Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-06-13
A IFfrER FRoM euArsMALA.
Characteristics of the PaFis Sf Central
 America.
lenAcIa1 corres,ondence.l

gance and repose; a city of 10000 inhab- itants, built upon n plain surrounded by the precipitous sides of deep gullics, where, previous to 1773, there Was nothing but Il Single hermitage; q city commeflced 2H 6enturics Rfter Pedro A1varado had eofi- quercd the country. It Is built to order, laid out with the regularity of thS squares on chessboard and containing splendid edificcs bf lime and stone. Its elevation of 5, 1000 feet endoSs 1t with a climate that may be compared to a perpetual autumn.
 An article has gone the rounds Of tb~ press commencing, "If there ever was n country stepped in blood of civil strife, it Is Guatemala. To one who has lived in this country for inafiy years and enjoyed the hospitality of its generous and sympa- thetic people such ealumniouS reports pro- duce feeling of shame and regret at the display of ignorance concerning this Gttle known country.
 Since Rufino Barrfps, uncle of the pres ent president, marched down from the heights of QuezaltenangO, sOmo 20 odd years ago, and put to flight his opponents an army whose ammunition consisted of cartridges loaded with charcoal-the country has not seen n single revolution to involve tho land in civil strife. Previous to this a leader of moro humble origin than our own rail splitting presidcnt-fur he was pig driver-occupicd the prcsi- dency in comparative peace for upward of 85 years.
 With tho entry of that wonderful man, Barrios, the watchword "progrcss' was added to that of ''liberty," and former priest ridden people throw off tho yoke of bigotry and began the strife to put thems selves on level with other nations. Qua temala had everything to contend with. It was the least known and the most diff cult of access of the five Central American republics. Shut in from the outside world and for years there appeared but little hope for this country. whose Indian popu- latiOn Outnumbcrcd the white crcoles five to one. But BarriOs was master of tho situation. With one blow the double bar rcd cOnvents and m6naSteries were thrown open. Useless property, the aceumulations of years of begging friars and monks was confiscated and turned into government schools, with the words "progress" and liberty written over the doors.
 In6olent Indian tribes were gathered in like the truant children of a negligent parent Some were sent tu school, and others made to work building roads and turning virgin forests into productive fields of coffee. Tho inventive, Eo ahead and thrifty "Gringo" was encouraged to como into the land and turn up the sod, q railroad was built from the coast to tho capital and n port established where for mcrly but n long line of breakers beat upon the sandy beach. Telegraph lines wcro constructed throughout tho country, and scarcely had electricity been pronounced a success for Illuminating purposes than a company was organized, and the streets of Guatemala were lit by electricity The telephone was in active operation before many of our northern cities had given it a serious thought, and police force, mod clcd after "thc finest, ' was established un- der the supervision of captain of New York squad.
 And thus this progressive spirit has con tinued without apparent check since its inauguration by its illustrious progenitor, Supcrflcially the city has undergone but few changes in the past ton years. Here | are the same massive blocks of tiled houses the same lofty, domcd churches, the samc jingling hrllrd horse cars which then wcro n new institution, and the same mingling classes of pcoplc-the neatly dressed ere ole, the careless, swaggCring foreigner and | the gayly clad sunburnt Indian.
 look in vain for my old boarding house, with emhowcrcd garden and vine covered portal. The house is there, the same old orange tree and fig tree, and maybe those are the same flowers, but the kind old sen oraS who waited upon their guests with such hospitality, they have gone. The house is no longer n boarding house, and am obliged tO seek lodgings in q modern ized hotel, where l am deprived of the | pleasure of attending to my own horse and must minglc with guests from foreign lands, who know nothing of the delights of native hospitality.
 | Tho boil of the ice cream vcnder denotes a luxury in the reach of Hll, for formerly ice was an article only procurablc from the distant height of the volcano Del Fuc- | gu and sold at a fabulous price. Now a number of ice factories compete in supply | ing the city with an article that has be- come almost indispensable.
 | Near the corner of the Plaza de Armas we discover n soda water fountain supply ing a constant stream of customers, an other innovation which the people seem to havo readily taken to. While we are here | at the Plaza dc Armas let us take n look at the cathedral. Its lofty walls riso in all their purity and majesty and look down upon the plaza. An, but the plazaI That | indeed has undergone q change. Before | my time Barrios had driven the market women out with their pots and baskets, and now m iron fence inclOses the space filled with exotic plants and trees. The old cubblCstOnc pavement, surrounding a curious statue of stone in tho midst of a fOunt of water has given place to mod | Crn improvements. Tho ground glass globes of tho electric light swing above, and gravel walks wind between blooming rusebushcs and fcathcry lcavcd palms. | Crossing tho plaza we enter the offices oi the chief of police and you who imagine | Guatemala to be country of the half tam ed savage look about. Never were such furnishings moro complete or rich. Tho plush carpet fairly sinks beneath yOuI tread, and the walls arc one mass of draper ieS and decorations to match tho beautiful upholstered furniture of native mahogany nor does the chief strangely contrast with all this elegance. Dressed in neatly cut suit of black, he meets you with a courtc Ous smile. Nor k he dCspOtic in his sway mid all thls clrgancc, but gives a hearing to the poorest petitioner.
 His police arc equipped with clubs and wear blue uniforms, all imported from the United States.
 All the art of modern architects does not saem to improve upon the dwellings built by the Spaniards many of which occupy the quarter of an entire square. To tho stranger they may look sombcr and unat tractivo with their iron balconies and arch cd portals closed by massive, studded doors
 But once within what joy and delight
 may await you! The rectangular housC surrounds q delightful garden-a minia ture park, with an evorhowing fountain in tho center. The perfume of flowers fill the air, and vines weave screens of lattice work up and down tho corridor where yoJ may swing in your hammock and lazilJ watch tho smoke of your cigarette, unmo
 tested by curious gaze of passerby.
 JAMES T. ROBINSON. |