The Republican journal., 1897-10-07
san Jose Del Interior De Costa Rica.
scenes in the Capital OF 3 Central American Re.
public.

SAN JOSE, COSTA RIGA, Aug. 10, 1897.
Notwithstanding its air of newness, this
sight young capital is charming. Am
.Iuous. Industrious, modest and prosper
Us. it presents an air of thrift and we'll
do activeness uncommon in these lati
.des where the warmth of eternal sum.
uer inclines man and beast to laziness.
here, however, nearly ., 900 feet above
-ra-level, the climate is much more invig-
rating than on the blazing coast and in
lie lowlands of the terra caliente. Gil
,aatically, san Jose is blessed as the
arden of Eden, the mercury swinging
.om year to year between so and SO de-
ices. Whenever the tropical joins hands
With the sub tropical, the result is all that
artal man can desire in the way of natu-
A productions. OvershadOwing the low
OFFS and breaking through the red tiles,
tts of green foliage are everywhere seen,
ting Of Moorish courts inside the casas
IA palms and flowers around tie central
ntains, and of high walled gardens
ere figs, pomegranates, olives. lines and
u9naS flourish together, the luscious
il OF the mango tree fills the air with
france, and the glossy leaves OF the
fyJ mingle with the thick, dark foil
Of the bread fruit and the vegetable
der tree. No wonder this section of
STA Rica has been dubbed 1.-The Switz-
md Of the Tropics" Upon one side of
mountain valley towers the extinct vol
4uo. Iraz, and on the other frowning
1tdso lifts its snow~tields y, 600 feet to
rl the blue sky; while the encircling
.-ountains OF San Miguel sweep the hori-
on every hand. their rugged outlines
in the morning, purple at noon day.
leJhyst in the evening-ret1ecting every
tting cloud in ceaseless changes of light
t.l Shadow. Between these picturesque
hts and the town, pillows an ocean of
broken green, enlivened here and there
vhite-ttowered coffee groves and fields
Yeilowlsh sugar cane, In the p0tierds
eyond the suburbs herds of fine cattle
-le grazing. Along the country roads
-i through the city streets a constant
accession of donkeys and ox-carts plod
The former laden from head to tail with
produce of the farmer on its way to
lket, the latter carrying to rural homes
rlcleS Of luxury and convenience which
ave been brought to Costa Rica by the
Us Of England, France and GERMANY
manufactured in the American shops
anama. Unlike most defendants of
-e naughty Dons and Hidalgoes of Old
5stile, many Costa Ricans are neither too
.oud nor lazy to engage in work OF trade;
Id the natural consequence is unex-
implied prosperity fol Spanish America
Apugh the majority of san Jose houses
only ones story in height, most of them
4re the unusual luxuries OF chimneys
aj glass in the windows-not only De-
pse the nights are chilly at this altitude.
- because the more progressive Costa
ans are anXiously struggling mp to the
mes. The low mindedness of their stvle
architecture is not entirely due to the
4tyelsal taste of the people, inherited
.nm tAeir ancestors, the Moors; nor yet
.o.ause the patriots who built this new
Wiral just after their independence from
lain was achieved, in order to abolish
--y memorial of Colonial seryitude, had
I'VE to republican Simplicity" but
-aIIse earthquakes as well as patriots
pIosed to lofty pretentions Carriage
old Spanish capital, which once boast
i very handsome public buildings, a
aan tine churches, and a population of
$500. was almost destroyed by the great
-Aquake OF ISL Slight shakings up
# frequent occurrence in the valley of
H lose but only two or three times in
.se Of a century has much mischief
wrought However, that is quite
p enough. The last earthquake of
quence within the memory of the
.e~ inhabitant, killed many people, de-
She'd hundreds of homes and damaged
fe or less nearly every edifice in the
w.
starting out to do the capital, the
objective point is naturally the gov
ment Palacio. 1t is long, low. two
ed building in the Gale Colnerico,
OF stone and adobe, the exterior
lded and colored in imitation of blue
mite, and overhanging roof of red tiles
ugh modelled by German it pre-
'ars cheerful Italian aspect in har-
fony with its surroundings and the glow
n- Sky that canopies this happy valley.
assing several soldiers guarding its wide
ttehed gateway we enter spacious hall,
Dich leads into vast quadrangular court
arl This patio, paved with square tiles,
Its big fountain in the middle, and is
Irrounded on two sides by gallery 10
-tet vide, supported by another series of
"lumns and arches, thus forming two
'els or arcades, the upper one, Is feet
t'9Ye the pavement, finished with pref
balustrade of bronzed iron. The roof
l the building, besides extending out
ward over the sidewalk, runs 10 feet be-
ond the walls enclosing the court. thus
'"vering the arcades. Once inside the