Tombstone prospector., 1897-08-16
INTERESTING LETTER.
What G. w. McLane Tells of
 a Distant Land.

MEDELIIS REPUBucA DE COLOMBIA,
 SOUTH AMERICA, July l0.b. 1897. ED. PRosrECToR This city Is sitast- ed some 1900 aboge inc sea, has pop u.ation of some GO,OOO souls, and the c.esnest and one o. the best cities in the Republic. Everything looks clean and prosperous and tie the people are quite refined while thei: commerce is strong and active.
 There are q great many foreigners here in different occupations. The gold mines here are producing heavily as they have been for years, and this department Cf Antiyquia IS considered one of the most important, in fact the most important industry in the Re- public. The railroad, the great civil izer oI all countries is being pushed on towards Meielhn with considerable energy by native capital thus obviat- ing the 100 nille mule back ride to reach it. Two Of its directors SIT Alonso Angel and sr. Charles Rsstrepo two very aasble, influential and rich gentlemen Of this city to whom l had letters of recommendation from the capital are very active and enihusi. astic over the final aIiyal Of the road here.
 ST. Carlos Restrepo, of the richest firm here, invited me 10 the "guinta" Polka the other day for ride on one of hi. splendid horses, beautiful pacer, and showed me over his estate.
 A "guinta" Is s suburban or country residence. The gdin;s Polka is sbou! s mile from the city ss the crow flies, and about 1900 feet nearer heaven. We went up over a serpeutine trail, all the way covered with soft sod and b.au,ildl csrptty grass, covered here and there with little clunps Of trees and banana gardens and many wild frui.s.
 Here, in this beautiful spo,, which dominates birdseye view of the city and nino smaller towns ia the valley at our feet, shut in by the towering and majestic Andes, covered with great fore3ts, this eccentric man has built himself beautiful home, with gardens, ysrds, cattle paitnIes. his great and beautiful pct peacscks, his fountains, graded walks passing through the wild trees, along which courses a beautiful mountain stream, whose rippling song, with the solifude oi the neighboring woois makes one wish to lay down and be luIlcd 10 sleep by :sc sosg c: nature.
 He introduced me here 10 his son in,law, apieasant young gentleman, and his sympathetic daughter, who were recently married and are spenG- ing their honey in tLi. besuti- iul mountain home. I spent 6 very pleasant day here, eating will fruits and strawberries and wsnderingi in the neighbsriog woods with Don Carlos and bis son-in-lav.
 The typographical situation of this department is peculiarly adapted 10 the cultivation Cf all the fruits of the tropical cline, as well as most of the excite fruits and grains Of the temper ate climes, as here you have the cold yalleys Of the elevated Andes es well as the hottes, valleys of tho toI,id zone.
 Ina man whe dedicates himse!f to the scientific cultivation of the grape has cure future awaiting him here.
 One man here. a poor fellow who has one grape vine, this year sold fifty dollars worth Of grapes of of it at two dollars Columbian money, or cay twenty dollars gold.
 The government here does not allow the making of vine in order to secure the interests of syndicstes, who pay | the government 6 certain revenue f)r | the monopoly of the sale Of all liquors, bu. the gale Of grapes only for table use is a fortune in itself, and no doubt l a special permit could be obtaine1 fer this one department to mako wine.
 The gold mines here, as well as col 1 iea, sugar and cocoa have been 90 pro- ductive that no one has turned his at- tention to grape culture. ]
 G. W. McLANE.