The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1897-12-11
GUATEMALA.
AND HOW sEitE CARES FOR HER
cH'Ml RAL CLASSES I
ar's or Central America" Worthy
IONS Aessabse Consideration The
~ trs'lce- s1n Govern'ssnt En- ploy-:
Joys of Prison s.,fe.

/
:" lUorrespoadence.-Thel longer one remasnl
: (shts "Psras of Central america" the NOR,
e appreciates its manifold beauties and TIN
@ess inclined he is to leave it. The wonder
grows why more Americans do not come
down here to spend thewinters- the SUI.
ners, for5that matter, us there Is little change
p the temperature between the wet season
Ind the dry and it is hard to say which i.
most desirable. The few days journey from
New York or New Orleans to Guatemala soap
tal Is not an expensive one. The climate
It this elevation in the semitropics, is a:
near perfection as can, be found on this nun.
lane sphere, and the healthfuiness of the re.
zion remarkable. You may rent fine Span.
.sh casa, with it's big. rooms and fioweryp patio
It's! fountain and palms and fig trees, literally
Oraa song as compared to house hire in oul
northern cities. Servants wages are alb.
surdly low, and since Guatemala la Nueva is
now in direct communication with the cute,
world by rail to the port of San Jose, provi.
lions are cheap and abundant. The mountain
views, the charming rides and promenades
ind the novelty of daily life here to the for.
slgner makes short residence full Of delight
But let nobody Imagine that in coming t,
Guatemala lie is leaving civilization behind
The Paris OF Central America we'll deserve.
It's title. Many millionaire coffee planters live
here, rich men who spend their money freely
Ind hav" lived in European capitals long
enough L! know how to spend it. AS before
mentioned, the city is lighted by electricity;
'tramway lines run in all directions, and the
telephone, mail, and telegraph systems are
equal to those of any other country. Public
instruction is placed within reach of the
poorest. without distinction of race or 'tpre.
'v1ous condition. in numerous schools where
teaching is advanced to the highest degree.
Among many notable institutions rsos ret de-
Fscribed in these letters are two banks--the
International and COlOmbiano; a nuHlbe; Of
'asylums and charitable retreats. both native
and foreign, public and private; the custom
house and revenue buildings; the liquor and
tobacco BUREAU the courthouse; the posi-
and telegraph office; the new penitentiary,
and score of interesting churches. In every
ward are handsome fountains with baths and
public reservoirs for laundry purposes.
The Water Service.
All the water used in the capital is brought
by two .aqueducts, from rivers eight or ten
miles away. Inside the city limits are twen-
ty big reservoirs, whence running water is
drawn by whoever will. They were con-
structed by Dictator Barrios, and being cir
cular in form, with stone steps, are as orua-
mental as useful. Around these reservoirs
are small sinks for washing clothes; 'frst
Boz come, first semed"s is the, layenEers' motto,
and from dawn till dark they are WreakinS
vengeance on somebody's clothes. The So
'journer in the hotel, having given out his
washing, is likely to be astonshed by the
sight of 1t in course of his perambulations in
the streets, being scrubbed to tatters in the
stone tubs, o. spread to dry on the curb, in
full view of passers-by; and, ten to one, he
turns his head away and refuses to recognize
his most Intimate acquaintance in the line OF
,undergarments. Great water lovers are these
'Guatemalans. Large, ,open-air swimming
tanks abound; also public lighthouses, with
hot and cold water and other modern improve
ments. Every private patio has its foun-
tain, Or huge circular stone basin which
serves the double purpose of family laundry
and bathing place. The women, particular
" the servants, seem to have a perfect craze
for washing the hair, which is always long
and heavy. and requires hours to dry; custom
permits them to go about the streets hatless
and at any time of day you may meet them
with beautiful glossy, black hair hanging
down their backs in wild disorder, drying in
the sun.
In Cove I'll III ent Employ
A noticeable air of neatness pervades every.
thing in Guatemala city, from the we'll swep.
streets to the freshly succeed walls. Even
the huts of the poorest are remarkably clean
and in no back alley can you find such filth
and sGualor as prevails in certain quarters OF
New York city. Tramps are unknown, and
beggars are seldom seen, except around the
church doors. 1t seems as if nine-tenths OF
the people are servants of the government in
one capacity or another, and all of them in
splck and span uniform, with the shinest OF
buttons. Many public works are in progress
employing a. least thousand native labor
ers, who receive so cents dayvmagnifcent
wages.
There are number of young American!
here, earning good wages as mechanics, and g
few others who are out Of a job and sponging
on the employed. Among the latter are some
reckless fellows whom the police regularly
hold up when they are abroad at night and
search fer arms, usually with SUCCESS, Among
its so-called modern Improvements" this
western Paris delights to consider itself des-
iperately wicked; but it's wickedness may be
easily avoided by respectable people, being
,confiE ed to certain quarters of the city. Vice
never flaunts itself in the streets except when
lit comes down now and then from San Fran
cisco in gay gowns and bleached tresses, OF
when foreign young men imbibe too much
liquor; and then it Is promptly put behind
prison bars aud given ample time to consider
the error 'of It's ways. .H -,
The model penitentiary, in the suburbs Of
THE capital, is we'll worth visit. The elder
|Barrios spent good deal OF time, thought
land public money upon 1t, and It's mainte-
nance is no small expense to the government
1T consists of a vast pile of buildings, sur
rounding an ample courtyard, with a walled
yard, the size of a city square, adjoining, ant
"a large unwalled garden. The usual features
of the model prison are all here, including
schools and a hospital.
Convict Labor.
\ In them the trades are taught, besides
something Of the lore of books and little re:
tligion thrown in. The shoeshop turns ou
excellent shoes for the army and the officers
of the penitentiary, and some for sale to thu
spublic. Its tallor-shop makes uniforms TO-
Ithe soldiers, as we'll as for the convicts. 1T
.armory makes pixies and bayonets for tn
army. and repairs the arms OF the soldiers
and police. The harness shop makes har
ness for the artillery branch of the army ant
horse trappings of various kinds for the cav
airy, besides elaborate gear for the officers
horses. The carpenter and w0Odworkin
shops manufacture and repair all the ofic
4 furniture for the government buildings, but
nothing for sale. One Of the most Interest,"
Ing places in the prison is the tile factory. AN
expert maker of fancy tiles, such as are useG
in the United States for ornamenting hall
way walls, and church towers in Spanish
America, was brought over from Europe to
superintend this department.; and undR- Aisl
were placed a dozen convicts who were eGps-
rienced in making Guatemalan pottery. ClnJ
OF excellent quality is found in the vicinity
and materials for glazing are imported. The
convicls soon become greatly Interested in
the work. and proud of what they turn out
and now every one Of the dozen Is rs expert az
the European instructor. There are also
blacksmith's shop and handlooms for weav.
ing plain, blue cotton cloth, not unlike our
denim; and IsaW several men weaving stout
cotton thread into sashes, such as take Tho
place OF "suspenders' In all these countries.
The true Spanish American winds long