The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-17

salvador ne was slain; his soldiers refused TO
follow any other leader, and the wheels of
progress were blocked. With Barrios died
the dream Of union Of the CentraLAmerican
| states.
If the reader of this letter had Travelled, as
have done, through the five republics and
seen the lethargy and inertnees Of the people,
he could almost wish that Barrios had lived to
accomplish his self imposed task and satisfy
his splendid ambition. Terrible as were his
methods they are the emily ones that will
force the people to develop this country and
! themselves and until another BarTios shall
come up the idea OF federation of the Cen
| trail American states is like unto a castle in
| Spain.
! San Jose, on the Pacific ocean, is the port
! at which one disembsFils to visit Guatemala
1t is the largest and most AOurishing Of the
sea towns on the Central American coast,
which, however, is not saying great deal.
It is blessed with q fine iron pier, few
official and serni-ofIiciaI buildings, a railway
station, and is backed by an Indian village
Of FIVE or six hundred inhabitants. a train
for Guatemala City leaves every morning.
The distance is ninety miles, the elevation
| 5000 feet, nearly ali of which is made during
the final rua Of thirty miles The Journey,
consuming six hours, Is one of extreme inter
est. Breakfast is served at the picturesque
town of Escuintla, in a cool patio, under
superb palm trees, and the food is delicious,
abundant and admirably cooked.
There is no ten minutes for refreshments"
The train waits nearly an hour for You to en-
Joy your meal, and then to sauntsT out among
the adjacent coffee groves. chat with the
senoritas or seek information from the court
eous soldery about. The officers viii tell
you many things Of interest One l found
who was a condensed encyclopedia 'Guate-
mala, senior, no sand, ''has a population of
million and a half, and Of that number over
a million are Of pure Indian blood. 1t has a
revenue Of five millions year; it costs for
government over four miIlionA annually, and
one million for the service Of its national
debt
Its principal products are coffee and sugar.
Since the days of BarriOS it has been very
productive, 1t has many schools and educa-
ton is compulsory. There are in Guatemala
coffee fincas producing from SIX to sixteen
thousand centals Of coffee a year, which
means yearly income TO the owner Of from
fifty to one hundred thousand dollars, SO
you can see some men in this country are
very rich. Along the line of this railway,
from the coast to the lake, is one vast sugar
plantation. and tho people are now all rea-
sonably prosperous. Over there IS a slightly
plantation which nets its owner from sugar
10000 pesos annually, and makes a beautiful
home" I glanced in the direction he pointed
and saw atypical Guatemalan hacienda, which
my ever ready camera brought into photo
graphic permanency. Thus We chatted until
the warning whistle of the locomotive called
me away, and in a few minutes we began our
weary ascent to thecooler elevation Of Guate-
maia City. We passed the largo Indian vii
lage Of Palm, with its strange traditions, the
people still speaking language and wearing