The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-10-21
OUR SAN JOSE LETTER.
Costa Rica the Paradise OF
this Terrestrial Sphere.
GROWTH OF CovEEE TRADE
The Propagation of Banana The
Secret Of Costa Rica'. It,
dustry-Etc
Special Correspondence OF THE HERALD


Though the straI ger within thes
gates sees much that seems absurd ant
semi civilized in contrast to northern
institutions, he Is sure to become 81
much attached to the hosgitabls ant
kindly peopie-so deeply N love Will
the dOtaS fur miate of lie here, and tn,
mountain scenery decked in eterna
summer-that to tear hims-lf away be
comes real grief, and The longer l.,
remains the more difficult the task.
have met a number of American
families, now iViug in CoSto Rice, who
declare they would not exchange tEeil
homes here for the best the United
States can afford. And, indeed, with
proper surroundings, (that is with the
loved ones at handy one may
LIVE AN IDEAL LIFE
in Hispans-America, environed BY
snow-capped peaks and picturesque
beauty, under skies as blue as those of
NAPLES, the Beautiful" with wealth,
plenty and contentment among the
other products of ones farm IN the
tropics.
II Paradise is ultimately to be
located on this TERRESTRIAL sphere, a
many suppose, it will sur ty occupy g.
position halfway up some tropic
mountain-1n tltrrG tenlpLGde of Central
or South America, or in the Hima-
layas or West Indies-Where altituue, a
little higher or lower, confers all those
tavors which in other countries result
only from complete change of location.
1t was the beauty of this newly dis
covered land, as much as the cry of
EL Dorado, that cause the crusaders of
Cortez and CordeVa to forget the IN
washed ramparts of Cadlz and the
grape laden valleys of the GuadaIete,
the saffron-sprinkled Sierras of old
CASTLE, and ali the pictorial pride of
Spain-eyen their richly arabesoued
homestesds, and the Moorish beauties
and luxurious loVe-making of Anda-
lusis.
and in these days, men of different
mold are seduced from ancestral homes
from the kinsfolk they love and laws
they reVerence-to reside permanently
IN
THIS REMOTE CORNER OF THE EARTH,
whose loneliness reconciies them to the
isolation every foreigner must feel
where another language is spoken and
other modes OF thought prevail.
Among the happy exiles whom have
visited here is an American physician,
formerly from Philadelphia, who owns
one OF the finest houses in Costa Rica's |
capital, but who prefers to live upon his |
weva-plantation, few miles distant. |
he and his speak of the CITY of |
Brotherly love with tenderness, nothing |
could induce them to return there as |
permanent residents. l have also been |
entertained on the best |
br0d and vintage of the Rhine, in the |
eGsus of several Germans who long ago |
became citizens of Costa RIGA; and |
tacture of cotton cloth, saddles and |
sombreroS. And many times have | |
shared the hospitality of genuine Eng |
lish homes transpIanted to this country, |
where all the gayety and good cheer of |
Merrie England" furnished to perfec-
ton amid gardens in perennial bloom.
Not long ago, | accepted an invitation |
to spend fortnight at the plantation of |
q New Highlander who resides midway |
between Matoria and San Jose. This |
worthy gentleman, with his wife and |
three small children, came to Costa RIGA |
about twelve years ago, after having
FAILED IN BUSINESS
n the oYercrowded North. Scraping
iogether the remnant of his fortune, he
money had when he arrived here, barely
enough to clear the land for which
he owed the government, and though
he first six months was hard squeezing
70 maintain his family, he has sue
;eeded beyond his widest hoLes. To-
lay he is not only free from debt and
OWNS home beautiful enough to satisfy
he most aesthetic, but has hf ndsome
surplus well invested, and a sure in
,ome growing up all around him.
The sincere good will of the Costa :
2ican government-of its wisdom in
Wishing to encourage immigration-is
proved by the liberal inducements held
lut to those who will come and M AXE {
ZONES here. In order to purchase pub
ic lands in this republic, it is not
necessary to possess much ready
money, for the buyers may become a !
lebtor to the national treasury, and {
lay at his own convenience. These '
vary in value according !
o their distance from the centres of I
'opulstion-are sold at public auction. +
Tor instance, two acres near San Jose |
7ill probably bring about $3.50; while {
ey ond the mountains, in those vast
orests to the north and south. 100 t
ores of really better land may be pur-
based for $50. The natives estimate S
be cost of clearing and preparing land I
Dr. crops at about $40 per acre; but no I
oubt an energetic Yankee farmer '
rould accomplish it for half that sum. i
LAYING paid to the government a Ger. /
ain amount of the purchase money lin T
lost cases the merest trife,) he takes e
ossession of the land, and retains it h
long as grass grows and water runs" i
aving on the claim a yearly interest 6
4 per cent. OF course, so long as the
ebt remains unpaid, he has
NO DEED TO THE ESTATE :
hich he may bequeath or otherwise b
lspose of; but he has fair chance CT s
,lling the same, and meanwhile c
le yearly interest amounts to very i
nall rent. T
Of all tropical countries, Costa Ricas s
Ill and climate is most inviting 70 the C
AID besl adapted to Ameri- I