Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-11-28
COSTA RIGA.
MOST soUGHERbY or NORTH
AMERICAN REPUBhICS.
The American Consul Gives Interest
Ing Facts Concerning It-The
City OF SanJose--Educa--
ton and Commerce.

United States Consul at San Jose, Costa
RIGA, appears in the current issue of con-
sular reports from tho State Department.
The little republic Of which he speaks is
the most southern of the republics of
North America, and occupies that high
aud narrow ridge between tho oceans,
from the summit of which Balboa first
saw aud named the great Pacific. Con-
sui Mackay estimates tho area of Costa
RIGA TO be about $4,000 square miles,
and its population about 250, 900 souls.
The surface of the country is mountain
GUS and volcanic, but perhaps no couu-
try in the world is more generally aud
richly fertile. Tho climate of tho coast
is hot and unhealthy; that of the inte-
rior is perpetual spring.
San Jose, the capital aud chief city of
the republic, is situated in tho fertile
valley of the same name, about sixty-five
miles from the Pacific const and 100
miles from the Atlantic. Tho city is
surrounded by lofty and picturesque
mountains, whose sides are embroidered
with coffee estates and green pastures.
The streets are sufficiently broad, but
the sidewalks are everywhere narrow
and sometimes dwindle to nothing at
all. The houses are after tho style in
vogue in all of the countries south of
the United States. They are usually
built of stone or abode, plastored with
out, and generally, except on the streets
dedicated to commerce, arc one story
high. No buildings of moro than two
stories are ever erected.
No pretensions to architecture arc
&$de, and the buildings, public and pri-
vate, churches excepted, may be de-
scribcd rs four walls, jutting roof of
tiles, and patio or interior court,
around which the various apartments are
grouped. The public buildings of San
Jose are decent and commodious.
In the centre Of the city is q small but
beautiful and luxuriant park, which is
carefully kept in order, and is adorned
with sparkling fountain, the most
brilliant tropical verdurc and birds of tho
gayest plumage.
The more important public cdiicesesa,
the Presidential palace, the palace ofs
Government, the insane asylum, tho mu-
scum, the "Fabrica dc Licores," the Gu
thedral, and the hospital of San Juan do
0AOSs ~ iiuSSblii 10 ~ spurious CQluCc.
containing an interesting collection of
birds, animals and Indian relics. The
market is we'll constructed and occupies
the whole of large square, yet COM
plant is made that it is too small to ac-
commodate the crowds which throng
there on market day. Saturday is mar
kct day, and is q day of noise and hustle
in San Jose. From carly morn is heard
the heavy rumble of the ox-carts bring
ing the produce to town, and oil day
long the streets of the city are crowded
= with the country people and resound
with the uproar of commerce.
Under the administration of Don
AIauro Fcrnandez.- late Minister of
Foreign Affairs and Pubic Instruction, a
new impulse was given to the eaIse of
education il Costa Rica. Colleges were
SSnHks9, additional schools opened,
those aSeady in existence fostcrcd and
maintained, and large sums of public
money expended for the laudable pur-
pose of atfording facilities for education
to his youthful countrymcn. During his
recent visit TO the United States he oc-
cupicd his time in the laborious, yet to
him grateful, task of Il minute and care
full study of our educational systems aud
institutions, that he might convert to the
benefit of his birthplace these highest
boons offered by modern progress. The
population of San Jose is about $4,000.
q The more important towns after the
capital arc Carriage, Hendia, Alajucia,
\ Punta Archas and Limon. Punta Arenas,
a town of 5000 inhabitants, is the port
on the Pacific coast of Costa RIGA; Limon
4 is the port of the Atlantic.
4 The people arc peaceful and prosper
a Gus, and are dedicated almost entirely to
a agricultural pursuits. Almost every man,
n however poor, has his little house and
d plat of land. Their habits are simple
and their wants few. 1t is not uncom-
y mon tc encounter barefootcd and illit-
4 crate countryman possessed of lands and
money to the value of $40, 900, 500, 600
z or $4,000. These rustic magnates
trudgc pretentiously in front of their
numbering ox-carts, like any hired
|8qaborcr. They may be known by their
sleek, well-kept oxen. As the Arab
loves and cares for his steel, SO does the
rural Costa Rican love and care for his
Il bxen.
HI All the towns of Costa RIGA are con-
hected by fairly good wagon roads. The
Hallway from Limon to San Jose is COM
hleted as far as GARLIC, that is to shy,
sithin tYenty miles of the capital. 1t is
expected that this line will be open to
for fhe whole distance in August
Sext. y
IS The chief productand source of wealth
81 Costa RIGA is coffee, aud by far the
rger part of the population of the coun-
~ derives its support from the cultiva-
lon of this fragrant berry. The number
4 coffee trees in the republic was calcu-
ted in 1888 to be 25,24s, 6s6, and the
lumber of coffee estates, 1907. Coffee
ands near San Jose are held at $1,000 an
Ere, but at some distance from the prin-
pal towns land for coffee planting may
Ss8& purchased for $500 an acre.
@ "The enterprise of Minor G. Keith, an
telligent, energetic and indefatigable