >which presents most beautiful cone with gently-sloping summit, crowned to the highest peak with thick forests. The crater is partially filled with water, but is perfectly we'll pre- served, is more than half Q league in circumference, and rises about 1000 feet above the table-land on which it stands.
 The other hills, including those which belong to the volcanic range south, do not rise to greater height than l 1,5OO feet above the level of the plain. At different periods the city has suffered from earthquakes, the most notable be- ing those which took place in 1859 and 1854. There is no historical record as to the destruction of life and property in 1859, but in 1853, year previous to the latest chronicled disaster, San Sal vador City contained about 30,OOO in- habitants, large and beautiful cathe- dral, eight other churches, university, female seminary, several hospitals, and two extensive acqueducts for pro- viding sufficient water supply. The city at that period was in very four ishing condition, with Q rapidly increas- ing trade, but on the night of the 16th of April, 1854, it was completely de- stroyed by an earthquake, when over 100 lives were lost and an incalculable amount of property ruined. Subse- quently new government was laid out by the city ten miles nearer the sea, called Nuevo San Salvador, but so gen. eral was the purpose of the inhabitants to rebuild their ruineA houses that in the year 1855 the Legislature determin- ed to continue the seat of power in the old city. Since that time until the which has just occurred, San Salvador has been making rapid advances. Schools, colleges, and churches have multiplied, and the city was beginning to occupy a prouder position than it ever before enjoyed when this last towering misfortune be- fel it. In all the various vicissitudes through which it has passed, it is to the credit of San Salvador that its influence has always been exerted in favor of a more advanced civilization, and on the side of personal and religious liberty.
 Army IntelIigenco,