The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-17
LIFE IN COLOMBIA. N
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF soeoTA,
THE CAPITAL CITY,

Street Cars, Freight Charges, Mail FAellI-
ties and FOlIOe-sOCIsty, High and Low
Drinking and GambIIng-A City Of
PaFadoxsE-FlOWers.
Hon. Charles D. Jacob, United States
minister to the republic Of Colombia, ar
rived In the city the other day on . 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
e!gners. The city OF Bogota, the capita,
has population OF 10000. 1t Is q beautl-
full city, situated on plateau OF the
Andes mountains 1900 feet above the
sea level. The temperature rarely ever
varies tho season round, and averages %
Fahrenheit, Just back OF tho city tho
Andes rise, beautiful and sublime. The
scenery Is enough to inspire any one with
It's majestic beauty.
THE CAPITAL OF COLOMBIA,
aBogota Is built up chiefly with adobe
houses, that have very unprepossesslng
appearance on the exterior. But the In
teriors of many of tho houses arc elegantly
furnished and equal In many respects to
Fifth avenue mansion, 1t costs 81 900 TO
nay the freight on piano to the city, yet
nearly Rll the well-tO do people have them
From the mouth OF the Magdalena RIVER
piano Is transported on the backs OF labor
crs to BOgOta, u distance OF seventy'nVe
miles, This Is one Of the expensive Items
In freIghting, There are no vehicles, tho
country is too uneven. The city, however,
has system OF street cars that some en-
terprising American company built. They
aro drawn by small mules ind make very
good time. The fare Is 10 cents In Col0m'
bun money. Tho currency OF therepubllc
Is greatly deprecated aud 10 cents there Is
about equivalent to 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 lot the car go until the
BupcriluOus passengers get oil.
@rhe mail facilities are poor and there
ara no letter-carrlers. The houses arO not
numbered and IL would DO difficult to d.
rect u letter. except to tho general post
office. The wealthy citizens have boxes ut
moderate rentals for their mail, pretty
much the slmgus here, The way residents
are found Is simple enough. Tho streets
are laid on In plazas and named. John
Jones, such and such street, South
plaza, Get In the neghborhood and make
Inquiries for JOhn Jones. Tho houses arc
entered through m arGaway to tho side,
which admits first to IN ante'chnmber.
The wealthy nll have courtyards, beautl"
fully laid out
"The police do duty only Mt night. III
tho day tho citizen take caro- OF them
selves -Four policemen are stationed ut
tho four corners OF plaza Every fifteen
minutes bell rings, which causes the
guardians OF the city to blow their Wills
ties and change posts. 1t Is impossible
for them to sleep OIL their bGats by this
system. They arO armed with !assoess,
and pinion the providing thief when no IL
trying to escape by the dOxteEous rse OF
this formidable weapon, They also have
u short bayonOt US an additional weapon.
SOCIETY, HIGH AND LOW.
aPetty thefts are the chief crimes The
natiyes ure mixed race and not imbued
with the daring bollness which cracks a
bank. They will steal IS cents, u drink or
Il little thing, but you can easily trust
them with 5000 or S2O,0 900 rs messengers.
When they work they go at 1t In earnest,
but they are not fond Of eXertlon. 1t Is a
curious sight 10 see them going about
with loads. They generally go In pairs,
ono behind tho other with stretcher. l
had to move and was surprised to SEQ how
easlly they moved my furniture. 1t cost
mo no more than 1t would here. Tho M.
tiyes OF the lower class are fond OF drink
ing md gambling, They have beverage
called chica, which has vile smell. II
makes an American sick to smell this
drink. 1t does not intOxlcate us quickly
as whisky, but 1t stupoilOs, Tho streets
arc drained by bitches running through
tho center.
society Is very exclusive and strangers
call first. II tho visit is returned tho
doors OF society arc opened. The predoni-
mating language Is Spanish, but all the
upper classes speak French. They get
everything from France too, In the way Of
dress and luXurles. don't know why IL
Is, but they do not care to speak English.
II Is absolutely necessary to speak French
to get along. The city Is o city of para
doxes, of great wealth, OF great poverty,
and peculiar mixture OF customs that
often puzzle tho stranger, Flowers
bloom perennially. There Is no season OF
blight, OF snow; no season OF heat, but one
cQuable temperature that nourishes and
forever keeps plants green. Everywhere
the hellotropc, fuchsin, viOlets and rhode.
dcndrone grow In rich Professionalism
York Mail and Express Interview.
when jefferson Foil In Love.