The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-09
THE FUTURE OF GUATEMALA.
Lieut. MOrgan's Impressions of the
Country and Its People.


Lieut.. Casey Morgan. United States
navy. attached to the Dolphin" is in
Savannah On leave Of absence. to recover
from the results of an injury received on
board the Dolphin. when engaged in sur
veying the Bay Of Honduras. for the Qua
temalan government. He is a guest OF his
uncle. Mai. P. W. Meldrim.
Lieut. Morgan gives an interesting de-
scription OF the Commercial hopes and
possibilities of the Guatemalan republic.
President Barrios, who is a nephew Of
Gen. Barrios. was educated in the United
states and is married 10 an American
lady. He IS a man Of advanced and lib
erdl IDEAS, and has endeared himself TO the
people OF Guatemala by MS policy in build
tns me Nortnern railroad, which extends
from the Atlantic TO the Pacific coasts,
between Puerto Barrios and Guatemala
Slly, ana which viii, when completed,
essen the time between san Francisco
ana New York, via the isthmus, besides
Delng a Keen competitor Of the Panama
railroad.
At present Contractor sylvanus Miller.
an American friend OF President Barrios,
mas completed about rs miles Of the road,
ana expects TO complete the remainder,
aDOuI lg miles, in the next eighteen
months. Lieut.. Morgan says the road will
open up the great coffee districts of Qua
ssMdla' especially the Coban district,
WlnCh produces coffee only second to
Mocha in quality
Coban coffee is not wen known in this
country o!I the, greater part of the yield
Delng shipped to Liverpool and Berlin, as
II IS greatly sought in Europe.
fuerto BarriOs, Lieut.. Morgan says has
a hne harbOr, and docks with a depth
~ = Ieet up 10 the dock line, and is des-
tlhed 70 become one of the most impor-
tant seaportS on the Central American
coast from Belize TO AspnWall
line of steamships runs weekly be-
tween New Orleans and Puerto Barrios
lner principal trade being cocoanuts and
% "a "a nsaahas, the weekly shipments averaging
oV'y9V ounenes Of banaras. There is also
a Inc OF steamers between Puerto Bar
IloS ana New York run by Englishmen,
S9aiil3g from each port every two weeks.
Lately another line has been started be-
tween Puerto Barrios and Mobile.
AT the request of the Guatemalan gov
eminent Endorsed by the board Of trade
of New Orleans, the United States gov
eminent, in view OF the predominant
American interests in Guatemala consent
ed 70 make new and complete survey
OF the harbors and approaches of Puerto
Barrlos, and of Livingston, which are
situated on the Bay of Honduras, with
IN ten miles of each other. The Dolphin
was detailed for this duty, under the
command of Capt. -Burwell and a new
chart was made, showing the new shoals
and dangers which have formed since
The Dolphin arrived there on Jan. 2,
ana was engaged in making the survey
Guatemala differs from other foreign
~ aces, in the point that American inter
es IS predominant there The proposed
ne Nicaragua canal may possibly divert
50 me OF the expected trade from the
Ni)rthern railway. Lieut.. Morgan
sa i'd that Guatemala being the
la igest and most prominent of the
Central American republics it Is the object
or much Jealousy and distrust on the part
OF her sister republics, and the efforts of
thS' Guatemaian government looking to-
WA"ds consolidation of the Central Amer
ica1t republics have been Intellectual for
this reason.
4
City as the finest city south of the City of
Mex co. 1t has a population of 200 600 in
habit ants and possesses electric street rail-
ways electric lighting system a grand
city, IS only drawback being the difficulty
of gen ting there from the coast, which en-
tails abroad travel of 125 miles, and then
three days journey on mule back over a
rough Nand stony road.
Puert 0 Barrios, Lieut.. Morgan says, has
great future, enormous railroad shops
having been started there and II will boom
when Ttle railroad reaches it. The great
ditiiculFi, al present is to procure labor the
natives finding 1t so easy to live on fruits
and fish that they are content with their
primitive mode of existence, and refuse TO
work. 11le labor necessary for building
leans. |"I
The peopl lie of Guatemala consist of three
distinct ella Sses: the Guatemalans proper
who are a. mixture Of the Spanish and
American indian, the aborigines Indians.
and the Cal lbs, whose origin is shrouded
III ODSGuflLN Inc ldILer. Lieut.. Morgan
said, RESENT lie our negroes onderfullv
and are dOub, tess the descendants of runa-
way slaves. II ley speak a language which is
absolutely vi ltranslatable, and have no
legends or hi story. They are of a very
low order OF intelligence, and are much
given to supei stition.
The Honduri IN government, seeing the
success of the request made by the Qua
temalan government, filed a like request
with the depar ment that their principal
port, Puerto Ct)rteZ, should be SURVEYED
by the Dolphin. This request has been
complied with BY our government and the
survey made by the Dolphin, which has
just completed the work, and returned
to Key West.
Lieut.. Morgan Rsays that affairs are very
quiet in Guatenl ala. The president is
elected for six yea rs and the con stitution
prohibits a re-elec ton. The popularity of
President Barrios is so great, however
that when his term expires, in about two
years, it is likely tn at the constitution will
be amended to per nit of his reelection
Old Gen. Barrios, the presidents uncle,
has the credit of bringing Guatemala from
its primitive state t') its present high civ
iliZation.