Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-07-27
IN CENTRAL AMERICA.
J. G. Armitage Writes Of Guatemala
Experiences.


The following letter was received
by 7, NJ. Jones from j. G. Armitage
who has recently returned to Central
America:
GUATEMALA, July S,-This is a
beautiful morning, temperature
neither cold nor hot, ranging between
60 and Is. 1t is as near southern
California climate as can be; not quite
as cold nights but cold enough to
sleep with two or three coverlids over
us.
! had very good trip from the
States here. The Gull and caribbean
Sea were as smooth as glass, hardly a
ruflle to be seen. was not particle
sick but able to partake of good
square meals all the time. had a
very pleasant trip on cars 1856 miles
and 2! days trip on mules GA miles
with not one drop Of rain and it was
right in the rainy season. Praise the
Lord! how wonderfully he has cared
for me!
found our people all well and
nicely situated in comfortable house
Of five rooms with large porch facing
east and garden Of Il acres all walled
| in with wall six or seven feet high
with several peach trees and about a
bushel Of peaches, seven fig trees
quite full Of figs, one magnolia tree
and very nice flower garden. The
soil is rich and have planted lots OF
garden truck, one.half acre OF corn
| .
and beans, peas, carrots, squash,
melons, radishes, lettuce, egg plant,
onions, cabbage, etc. We have let
tuce and radishes in abundance to
use and all other things are coming
on rapidly.
sold a $15 New York draft few
days ago for 81; $3.50 for $l5, how
is that for solid government and a
paper currency with no money in
the national treasury to redeem with.
Flour is 500 per hundred; corn
meal, 80 cents per pound; sugar "a
good brown home mado) Is cents a
pound; can tomatoes, $3.50; Caliior-
mia peaches, $3.50 a can and every
thing in proportion. The markets
are full Of vegetables Of nearly all
kinds. There are two markets and
the largest is as large as the Kansas
City one.
There are street cars on several OF
the principal streets, one dummy
line and one run to 18th street by the
Pacific train and one on quite num-
Der Of streets by mules; good accom-
modations; fare first class one real,
l2l cents this money, second class
81 cents. Streets are well lighted by
large electric lights on main streets
and outskirts with incandescent.
They are far better lighted than Kan
sas City.
The people are about so per cent
Indians. Houses are mostly one
story plastered inside and out; some
pink, some blue and some straw and
yellow 'and quite number white.
There are several very nice parks,
one owned by the Pacific railroad is
two blocks from us. There is quite 0
sprinkling Of English speaking people
and German Jews mostly in business
There are pears, peaches, ounces
} oranges and lots Of tropical fruits
} cannot give the name Of as we heal
J it in Spanish. The stores are full o
goods Of every kind but it does seen
. queer to price articles, shoes, for in
} stance, from $40 to $35 a pair; lard
} $ll.5O for 20 pounds Irish potatoes
$3.50 for 25 pounds; rice % cent
best; milk, l6 cents bottle; eggs, 81
! cents a dozen; chickens, 70 cents
cabbage 25 cents head; best pine
apple, 81 cents; coffee, 25; oatmeal
50; fresh pork and beef, 81 cents
states cheese, $3.50 a pound; salmon
, 75 cents; sardines, 25; states ham AM
. bacon, sl.O0 pound; states brooms
g sl50 each.
y j. e. ARyITAGE.
y ----s >s<-