Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-08
LIFE IN COLOMBIA I
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF BoGoTA,
THE CAPITAL CITY.

Street Cars, Freight Charges, Mail Fsciu-
ties and PoIice-society, High and Low
ParadoIes-FIOwers.
Hon. Charles ID. Jacob, United States
minister to the republic Of Colombia ar
rived in the city the other day on a short
leave Of absence. A reporter met him at
the St James hotel and succeeded In get
ting an interview. said he: Colombia
Is very wealthy in mineral products 1t
only needs enterprise to develop its re-
sources. At present the French seem to
have greater influence than any other for
eigners. The city Of Bogota, the capital,
has population OF lOO, 200 1t is beauti-
ful city, situated on a plateau Of the
Andes mountains 1900 feet above the
sea level. The temperature rarely ever
varies the season round, and averages So
Farenheit Just back of the city the
Andes rise, beautiful and sublime The
scenery is enough to inspire any one with
its majestic beauty.
THE CAPITAL OF COLOMBIA
"BogOta is built up chiefly with adobe
houses, that have a very unprepOssessing
appearance on the exterior. But the in
teriors of many of the houses are elegantly
furnished and equal in many respects to q
Fifth avenue mansion. 1t costs 81 600 to
pay the freight on a piano to the city, yet
nearly all the well-tO do people have them.
From the mouth of the Magdalena river
piano Is transported on the backs of labor
ers 70 BOgOta, a distance of seyenty-fivs
miles. This is one of the expensive items
in freigbting. There are no vehicles, the
country is too uneven. The city, however,
has a system of street cars that some en-
terprising American company built They
are drawn by small mules and make very
good time. The fare is 10 cents in Colom-
bian money. The currency of the republic
is greatly deprecated and 10 cents there Is
about equivalent to a little over cents in
the United States. One great blessing on
their street cars is that no one is allowed
to stand. II there is no vacant seat the
conductor will not let the car go until the
supertiuOus passengers get off.
The mail facilities are poor and there
are no letter-carriers. The houses are not
numbered and it would be difficult to di-
rect letter, except to the general post
office The wealthy citizens have boxes at
moderate rentals for their mail, pretty
much the same as here. The way residents
are found is simple enough. The streets
are laid off in plazas and named. John
Jones, such and such street, South
plaza Get in the neighbOrhOod and make
inquiries for John Jones. The houses are
entered through an areaway to the side,
which admits first TO an ante-chamber.
The wealthy all have courtyards, beauti-
fully laid out
The police do duty only at night. In
the day the citizen take care of them
selves. Four policemen are stationed at
the four corners Of a plaza Every fifteen
minutes a bell rings, which causes the
guardians of the city To blow their whis
ties and change posts. IL is impossible
for them to sleep on their beats by this
system. They are armed with lassoes,
and piniOn the prowling thief when he is
trying to escape by the dexterous use OF
this formidable weapon. They also have
a short bayOnet as an additional weapon.
SOCIETY, HIGH AND LOW.
Petty thefts are the chief crimes. The
natives are a mixed race and not imbued
with the daring bOldness which cracks a
bank. They will steal IS cents, drink or
a little thing, but you can easily trust
them with 5000 or 10000 as messengers
When they work they go at it in earnest,
but they are not fond of exertion- 1t is a
curious sight to see them going about
with loads. They generally go in pairs,
one behind the other with a stretcher. 1
had to move and was surprised to see how
easily they moved my furniture. 1t cost
NE no more than it would here. The ma
tives of the lower class are fond of drink
ing and gambling, They have beverage
called chica, which has a vile smell. II
makes an American sick to smell this
drink. Ii does not intOXicate as quickly
as whisky, but it stupefie5. The streets
are drained by bitches running through
the center.
Society Is very exclusive and strangers
call first. II the visit is returned the
doors Of society are opened The predom-
mating language is Spanish, but all the
upper classes speak French They get
everything from France too, in the way Of
dress and luXuries. | don't know why it
is, but they do not care to speak English.
1t is absolutely necessary to speak French
to get along. The city is a city Of para
doxes, of great wealth, of great poverty,
and peculiar mixture OF customs that
often puzzle the stranger Flowers
bloom perennially. There is no season Of
blight, of snow; no season or heat, but one
equsble temperature that nourishes and
forever keeps plants green Everywhere
the heliOtrOpe, fuchsia, violets and rhodo-
dendrone grow in rich profusion--New
York Mail and Express Interview.
When jefferson Fell In Love-