Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-16
A VISIT TO PANAMA.
Young America From the North is
Making Many Innovations.
RELICS OF TWO CENTURIES AGO.
Water Still Peddled About the City on the
Backs of DOnkeys.
TRADITION OF SAN DOMISGVS BELLS
,cOnnusrONprxcr OF THE DISPATCH.

nents, this section shows how hard and fast
the young America of the North is treading
on the heels of the older America OF the
South. "New" Panama, as it is called,
was founded in 1873, within two years after
the destruction Of the old town, and still
shows abundant evidences of its Castilian
origin. There are ancient casas of Moorish
architecture, as sedate, drowsy and heavily
picturesque as any in Grenada or old Cas-
tile; central courts inclosed within their
enormously thick walls, iron-barred case
ments, with folding doors of solid wood in
lieu of windows and awning-shaded corri-
dors and verandas; while sandwiched be-
tween them are Young American hotels,
stores, saloons. barber shops and boarding
houses, Haunting gaudy signs in red and
gold inscribed Free Lunch Every Day, "
Ten Cents Shave" Boston Baked
Beans and Clam Chowder," etc.
For 200 years the. sleepy old place had
never an inn, not until the California gold
fever of '47-'49 brought thousands OF travel
ers this way and then they sprang up by the
score. Now the number of hotels is re-
duced to two or three of the better class and
as many more of inferior grade, ranging in
price from 81 to s. so per diem.
Though surrounded on three sides by the
sea, Panama is walled like ieudal city, be-
cause the experience of its founders with the
buccaneers had been so disastrous that they
neglected no means of defense for the new
Capital. The wall, which is now partially
destroyed and overgrown by bushes, was
originally from 20 to 40 feet high, with moat
and bastions on its land face, battlements
and towers at frequent intervals and mounted
with many pieces Of cannon. The builders,
who had lately lost all at the hands of
pirates, spent so much money in the con-
struction OF this wall that at last the Spanish
King wrote to inquire whether the walls of
his expensive colony were being made of
silver or of gold.
UPS AND DOWNS OF THE CITY.
The Indian word Panama signifies plenty
of fish" and had been bestowed upon the
locality long before the arrival OF the
Spaniards. For more than two centuries.
until the comparatively recent period of
the overthrow of the Spanish domination,
this was one of the most opulent cities in
the New World, the key to the Pacific
and the great distributing center between
Europe and the rich countries of Southern
America. When the treasure-galleons
came sailing into its harbor from Lima and
Valparaiso, laden with the wealth of con-
quered nations, to be sent on mule-back
across the Isthmus to Porto Bello, where
the fleet waited to convey it to Spain,
its streets were crowded with wealthy
merchant Castillian grandees, gor-
geously uniformed officers of the army and
the Government,-the flower and chiv-
airy of "New Spsin;" while balls, bull
fights, gaming and excesses of all
kinds were the order of the hour Be-
fore the year 1856 the town was twice almost
totally destroyed by fire, and from that year
to 1867 its population seldom exceeded g.
900. The vast floating population that
swept through during the feverish days of
'49 could hardly be counted to Panama's
credit. With the completion of the 18TH
mian railway second era of permanent
prosperity began; and now its population
may be safely reckoned at 25, 900.
Like all SpAnish-American cities, its CEN
trsI feature is an extensive plaza, with
fountain and flowers, surrounded by the
most important edifces of church and State.
Straight through the middle of it runs La
Gale de las Monjas, or "Street of the Nuns,
which sacrilegious Yankees now call Main
street The palace" of the Bishop faces
Psnams's plaza; and beyond the flowers and
the fountain. is the great Cathedral whose
twin towers are said to be the tallest on the
continent, so tall that they indicate to YES
sells far out at sea the entrance to the bay
and port.
A MAGNIFICENT HOUSE OF WORSHIP.
This famous sanctuary is almost a fac
simile of the grand cathedral in the City of
Mexico, being built of stone and stuecoed
adobe, at least 200 feet long by 100 feet
deep, with floor of square red bricks, and
roof supported by four rows of massive col
umns. Inside there are the usual altars
and shrines, pictures, confessionals, burn
ing candles, ct cetera; but outside there is
marked difference, its towers being set
with innumerable round plaques of glass
that glitter in the sunshine like so many
kohinoors, while standing along its facade,
each in its niche, Is row of colossal
saints, all painted dark green.
There are half a dozen or more other
churches. of course all Roman Catholic,
and most of them ante-dating the present
century. The theater, an enormous struc-
ture, occupies an old convent, within
whose quiet cloisters, during 200 years,
black-robed nuns lived in privation and
prayer. Verify, this is an age of contrasts
Three years ago it was opened for its pres
ent use by Sara Bernhardt in series OF her
inimitable performances.
The educational institutions of the city
comprise several schools conducted by the
nuns; the Colejio Esperanza (Hope CoIlege)
for girls, directed and taught by teachers
from the United States; the Colejio del
Isthmo for boys; and two or three private
schools of lower grade. The most import
ant newspapers published in Panama are
the Gdcetd 0fcidl, the government organ;
the Star and Herald, issued daily in Span
ism, French and English, with two weekly
editions; and the Chronista, a Spanish
sheet
Unfortunately for Panama, there is no
system of public waterworks, though an
aqueduct has long been talked of. The in
hatitants are still supplied in the same
manner as were their ancestors generations
ago, by carriers going from house to house.
THE BUSINESS OF WATER CARRIER
descends from father to son and yields a
comfortable living, the only capital re-
quired being q donkey and two wooden
kegs. When fully equipped, the donkey
has a keg OF water slung on each side of him,
with a nosegay or bunch of fresh grass stuck
in the top of each keg, while the owner sits
aft, so near the tail that one marvels how
the poor little beast can keep Its footing un-
der pressure SO unevenlY distributed.
The pleasure-loving Panamaians are not
without their recreations and amusements.
One of the finest military bands in the two
Americas plays in the Plaza Major two
evenings OF every week, and on Sunday af-
ternoons, when all the people turn out to
hear. II is the fashion among all classes to
promenade upon the ramparts near the sun
set hour, especially on that part
called the Esplsnade, where the
old wall has been widened into q
boulevard. And right here is the