Tombstone epitaph., 1892-10-30
A STRANGE LAND.
What George McLane Says About the Republic of
 Guatemala.

c. W. McLsne, whose letters to the PRosPECToR from Central America have been read with intense interest during the past year, is spending a few days at his home in the Huachuca mountains. MT. McLane was inter- 1 viewed yesterday by the PRosPEcToR and furnished some additional inform ation regarding that interesting coun- try.
 The capital of the republic is the ] city of Guatemala, which is reached by rail from the seaport town of San Jose de Guatemala. 70 miles distant. The railroad which runs between these two cities IS owned by c. P. Huntington, who has also been en- deavoring to purchase the road now in course of construction between the capital city and the Atlantic coast. This road is l9O miles long and is being built by the government They refuse to sell the road at any price.
 MT. McLane has sold an immense amount of nursery stock to the citi- zens of the republic, which will be shipped from Rochester, to which city he is now on the way. He sold g 900 worth of fruit trees to President Bar jos for his own plantation. The rainy season begins there in May and lasts until November. Two hundred inches is the average annual rainfall.
 The money in use is silver and bank bills. There are four private banks there, all of which issue paper money, which is considered as solid as silver. There is no gold in the country, the standard being silver and plenty of it.
 The great industry is coffee raising. During the present season there will be l ,5OO, 900 quinteles f1OO lbs) of the berry exported. Upon thls vast amount the government exacts an ex- port of $2 per 100 lbs or 5000, 900. Nearly all of the coffee is shipped te Europe. The labor used in the coffee fields commands 50 cents per day. When one desires to employ he goes to the public square, picks out his men, and the government furnishes a squad of soldiers to drive them to the fields.
 The Mexican dollar is worth about twelve cents more than the dollar of Guatemala. Each one of the Central American states discounts the money of the other.
 Oranges and lemons grow wild all over the country and have no value. Pineapples are sold from cent to 3 cents each. Grapes command $1.50 per pound and pears, which are lux ury, are worth 25 cents each. These fruits have not been cultivated there to any extent, but will be in the fu- ture.
 There are about 100 Americans in the city of Guatemala, engaged in diff ferent occupations, Nearly all the officials, from the president down, have been educated in the United States. President Barrios is himself married to an intelligent American woman, and has a kindly feeling for this country and all visitors from here who go to that city, whether for pleas ure or profit
 The fare on the railroads is cents per mile first class. The governn ent owns and operates the telegraph lines successfully and cheaply. The Pacific Mail steamers all stop at San Jose de Guatemala, which is the most import ant port at which they touch between San Francisco and Panama. The fare from Guatemala to San Francisco or San Diego is $75, while the fare from San Francisco to New York via Psn- anna is but $90.