The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1897-07-24
FROM HONOLULU.
Frank Lazier Tells of His
Visit
TO CENTRAL AMERICA
With Uncle Sans Handsome War
Ship, Philadelphia.
NJ any Quaint and Interesting Sights.
Promenades With Pretty Spanish
Girl but she Could Only Look Sweet.
Couldn't Talk English and he
Couldn't Talk Spanish---A Private
Letter to DIR. A. NJ. Lazier,

Couldn't Talk Spanish---A Private
Letter to DIR. A. NJ. Lazier,
u. 5. S. PHILADELPHIA,
Honolulu, ii. l.,
July 10, 1897.
DEAR COUSIN I'll am still IN Hon
olulu and we will not leave before
September. / heard that Percy was
married, and do hope he will settle
down to business. l was going to
make liberty the day | got papers,
but decided to stay aboard and
read them. / see your are advertis-
ing your bike trick rack for soda
water trade, very, good scheme.
You must believe was very much
disappointed in not getting letter
from you, but hope to get one this
time. Now ! promised to tell you
of our trip-to Guatemala City so /
will give you an idea of the time we
had down there We left San Die
90, California, on the Sd of April for
Guatemala, Central America, to
represent and see to the United
States interests in the Exposition of
Central America. After five days
out we put in at Acapdea, Mexico,
to leave mail and proceeded on our
way to San jose That is the sea
port in Guatemala where we dropped
anchor after nine days run from
San Diego. This was my first trip
to sea and ] saw great many
things in the shape of sharks, whales
and great schools of flying fish and
porpoises and many other curious
things. After laying in San Jose
for few days we got word to be
be ready to land on the following
Sunday and proceed to the city, as
the Admiral and staff went up to
the city as soon as we got there and
made arrangements for the Battal
ion. The city of Guatemala is over 70
miles inland and is situated 90 miles
from the old city that was destroyed
by volcano over 100 years ago and
is between 5000 and 5000 feet above
sea level. So when Sunday came ev-
erybody was ready and eager to leave
the ship. After landing we formed
in regular marching order and pro-
ceeded to the depot where special
train was waiting for us. When ev-
erybody was on board we left for the
city to bring back honors and we did
bring back honors too. Now the train
leayes;as we go along at the first 20 or
25 miles we pass through level, fer
tile country before striking the ascent.
We pass many little villages where
there is a large crowd of natives who
not one of them ever saw an Ameri-
can sailor or marine before and they
open their mouths and wonder. They
pass so close to the cars out of curios-
ity to see what we look like that the
train crew have to almost beat them
back with clubs. We pass through
great tropical forests and fields of all
kinds of tropical fruits, and also great
coffee plantations which is the chief
product of that country. Now we
strike the ascent at the base of very
lofty mountain and wind our way up
until you can see far down below us
in the valley and can also see a very
faint outline of the sea. The scenery
is something grand, away up in the
mountain we pass the ruins of an
old Spanish city, and we pass the ruins
of many old converts and cathedrals;
we pass an old lake up in the noun
tains which was once the crater of
large volcano and when we made
stop near the lake for about Is min
utes to lunch we got out and went
down to the edge to take a peep over,
we see many natives washing clothes
and in bathing. Some of the boys
went down and got their handker-
chiefs washed, and a very rude meth
cd it was of washing. They use some
kind of bark to wash with and it
makes as good lather as soap. They
use stone and paddle to wash their
clothes instead of wash-board; and
we resumed our journey on to the city
and arrived about 2 p. NJ. Before we
get to the city we have full view of
it and it reminds one of the picture
we see of an ancient city
in the far east. When we arrive at
tiit QCpOU buC OlOWu 10 81 uCIcC VIC
can hardly find room to fall in. We
were greeted with cheer after cheer
from the people We were escorted to
our headquarters by the government
band of S5 pieces and over 500 native
cadets in flashy uniforms. In our
march to the headquarters the crowd
was packed in like sardiues on both
sides OF the street for blocks, for we
were curiosity to them, and grand
sight we were too for ever man had on
his full dress uniform with helmets
and presented fine parade. | will
try to describe as near as | can the
city and people. The people are all
Spanish and the city is Spanish city
with the exception of the 200 or 300
Americans there, and half caste Span
ish and Indians. The city is built on
the old Spanish style with the large
churches, forts, converts and public
buildings and each and every house
has its court and fountains in the
center. Such was our barracks with
court large enough to form a bat.
TALON in and a magnificent fountain
in the center and tropical flowers;
for they were fixed up for king in
stead of an American man-of-war.
We were given plenty to eat and had
nice clean quarters to sleep in and
were treated in every respect as if we
we were the President OF the United
States. On Sunday night the time of
our arrival we were all given permits
| sion to 90 ont and see the CITY and we
enjoyed ourselves very much. We
would go out in small squads of two
and three together and when we would
pass anybody they would stop still and
stare Mt ue nc If we wera great mon