The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-23
FROM FAR SOUTH
Mr. S. w. Cooper Returns
From Central America.
INCIDENTS OF THE TRIP
Described in a Delayed Letter
to the Eagle.

Saturday evening Mr.. S. W. Cooper re-
turned from very delightful and high
~ interesting trip in Central America.
His many friends will be glad to see him
back safe and sound.
While in Costa Rica Mr.. Cooper wrote
the Eagle a letter in regard to his jour
ney. and the incidents and things which
had impressed him. Sharing the indo-
lence OF that country is an unspeakable
infrequency Of mails, and the letter which
Mr.. Cooper mailed arrived leisurely and
simultaneously in Wichita with the
writer. The Eagle publishes part of the
letter this morning, and will tomorrow
morning publish it's conclusion, in which
will be described a Central American
Sunday
The first part Of the letter is as fol-
lows:
San Jose, Costa Rica.
To the Editor of the Eagle:
Again the unexpected will happen and
you will probably receive a letter written
in this very quaint and interesting Span
ish speaking capital. 1 have never re-
turned from a pleasure trip through our
own states or from a foreign country
that 1 have not felt that I have made one
Of the best investments of my life, and
this so far is not proving an exception.
I sailed from New Orleans to Port
Limon. Costa Rica, on the English
CT
by the United Fruit company. The home
office of this corporation, of twenty mil
lions capital, is Boston, and their OBJ
ject is to control the production, ship
ment and sale of bananas from Guate-
mala, Honduras Nicaragua and Costa
Rica. 1 found the Olympia nicely ap-
pointed with electric lights, fine bath
rooms, spacious quarter deck and in ev-
cry way much better than 1 had ex-
pected, and her commander Captain
Soldiers, very genial and intelligent
man. a bred seaman. .yyer forty years
of his life had been spent on the sea,
and his varied stories or South Africa,
India and Australia never failed to in
terest those who so often gathered about
him. My room was located on the port
side midship, with two berths, a lounge
and a fine ventilation. AS the number of
passengers were few, l was allowed to
occupy my quarters alone, much to my
satisfaction. The voyage consumed five
days and they were quietly, yet pleas
antly spent. Each morning coffee was
served in your room if desired; breakfast
ct 9. lunch at l and a good dinner at 6.
In crossing the Gulf Of Mexico the wea-
1ea-. rr-a- a4 ffrr,a
entering the Yucatan channel and later
The Caribbean sea the air softened, the
cUn burst forth and the sea became as
scrt'e and inviting as a lake. On the
evening of the second day we passed
withn two miles of Cape San Antoine,
being the most western point OF Cuba
IA TIE province of Pinar Del Rio. Back
C the huge lighthouse stood a dark,
lcnsc forest. being in striking contrast
win the beautiful and fertile planta-
tions of coffee and sugar. I had visited
years ago IN the same province near Ha-
vana. Iust here I looked TO the west
ward and seeing, just across the sea and
behind the mountains of Yucatan the last
sunset Of tire century, was for a moment
most gorEeously enthroned. Again I look
Cd TO Cuba and recalled the torpid cen
turtles Of Spanish rule; the devastating
fevers that had ragged there, partly the
Product of Incidence and filth. and the in
viting homes that had been laid waste by
arson and war. Then 1 thought before
the closing sun set of this century she
will know Il broader and better existence.
America found her in a most de9lorable
and tottering condition, extended her her
hand and would now lift her to the glist-
ening calmness of advancing nations, to a
higher commercial life and to a Christian
civilization
Travellers to this country are compare
lively few. yet some of my associates on
the steamer were not without their indi-
viduality and history. One of the most
interesting was an intelligent native Of
Cosa Rica, a prominent attorney. Mapi-
mo Fernandez, who was banished by the
government a year ago and who had re-
Gently received a pardon. Last February
a revolution was started in this city: that
Is to say, a mob of liberals seized the
corurtee or barracks, but were captured
by the troops before the trouble had gone
Tar. only about dozen being killed. The
mob CHANGED to use and cheer the name
of Mr.. Fernandez. although he was at
that time at his home in a distant town.
When found he was at once thrown into
prison and week later taken to the
nearest seaport and banished, being told
that il he returned without permission
he would DE Immediately shot. On the
ship Isbecame much interested in him
and his two little boys. who had been
with their father constantly. on reaching
Llmon the governor of that province
claimed that he was not aware of his
pardon. So when we parted he was still
a prisoner there, but would only be held
a day or two until the president could
be consulted. Another passenger was a
German who had within the past two
years discovered and located on rich
gold mining claim IN Nicaragua. After
he had spent a considerable sum to de-