The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1897-07-28


plant in. Here is where the machctC
: ana noe is used. / saw thousands of
acres planted in corn whore the land
IS SO steep that an OK or horse could
Z aot possibly get over it. These corn
llelds usually are from onc-half acre
10 three or four acres i'm extent. ana
are reached by winding, zigzag trails.
saw several instances whore \ na-
0lVc TIED raWhido rope around his
waist ana the other cnd to a tree on
1le hillside so he could plant his
corn, as msstep on the stccp hill
side would surely mean death to him.
Ah's may seem rather absurd to YOU,
out nevertheless it is true.
Guatemala City is located in a val
Icy at an elevation Of 5000 feet. sur
rounded by high ranges of mountains
or rather peaks, several of which are
volcanic but are inactive at the pres
ent time. Population OF city cstjm-
atcd ut about $4,000: buildings are
DhlluluSa uis. r. v,sz>]-.yu.,. - -
narrow and hollow in the middle nne:
sidewalks from three to six feet wide.
Rain falls here every day now in tor
rents and every street is a little river
for an hour or 50. 1t has a system Of
water works. sewers and electric
lights which would be il credit to any
city. This city is surrounded by deep
ravincs from 500 to 1900 feet deep; it
is impossible to get into the city cX-
ccpt over a few trails which it
must nave required much time and
labor to build. One Of these trails is
about 40 feet wide and is paved with
rock for several miles. Can travel
It with wagons for distance Of Il
miles, which is as far IS it is possible
TO get from the city with wagons,
Ranch produce from every direction
is carried to the city market on the
heads or backs Of natives. Every
thing seems to be- done the hardest
way. There is a good supply Of car
riages here and Il good driveway to
the presidents palace, abont three
miles from the heart Of the city.
The wealthy class put on plenty Of
style here. Today the statue erected
in honor Of General Barrios (nOW die
tator) was unveiled in front of the
summer palace: grand military dis
| pay il llla VI gums; GNtlh Ms. l'1tsN-
ing, reading Of declaration Of indie
pcndcncc, etc.
Tie financial condition Of the colul-
try is very bad. business is on tla
bum, very little being done. Rail
road construction has stopped owing
to a lack of money: much is now due
the railroad men and they arc afraid
they will get very little or nothing.
Americans here in business mostly
get out Of the country. Money Of
the kind they have here is very plcn-
ty, but it has no value. A United
this money. Americans get hold Of
al the American money they can.
Inc only money it is necessary to
have here is plenty Of United States
currency or gold. Exchange is read
lily made. Everything is very high:
meals 81 90 to Sl.25, bed or hammock
to sleep in Sl.o0 to Sl.5O, pair of
common shoes SIG 90 to $50 90, gov
crnmcnt Ovcrcoat such as can be
bought in the States for $500 they
ask $500 for here, California canned
fruit Sl.OO per can, and everything
else in proportion. Such a thing as
a good square meal is almost out Of
the question: there are places in the
city where one can be had, but not
for less than $1,000 to $500 for one
meal. Such thing as fruit is never
seen on table here except occasionally
at an American restaurant; may Oc-
casionally get California canned
fruit for dessert. The natives in the
country live on tortcocs and frcolcs
| I'll Kind Of corn cake and bcanS). Poo
pie live poorer here than anywhere !
ever saw, yet | sec no reason why
they should not live we'll. Cattle
and hogs arc very plcuty. A good
fonr-ycar-old steer or bull VIII dress
probably 300 pounds. Cattle are
very poor, look worse than range cat
tie in he spring in the north: they
are beginning to falten up since the
rainy season las begun. Hogs arc
fright to sec, most Of them very lean
and poor and very small in size, very
| few of them will dress over - to 100
pounds when ready for market. The
pork is very nice and sweet, with but
| AiGb4S' i'tI' - dhNi - I'ittil.' y DllG IttL
tit to drink: have not had Il drink Of
good water since ! have been in Cen
tral America. Springs on top of the
noun tains or in low lands all the
same wafer, So warm il is not fit to
u,inh. IvhLI'cS nave CartIen vessels
to let water stand in until it cuols-
imagine a cool drink of water in a
country Of s. deg. Fahrenheit. In
many places the water is milky, as
from alkall or some mineral sub
stance: in some places very clear but
nauscating and not lit for use. prob
ably caused from decaycd vegetable
matter. Taking everything into
consideration | think il rather I'M
, desirable country to live in under the
present conditions.
My friend, DR.. Gwinn, wished to
know j there any good chances for
physicians here. There certainly
should be, IS there is plenty Of sick
ness at this time Of the year. 1t is
necessary, however, to speak Spanish
iluently: physician must pass an eN-
animation ia Spanish before he can
get a permit to practice medicine. |
would not advise any one to come to
Guatemala, as there is very little to
be made here at present, and even if
man had his pocket full Of money
In tliE lla l.1iaht