Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-04-30
ABOUT VENEZUELA.
Interesting Facts That Are Not Gen
orally Known.
causes.


New York Sun: The area of Vene-
Zuela is $4,000 square miles, larger
than that of any country in Europe
except Russia, and larger than that of
any state in the United States. The
area of Texas is 265, 900 square miles.
The population of Venezuela by the
last census was 2,550,O00. This is more
than Denmark's and less than SWitzer-
lands. 1t is about the same as that of
Massachusetts. The last official esti-
mate of the population Oh Massachu
sets, made on Jan. 1, 1894, was 2,472,-
900. By the federal census Of five
years ago, the population of Massachu-
sets was 2,23S,OO0.
Caracas, the capital and chief city of
Venezuela, has a population of 10000
or less than that of Fall River. 1t is
built on an elevation of 5000 feet above
the sea level. It was founded in 1867.
Caracas is an Indian name; the name
of the Indians of the neighborhood
which the Spanish pioneers affixed to
the original title OF the new town, San
tiago de Leon. In 1912, the year of
the latest American war with Great
Britain, an earthquake in Caracas
buried 10000 persons in the ruins of
part Of the city. The date of this
earthquake was March 26.
There are 2OO,O0O,OOO acres of forest
lands in the republic of Venezuela.
Rosewood, satinwood, mahogany and
white and black ebony are found
The distance from New York to La
Guayra, the port of Caracas, is 1920
miles. In addition to coffee, gold and
fine woods, Venezuela exports hides,
cocoa, and cattle.
The distance from La Guayra to
London is nearly 5000 miles.
The salary of the American minister
to Venezuela is $500. The rank Of
Venezuela's representative at Wash
ington is that of envoy extraordinary
and minister plenipOtentiary AL
though Venezuela has been for many
years republic, its official represen-
tatives are profound believers in a
conventional observance of official Ell
quette. A considerable number Of
diplomatic disputes have taken place
between the Venezuela state depart
ment and the representatives of vari-
Gus foreign governments over details
of routine and usage
On the north shore of Venezuela, Or
rather to the north of that republic,
are several islands of greater fame
than large area, particularly the island
of Curacao, a Dutch possession; the is
land of Trinidad, British possession
the island of Tortuga and the British
isle of ST. George,
Some of the most picturesque and
loquacious parrots and lively cockatoos
come from Venezuela.
The length of Venezuela from east to
west is 900 miles, and from north to
south us miles.
There are fourteen varieties of mon
keys in Venezuela and no cuckoos
The name Venezuela means Little
! Venice
/ The coffee crop of Venezuela amounts
| to s15,000,000 a year in value. The
/ average crop is $4,000 tons of coffee
! Two-thirds of this product is exported
mostly to England. Maracaibo is one
of the centers of trade; Maracaibo cot
! fee is known everywhere.
Venezuela first made declaration o.
it's independence in 1910. The present
republic was formed in 1880, in the
same year that Belgium became an in
! dependent monarchy. The rival pc
liticaI parties in Venezuela are thu
unionists and the federalists. The
former favor a centralized govern
ment; the latter are for home rule
Both are opposed to foreign invasion
encroachment or confiscation.
The army of Venezuela, on a peac
footing, consists of 1000 horsemen
. 1000 infantry soldiers and 1000 artil
, lerymen, exclusive of the local militi
= and irregular troops. By the law 0
| Venezuela all citizens between tn
ages of IS and As Cboth inclusive) ar
|, liable to service in the national militia
The average gold product of Vene
| zuela in year is S1,000,000. TIL
: standard of value in the republic Q
Venezuela is the bolivar, so called ate
2 Simon Bolivar, and the value of it
+ the same as a French franc-19.
cents. Venezuela does not produc
silver. Much of the foreign debt
, held in England. The exports of Ven
ezuela exceed the imports by 100000
! a year
Y There ere more than 200 lake
u within the boundaries Of Venezuel;
one of the largest being 1000 fee
: above the level Of the sea. The Or
noco river, the largest in Venezuela,
T LOO miles long. 1t is five times
e long as the Hudson river, but les
: than one-third the length of the Am;
S Zon, and less than one-half the lengt
A of the Mississippi. The roads Of Vel
r ezuela are inferior. Communication
l. difficult The government, howeve
It has expended large sums Of money fl
J. the improvement of the approaches
some of the larger towns. There al
II twenty states in Venezuela, the ofici