St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-08-05

and wanted too large a sum for itself
or, what is more likely, did not want
so we'll organized a rival to threaten
the earnings of her own national
lottery. Then the republics of Colon
bia and Nicaragua were each tempt
ed with the honor OF giving a name
TO the new company, but each de-
clined that distinction, and so it
finally canN begging to Honduras.
the least advanced Of all Central
American republics, and the most
heavily burdened with debt. Hon
duras agreed to receive the exile.
and to give it her name and pro-
lection for the sum of $4,000 a wear
ana 70 per cent of the gross earnings.
II would seem that this to a coun-
try that has not paid the interest
on her national debt for twelve
years was a very advanta geous bar
gain; but as four presidents and as
many revolutions and governments
nave appeared and disappeared in
the two years in which the lottery
people have. received their charter
IN Honduras, the benefit of the ar
rangerent to them has not been an
obvious one, and it was not until a
year ago that the first drawing of the
lottery was held at Puerto Cortez.
The company celebrated this occa-
sion with a pathetic imitation of it's
former pomp and ceremony. and
there was much feasting and speech
making, and special train was run
from the interior to bring important
natives to the ceremonies. But the
train fell off the track four times
ana was just day late in conse-
quence. The young man who had
chage of the train told me this. and
ne also added that he did not he
lieve in lotteries.
Durlhg these two years, when repre-
sentatives of the company were TAX
ing rldes OF nine days ca ch to the cant
TAI 10 overcome the objections of tho
new presidents who had sprung into
ONCE while thsse same representatives
hau peen making their return trip to
TIE coast, others were seeking a foot
hoid Tor the company in the United
states. The need of this was obvious
ana imperative. The necessity which
mad been forced upon them of holding
the drawings out of this country. and
OF giving up the old name and trade
mark, was serious enough, though il
mad been partially overcome. 1t did
not matter where they spun their
wheel; but if the company expected to
1--we there must be some place where
1t. could receive it's mail and distribute
its tickets other than the hot little
Honduranian port, locked against all
corners by quarantine for six months
OF the year, and only to be reached
during the other six months by a mail
that arrives once every eight days.
The lottery could not entirely over
come this difficulty, of course. but
through the, aid Of the express compan-
les of this country it was able to eff
feet a substitute. and through this
cumbersome and expensive method of
transportation its managers endeav-
ored to carry on the business, which in
the days when the postoffice helped
them had brought them in twenty
thousand letters in twenty-four hours
They selected for their base Of opera
tons in the United Safes the port of
Tampa, in the state of Florida-that
"
unhappy Englishmen who have in
vested in the swamp lands there under
the delusion that they were buying
town sites and orange plantations, and
which masquerades as a winter resort
with a thermometer that not infre-
quently falls below freezing. So Tampa
became their home. and though the
legislature of that state proved incor-
hn lot
selves tell me, there is at least an un-
derstanding between them and those
in authority that the express company
is not to be disturbed, and that no
other lottery is to have a footing in
Florida for many years to come.
1t was in the boat of the New Or
leans line that l finally awoke one
morning to find her anchored in the
harbor of Puerto Cortez.
The harbor is very large one and a
very safe one. 1t is encircled by noun
tains on the sea side, and by almost
impenetrabIe swamps and jungles on
the other. Close around the waters of
the bay are lunches and rows of the
cocoanut palm, and a village of mud
huts covered with thatch. There is
also a tin customs house, which in
cludes the railroad office and a COM
andancia, and this and the jail Or
barracks of rotting white washed
boards, and the half dozen houses of
one story belonging to consuls and
shipping agents, are the only other
frame buildings in the place save one.
That is a large mansion with broad
verandas, painted in colors, and set in
a carefully designed garden of rare
plants and manaca palms. Two poles
are planted in the garden, one flying
the blue and white flag of Honduras,
the other with the stripes and stars
of the United States. This is the home
of the eXiled lottery. 1t is the most
pretentious building and the cleanest
in the whole republic of Honduras
from the Caribbean sea to the Pacific
slope.
I confess that I was foolish enough
to regard this house of magnificent ex-
| terror, as l viewed it from the wharf
as seriously as q general observes the
ramparts and defenses of the enemy
before making his advance. 1 had
taken a nine days journey with the
! single purpose OF seeing and getting al
the truth concerning this particular
i building, and whether I was now to be
viewed with suspicion and treated as
| an intruder, whether my object would
| be guessed at once and I should be
forced to wait on the beach for a,le
next steamer, or whether | would be
received with kindness which came
from ignorance of my intentions.
! could not tell. And while [ considered
black Jamaica negro decided my
| movements for me. There was a hotel
! he answered, doubtfully, but he
thought it would be better, if Mr.
Barross would let me in, to try for 6
room in the Lottery building. Mr.
Barross sometimes takes boariers. >
he said, land the Lottery building i:
a hne house. sir-fineSt house this
side of Mexico city" He added. ell
couragtngly, that he spoke English
very good" and that he had been il
London.
Sitting on the wide porch of the lot
terry building was a dark-faced. dis
Notwithstanding little man. a creol,
apparently, with white hair and whit,