New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-15
tFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF rnE TRIBUNE;

Guayaouil. March 4
No other town on the West Coast can
rival Guayaqui in sinister traditions. II
has the evil repute Of being the hottest
and most unhealthy Of South American
cities. Extreme humidity and high temperature
are mentioned the Characteristic features OF
it's climate Chimborazo can be distinctly seen
from lis streets clear day nj a distance of
seventy miles So continuous are the rains aud
so heavily banked with clouds is the SKY that
elmpscs of that majestic mountain are not offered
! ofener than once month. Guayaquil is COM
monty described as having the foulest, darkest
and worst paved streets 10 he seen in this part Of
the world and rs being the least progressive Of
SpaniSh-American towns Its water supply has
been persistcntly neglected at the expense of
public health. All modern Improvements have
been obstinatey resisted as revolutionary lnnova-
tions. Its hotels have the reputation of being
rrctrcvably bad and It's mosquitoes are birds OF
evil omen of which the traveller hears extra
ordinary tales all along the coast. \ dog that is
notorious for vicious prOpcnsitcS is generally
found 10 possess some rcdceming traits; and so
is il with Guayaqul \ stranger expects Ia see
pla.uc-spot and is surprised by the sight of
brisk commercial city The atmosphere is humid,
but Para, Rio, BucnOs Ayrcs and Lima have
their periods of Indictment clOscncSs. ChlmboraZO
is rarely seen but scvcntymilc prospects are In
frequent in all South American cities except
Santiago. There are dry rs well a. wet seasons,
and the temperature rarely exceeds s. degrees.
The streets have been Systematically neglected.
but engineers are now constructing reservoirs on
the hills north Of the city, and water supply
is the first Of a series of municipal reforms.
/ The hotels are perhaps fully as bad as they are
represented, but the mosquitoes OF the Guayas
River do not rs is commonly reported. succeed IN
/ Ohstructing navigation by clearing wher house
and deck of officers and men. Guayaqull has a
trade Of very large volume which imparts an
air of hustle and activity 10 its dingy streets and
crumbling wharvcs This is the means Of re-
tricving is unfortunate reputation. II I'M
presses tie stranger as being The most important
commercial centre between the Ishmus and Val
paraso
Cuayaquil il practically the only port Of a
country cqualling in territorial extent our New
ENGLAND and Middle States with Maryland. ONO
and Indiana added Ecuador has estimated
area OF 1880 square miles, divided into seven
teen Provinces with population Of lOO,Vuo
Spanish whites. 100000 half-castc, ald 500 600
mll-blooded Indians tn IS is the collecting
point for tie produce of this great district ana
the base OF ~, foreign supplies Situated thirty
miles from tie mouth Of the Gull Of Gu1yaqdli,
n has "a good Larbor. which can he reached nv
vessels # the heaviest draught under favorable
conditions II the tides several inland rivers
are navlablc beyond H. and the mule-roads lead
from n 10 Quito, the low-lylng coast lands ami
the forest belt Of the Montana. II Is tie only
distributing point for the exports and imports Of
Ecuador With all thc Disadvantages Of an en-
cryatiug and pcstlcnual climate, ana OF me re-
dictionary tendencies Of the least progressive
Government on the southern continent, II has
surpassed Callao in population, having now about
b. 600 inhabitants The volume Of It's bust
ness is steadily Increasing, and II gives promise
| of becoming under more enlightened political
conditions one Of the most important commercial
centres Of South America. FOR "A mile along me
water front there are substantial warehouses and
! shops, and there D., hrsk movement III TIE
business streets which one does not expect 10
find So near the equator. The town itself with
its o,alnt doublc-towcrcd churches OF simple
.rLi,o.,,ral lines and ifs vcather-heaten houses
with dccp nitched tiled roof, and ragged walls of
timber coated with PLASTER is not impressive; but
ifs ranidlv dcyclopiuc inland and foreign trade
entities II 70 serious consideration among Span
ish-Amrrican cities
The imports received Al Guayaqul last year
amounted I'm round numbers 10 Sl"ooo,uo"
,Ecuador currency. and the exports sent ont made
another Slo.ooo.ooo The share which the
United STATES had i'm this commerce was about
one-Gfh The import, from American ports
consisted larley of lumber. kerosene and lard,
and amounted ~ S2.oO0.Ouu. The exports
/ shipped 10 the United states nearly equalcd the
irportS cornprlslng rubber. coffee. hides. cocoa
and other articc, TIL, exhibit impressed me
- extremely encouraging I'm IN, absence Of direct
lines Of American steam communication. For
many vc,rs I'm, FOREIGN carving trade OF Quay
aouiI ,,,, i'm thc hands of the English. The
| pacific line di.natchcd almost the only steamers
,viich ,ycre soon i'm this port. Within few
years a French and TWO German lines have be-
cun f. comuerc for tbe business. and since 1856
| rho CHILEAN steamers have made regular trips to
this mort in their northern and southern voY-