Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-02

yet the entire annual yield of Nicaragua's
precious metals, SO far, does not exceed
100000.
The volcanic formations along the Pa
cific coast are rich in pumice and sulphur
while the interior basin has andesyte,
greensboro, trachyte and metalliferous phos-
phorites, succeeded by crystallized schists,
dolerites and metamorphic beds, extend
ing, so far as known, beneath the alluvial
deposits from ocean to ocean. The noun
tains of northern Nicaragua, besides con-
tanning deposits of gold, silver and copper,
are full of iron and lead Under Spanish
rule, some of these mines were carefully
worked but since the people have gained
their liberty-which word, to most of them,
signifies the blessed privilege of doing
nothing = industries that require much
labor have been mostly abandoned.
Though the greater portion of the
country consists of plains and gentle slopes,
formed of rich, black loan, agriculture
is at low ebb, and but comparatively
small portion of the land is made available
Corn, rice, beans and bananas are the staple
food of the people, and are raised in
abundance and sold very cheaply. Arrow.
root, bread-fruit, tomatoes, citrons manic G
coffee, cocoa, cotton and sugar are amo n.,
the other products. The sugar-cane. of
this section IS said to be much softer and
raore juicy than the Asiatic variety.
Some wheat is also grown in the h fes,est
attitudes.
Nicaragua cotton is of superior aasltity.
and formerally great quantities 4 II were
raised; but now it is almo d wholly
neglected, simply because the s.zg people
do not like the labor invo wed in is
cultivation. About thou SnpG serosl,ss
of indigo are annually aanflfacturel.
besides considerable India rubber; bat
to these two industr' as we will
devote future especial ate, Itioa. The cof-
fee of Nicaragua is said be good as any
in the world, and bettert' mar much oftbat
in general use at the ,rth. MIR. Henry
@. Potter, of Philadelpl iia. the Consul for
Nicaragua at that port, is doing his best 10
induce the City Of Brot herlv Love to trans
fer some of its trade to their southern
brethren. He says t ,et Sc. O00.eeO worth
of coffee is annually nnsumed by Pennsyl-
vania alone, which is. mostly purchased in
New York, thus en- itching the merchants
of that city to the detrirnent of Pennsyl-
vaniaus. Since Nj caragua can furnish as
good coffee as any !, Mr. Potter insists that
| much of Pennsyl eania's surplus manufac-
tured goods shor Id be exported to Mica
rague, in excha' nge for coffee. What is
true'ef that Stat e may apply equally well
to other portions Of the United States.
| The estimated amount of Nicaragua
exports averages S2,051000 per annum,
and her imports above one and a half mill
ions of dollars. The principle articles of
export are gums, dye-woods, coffee, cocoa.
irdigo and hides. The imports are chiefly
i European manufactured goods, at least
itwo-thirds of them coming from England.
ia few silks, gloves and wines are received
From France linens and glassware from
! Germany; other things from Chile and
4 Peru; few articles of furniture manu-
(; featured by Americans located at Panama
but almost nothing from the United
States beyond little beer and tobacco.
Tropical fruits abound, including excel
lent oranges, lemons and pineapples. At
present, Nicaragua's chief source Of wealth
consists of cattle, vast herds of which
range the extensive grazing districts on
the eastern side of the great lake, where
the pasturage is unriyaled.
The population of the republic is reck-
oned at 000-only about 10000 being
whites, the rest negroes, Indians and half
breeds. All male Nicaraguans between
the ages of Is and ,35 are in the army
which may perhaps be one reason why the
Carts of peace" are SO neglected. being
left to women and old men. A number Of
young Nicaraguans have been graduated
from Northern colleges and returned to
practice the learned professions in their
native land. A score of these duslly lads
are now attending the University of Penn
sylvania, through Mr.. Potter's influence
FANNIE Is. WARD.