El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-11-03
From One Who Was There.

L G. O'Brien, who recently return
ed from Guatemala, where he had
been for five years, and is now In the
employ of tha Mexican Central as air
inspo ctor on this end OF the line, was
seen by a HERALD reporter yesterday
and questioned regarding the climate
and railroads of that country. He says
there was a time during the revolution
down there when the natives were
very suspicious of the Americans. He
says the Americans were searched by
the Guatemala authorities and IL the
smallest kind of knife was found on
them the blades were broken out and
the handle returned to the owner. The
Americans complained of this kind of
treatment 10 Pres dent Barrios aud an
order was issued by him stopping the
practice. Speaking OF that country,
generally, Mr.. O'Brien said:
The fret two months OF the rainy
season which commences in May and
continues until October is the most
hazardous period of the year for the
health of the visitors to Guatemala.
The luxurious vegetation OF the coun-
try which is perfectly dry previous TO
the beg inning of the rains Is beaten
down by the extreme severity of the
rainfall aud the dead grasses which
hold the moisture until reached by the
sun then veritably steam under the
violence of it's tropical rays, and at
nigh fall when touched by the chill oil
the mountains the atmosphere reeks
with the miasma and malaria arising
from the decsy5d vegetation and hangs
like clouds in the valley at twilight.
At this time yellow fever Is found
along the seacost and at San Jose the
seaport of the Guatemala Central rail-
road. But the country further to the
interior becomes more healthful as it
rises and at the terminus OF the Guate-
mala Central, which is Guatemala City,
the climate is quite favorable the al
titude being about four thousand feet.
The Guatemels Central is ct present
under the management of Col. b. b.
Hudgiu with offices at Guatemala City
and besides the main line from San
Jose to Guatemala City operates as
branch line from Escuintla to Santa
Lucia aud Patalul making a mileage
of about one hundred and fifty miles in
all. The equipment is up 10 date The
road is rock bsllasted aud laid with
heavy steel rails. The passenger trait
fic is very heavy as is also the freight,
the principal commodities hauled be-
ing coffee grain, livestock and lumber.
The prosperous merchants of Guate-
mals City are Rosenthorn and Seus,
general merchandise, O'Brien and
Soas Carriage and Wagon factory from
San Francisco. Others in various lines
do large business. There is both an
English and American bank located at
Guatemala City.
The Occidental railway represented
by Mr.. Adolfo Meyer, director gener-
al, has a mileage of about one hundred
miles and extends from Chsmperico TO
Cetslhulen at which latter point their
general offices are located. The we'll
aud fav0rably known Mr.. Geo. Phelps,
IN, nd
inteudent of the Southern Pacific COM
pany at Tucson was at one time super
intendert of this road. and has the re-
cord of being the most practical rail-
road man ever ia Guatemala, but I'M
fortunately was forced to leave the
country on account of the climate.
The Guatemala Northern railroad
under construction from Port Barrios
to Guatemala City was checked in its
course Of construction and work on the
line entirely suspended by the some
Barrios.
This line was no completed when
the writer left Guatemala but had
beautiful route and was surveyed for
81 miles through the mountains and
terminal facilities were already built
in Guatemala City.
One OF the best money making es-
Establishments in Gustemals, is the
sawmill of Prince 81 Co at Santa Luz
cia. The output being mahogany
white and red cedar and ironwood.
Rubber trees also abound in Guatema-
Ia and one American says that he
made mere in six months in the rub
Der business than in three years rail-
road service.
Trainmen in Guatemala receive
from elk 10 eight dollars per day in the
currency of the country which equals
about three or four dollars gold. Ma
tive laborers receive three to four
reals per day Use AM and an sllot-
ment of ground which they can Guilt
vate II they choose to do SO.
Living expenses are very cheap in
GuetemGle, excellent accommod atoms
being obtainable at about 70 cents per
day 10 Guatemala money.