The times., 1899-12-22

The population Of Costa Rics by The
census Of 1864, according to the report Of
United States Minister Merry. stationed at
san Jose. which has Just been submitted 10
the State Department, was 12O,50o which
increased in 1898 TO 2lS.5O0. and is now
fairly stated as approximating o75.000 For
the fiscal year ending March 81 1899. the
imports in gold valuation were S4e5S.-
$500. exports. s.. .659 2l8.50. The exports
were ss follows. Coffee. 81 POS .569l5. ba-
nRnas. $e22, .26: timber and dyewoods,
S3s5 z3s.0f; precious metals. S4S.7SS-30; va
rious exports. Sl32 33l8l.
The imports OF the year 1898 were di-
vided as follows: United States. $3.50 per
cent; England. 1851 per cent; Germany,
1851 per cent; various. zoos per cent. In
the first four months OF 1899 the ratio Of
imports from the United States had in
creased to 67.25 per cent owing mainly 10
the facilities Of steam transportation. al
though it is not pleasant 10 note thai al
most exclusively foreign tonnage was en-
pIOyed in this increasing movement of
merchandise The most important imports
from the United States consist of -four.
machinery, oils wire and wire fencing.
iron pipe. and furniture. The importation
OF American cotton drilling and prints is
aIsl increasing rapidly.
or the coffee, Sc per cent went 10 Eng
land, 20 per cent TO the United States. 16
per cent 10 Germany. and per cent else
where. or the bananas. about two-t thirds
were shipped 10 New Orleans and one-third
70 Atlantic Coast ports Of The United
States.
The Costa RIca Railway
mon to Alajuela. through San Jose and
other principal cities Of the Republic. with
branches, has a length OF 1@- - miles Il
carried in the year 1925 60l.1sS passengers
and approximately 10000 tons of freight.
or this railway the Government owns about
$500 600 in shares gold value. ard rne re-
mainder is English property. IT IS wen
constructed with material imported from
England. The ties are Of iron and pTac-
tically indestTuctible.
The Pacific Railroad VIII have q length
of 5S.S miles fgOm San Jose 10 The proposed
DOrI Of Tivives. az the mouth Of the Gulf
OF Nicoys- II is being CONSTRUCTED By
American contractors for account of the
Government with material (eEcept tiesl
from the United States There are now
completed 3 miles. additional graded -
miles. partially graded 3-S miles. not com
meBced p miles. The road is now using
one locomotive wood burner} and numer-
Gus fat cars imported from the United
States. Both railways are three feet six
Inches in gauge
A RoHtc 10 the Interior.
The railway from Limon 10 the interior
after II leaves ab0ut ten miles OF banana
lands. asoends rapidly. passing the city OF
Carriage a. 1000 feet elevation. the capital
san jose. being 1850 feet above see level
and consequently on the Pacific slope IT
has been an expensive road 10 construct
and runs through besuyiful mountain
scenery. From san Jose TO The Pacific the
American built road viii run through d
mountainous region for about half lis
length and then reach The Pacific over
comparatively easy grades with maxi
mum Of . IL per cent. Both these roads
have. unavoidsbiy, many curves.
l. must be remembered thar mountainous
regions in Central America are not barren
like the Rock Mountains and Sierra Ne-
Vsda in the United States The rainfall
is generally heavy throughout Costa Rica.
The mountains are covered To the SUBMITS
win vegetation and. except al the sum
miJs, with a soil generally riah. There are
running streams IN every direction. from
which. owing 10 heavy grades. abundant
electric power can be developed It is a
beautiful country ana in its elevated re-
gi0n has a healthy climate. The interior
Is specially adapted 20 the growth 0f
coffee. which commands q much higher
price in European markets than the Bra
zilian product. The Atlantic littoral IS
equally well adapted 10 the growth OF
bananas Of an excellent quality. These TWO
articles are. as may be noted herein lis
principal products; the latter incressi az
rapidly. while the present lOW price Of
codeet offers little inducement 10 an in
crease Of production. although IL the
landowner IS free Of mortgage. there IS
sllIl a fair margin.
Costa RiCa needs a GiVersiGcstiou Of hel
products, q point which is nOw engaging
The attention o. her Government and az
rlcUlturistE An eXcelleut quality of ca
Gao. india rubber. and al classes Of trop-
icsl fruits for export can be added 10 the
production while the northwestern part
Of the Republic Is well adapted 70 the cattle
industry. the Republic nor producing al
this time the cattle Il consumes. AEgora
goats might be proatably raised in the
mountains, above the elevation suitable for
coffee growing There are also valuable gold
and copper mines In the interior Of the Re
public. this. development having but re-
Gently commenced with English and Ameri-
can capital
HHrbors on the Pacific.
Costa Rics has excellent hsrbors on the
Pacific. among them Salinas Bay. Port
Culebrs, and ports on the Gulf OF Nicoya.
Al present the only one on me Pacific lit
roral frequently used by foreign shipping
is Punta Arenas. connected By rau with the
town Of Esparta. fftczn miles inland
whence there is c good cart read 10 san
Jose on the Atlantic the only seaport Of
note Is Lim0u. where the Government is in
curing comparatively large expenditures
--- -an--arE IA Lar.c- -n---ro--a--..-- III.