Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-23
A NATURAL GARDEN.
The General Appearance and Re-
sources of Spanish Honduras.
TRYING A YANKEE LOCOMOTIVE.
There is Great Field Opening for Ameri-
can Enterprise.
A SCARCITY OF FULL-DREss SUITS
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE p1srArcH.l


CENTRAL AMERICA, June This Is the
chief port of entry to the Republic and the
beginning of that imposing line of railway
that stretches its black length clear across
the State to the Pscifc-on the map-but
which in reality extends just 81 miles from
the coast to San Pedro-where travellers
must take to mules or continue this journey
on foot-I this evening witnessed the most
notable event Of the season, the successful
trial of an American locomotive on this
bit of road.
1t was not exactly new engine, but had
been made to look quite respectable by paint
and polish, and presented striking con-
trast to the old, stackless and worn-out ma
chine that has been doing service for the
past 20 years, and when the new acquisition
came tearing along at the rate of II miles an
hour the enthusiasm knew no bounds. The
superintendent and sub-officers, with all the
local great men seated in the tender, waved
their hats, bowed and smiled, and the crowd
answered with deafening cheers.
After making three trips from the Custom
House to the ''lagoon," distance of about
three miles, the test was decided to be favor
able and the machine accepted, and every
body drank to the road and its management,
the Government, as whole, to the Presi-
dent and Cabinet, individually and collect
lively, to the United States and her repre-
sentatives, to everybody and anybody, and
the joy was universal. The general rejoic-
ing will not be wondered at when it is stated
that the trip from this point to San Pedro
has. up to this time, taken from 20 to 80
hours.
RIDING ON THE RAIL.
It seems incredible, but it is fact, with
the new locomotive it is expected to reduce
the time to five hours! The principal indus
try here is banana culture, and there are
shipped every week about 40, 900. punches,
at an;average rate OF 6 reals, or IS cents of
this money, equal to about 80 cents of
United States currency. am told by men
who have experience in this branch of fruit
culture that $3.50 per acre is not an unusual
profit, and that this sum is often exceeded.
The soil and climate are perfectly
adapted to this fruit, the labor of clearing
the ground being the largest item of ex-
pense, yet very few natives are found engaged
in this business, the whole being controlled
by foreigners. The residents are satisfied to
work two or three days out of week for
or reals, with which they can procure
a bottle of rum, little corn for tortillas
which. with frijoles, constitute their whole
living.
Clothing is hardly worth mentioning in
their bill of expense, as it consists, with the
men, of pair of cotton drawers and shirt
All are barefoot. Ladies dress little better,
their usual costume consisting of a calico
gown, sleeveless and short skirted, with
bright colored shawl to wrap about the
head when out shopping. Like the men,
they wear no shoes and smoke constantly.
PRIMATIvE SIMPLICITY.
Children wear nothing. but may be seen
running around at all times, with cigarettes
between their teeth. They are taught to
smoke as soon as they can sit up. Of course
it will be understood 1 refer to the laboring
classes. The merchants and their families
and Government officials dress as well IIas
the same classes in the States, and are, with
out exception, obliging and the very EN-
bodiment of politeness.
That the country offers great inducements
to enterprising Americans, cannot be
doubted. Probably no territory of similar
extent on the globe contains so much in the
way of mineral wealth, to say nothing of
rich soil and equable climate, capable of
producing everything necessary to existence
with the smallest amount of labor. Cocoa
nuts, bananas and pine apples do best near
the coast; further back on the uplands, cof-
fee, cocoa, tobacco, rice (upland), and
Indian corn abound.
The Northern fruits also do we'll on the
high plateaus of the Interior such as pears,
peaches, plums and cherries. In these ele-
vated regions the climate is like our June,
seldom exceeding 80 degrees in summer or
falling below go degrees in the winter,
though on some of the greatest elevations
frost occasionally appears. The scenery is
beautiful-the wide plains, fanked on every
side by lofty mountains clothed with mag
nifcent forests TO their very SUBMITS, around
which the clouds wreath themselves in
many fantastic forms.
IMITATION SNOW.
Often in early morning the vapors settle
in the ravines, looking exactly like snow
drifts-and have, often been mistaken for
such-but snow has never been known to
fall even on the highest points. This de-
lighttul region needs only stable govern
ment and an enterprising population to be-
come perfect garden.
Just now there is little excitement over
the prospect OF q continuation of the rail-
road to the Pacific coast. 1t is asserted that
a number of New York capitalists stand
ready to push the matter as soon as certain
Government privileges are granted, and
these, it is said, will shortly be arranged.
This is done that the State will experience
a boom that will be unequaled IN American
history, as this is the only thing needed to
release the now imprisoned mineral treas
ures that are known to abound at every
step. and at the same time will open to set
Element one of the richest agricultural belts
IN the world. N. TREBLA.