Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-02
THE LAND OF BARRIos.


city Of Guatemala. My first Visit To-
Guatemala was made in March, l0NL
IN company with Col. Z. A. Lever,
he purpose Of my visit being TO secure
Nr Shea, COrnick & Co. the construction
" as much of the Northern Railroad as
could be completed IN a reasonable time.
1 secured a contract on May last for the
construction OF g. miles of road, with
the necessary buildings and equipments,
10 be completed by Sept. 80, 1856.
At that time l did not meet Prosl-
lent Barri0s for the reason that an at
tempt had been made to assassnate MIN
only three or fou days prior TO my ar
rival, and be was not yet in phy slcal
condition to receive visitors. Upon my
ceturn i'm December, however ] met him
aud found him a most pleasant and agree
able gentleman, and not at all the man he
is generally represented to be, the usual
Ga- al rim being that he is a fierce and
5loodthirstv warrior. This meeting be-
tween us was merely casual call on
my part TO pay my respects to President
Barrios, as the representative of a firm
having large dealings with his govern
uent. He impressed me with the feeling
lnat he was a man OF broad and liberal
IDEAS, most favorable to any enterprise
calculated 10 develop either the city
ID Guatemala or the country az
large. whether as regards local develop
nent or increase Of foreign commerce ana
trade. He appeared to be especially well
disposed toward Americans and Amerl-
can business connections. ms Is de-
monstrated by the fact that every fran
elise OF value granted by him has been u
American citizens.
The railroad from ChampericO to Retail
naten is controlled by David Bell, OF san
Francisco and DR.. d. Z. Frnner, former
ly OF New Orleans; the railroad from san
Jose to Guatemala City is controlled by
Huntington. Croker and stanford, and
he Guatemala City Street Railroad Is
controlled by DR.. Fenner all OF which
acts 90 to prove his leaning toward
Americans The banking interests, how
IN, are held mostly by foreign capital
the National Bank, with capi-
OF ST 800, 900, being managed By
Englsnman, Mr.. j. II. Martin, and
Columbia Bank, with a capital OF
900. 900, being controlled, as | under
,tand. by capitalists OF Franktort-On the
Main The larger portion OF the stock of
the National Bank is held, however in
Guatemala. President Barros, Don Angel
Pena, President OF the railroad, and Dr.
Fenner being among the principal local
residents having large interests in the
bank.
Since Barrios became President Of the
republic he has established a complete
system OF telegraphy, permcatins every
department of civil subdivision of ihe
country. He has secured the construction
of the ChampericO, SAN JOsc ard tt.ttt .t1 g.
IA street railroad systems; By uas iutG u-
rated complete ana tholou b $50 H.
f public schools in every nu
town and city Of the repu an, cr-
Irciug attendance at tue suW t ut
established universities for youu- nti.
lga i'm % 90. DO
ger cite. es ecia'ly IN Tch'quimu'a ana
Quelzaltenango, where Thoroughly come
tetent and highly educated gentlemen ar
employed as principals and professor
and where English is taught AS one OF the
principal languages.
At the town of Tchiquimula the uni
versity publishes a newspaper, and its
editor, Mr.. William Doyle, principal Of
the university, told me that he was max
ing very rapid progress IN the teaching
Of English. In this connection also |
sciences are taught as well as the or
binary branches of learning, languages,
etc. in each of the universities.
AT the time that BarTiOs acquired con-
rOl of the government the church party
.hen in power levied tithes OF every thing.
These churches and clOisters, however,
from EarrI0s point of view, were far too
numerous to benefit the country, and
numbers Of nunneries and monasteries
nave been converted into those pubic
schools and universities of which l have
spoken. At that time the people were
without the means Of education; since
then n has been forced upon them.
The p0Qu alton of Guatemala, number
Ing about 100000, consists of about 90O,-
900 fan blooded Indians, 100000 half
breeds ana 100000 whites, and OF necessi-
~ there must be a strong government to
lold that class OF population under proper
control.
That Barrios has exercised such con-
troll is clearly evidenced in the fact that
robbery is almost unknO Sn in the repub-
lie, and that an unarmed mau bearing
money has been able to travel, up TO the
present time for several years past, I'M
molested on the public highways. Dr..
FeEner, now here, told me that while con-
ructing the ChampericO Railroad he
Quently sent amounts ranging from
1000 TO $4,000 for construction pur-
,as, without any other escort than the
An In charge Of the mules andga boy to
.eip him load and unload.
In regard TO the war, know nothing,
Except that | have always understood
,lat there was pending proposition 10
consolidate the Central American re-
Jublics, with the view ultimately Of their
Ilaking an application Tor admission into
tge Union of the United States. This
seems to have been Gen. Barrios' highest
ambition. Everything progressed favor
ably, according % the Information / have
received, except matter To be settled
among themselves regarding the relative
rates II taxation Tor tue pay ment of the
several debts Of the different republics sl
% be- consolidated.
Salvador and Honduras had been under
general pr0tectordte at the hands of
President Baui0s for a number Of years
tud 10 Is now clearly demonstrated thai
LaldlVar proved 90 be a traitor, and that
3eu. Bo-ran proved 10 be worthy of thu
cI-t reposed ln him. That Bo-ran should
ave remained true seems TO have cX
slllC Z4ndIyar's special enmity, because
li- assault nov seems 10 be- addressed
more directly 10 Honduras than 90 Guate
umla. Notwithstanding the fact that ID is
6ustemala's action that is held 70 be OF
leusIvc.
The republic OF Guatemala is a most
promising country. Its sugar planters 10
tie rich valleys upon the Pacific coast
begin cutting their crop early i'm the YEAR
and 10y the time they have finished
10 rs ready % Doe recut where thew
hrst began. The fires IN their furnaces
are said never 90 die out. except when
me furnaces are closed for repair.
more beautiful and picturesque
country certainly cannot De found any
where. The coffee products. The STAPLE
sA Tort OF tue country command $50 high
a prlce in the market, of The world that
put "a small proportion reaches The United
states. The Atlantic output does not