The evening times., 1900-03-05
4 Notable Road.

try TO pass II bY.
4 Notable Road.
There are few roads in San Domingo,
and the few are hardly worth the name.
Everyone travels horseback, and the tran
is lust wide enough for one diminutive
burro. When a fellow-t traveller going in an
opposite direction is met. there is the
same courtesy as under similar circum-
stances as in the United States. Both
minds are intent on one purpose, that OF
passing and there is a scramble into the
brush along he side, or lodging into a
clear place until the thing is accomplish
ed. The widespreading panniers which
carry all the marketable goods make TINS
sometimes difficult undertaking. 10 the
west from San Domingo runs road OF
some pretensions. 1t is hundred yards
Of a narrow gauge horse car line and
string of electric lights. Outside of these
improvements the road itself has seen
none. All has been left to nature. Some
times there are ragged coral rocks to jolt
over At other places il is just sand. DC
sionally a perennial mudhole seems we'll
nigh bottomless.
Along this road for Eve miles out of the
city the wealth of the capital has gathered.
Bevopd this the highway loses much of its
dignity. crosses the Gayna River on Ter
~ and loses. itself In narrow paths wind
ing through the San Cristobal Mountains
on either side out from the city for 1--WE
miles are magnificent tropical homes. The
houses are modern. of the usual West In
dian architecture, one story with wide We
randas and windows that are really doors,
devoid of glass and opening on hinges.
Twenty or thirty acres Of verdure sur
round the homes There are cocoanuts. or
anges. lines and mangoes in abundance.
The almond tree. the royal palm, the cac-
tus and the laurel add their foliage to the
beauty of the scene Wide drives lead from
the highway to the homes, and hedges
adorp the roadside At the rear of the
houses. on the left. the Caribbean Sea
dashes against the rocks, throwing the
spray into the air fifty feet or more. A
balmy sea breeze catches il and carries 1t
till it disappears in the mist.
The tourist wonders where could be
found more ideal spot for home and hap
piness. Many of the homes cost a fortune.
The furniture Of the most expensive sort,
came from Paris The piano is of the Paris
make and almost every home has a son
or daughter in some Partisan school. But
the life Of luxury and comfort does not
seem to give the happiness all are seeking
for. and the occupants Of the beautiful
homes tire of the endless monotony and
quiet. and long for home next to boiler
shop. with a fire engine house just across
the street The complaint at the tiresome
monotony Of the life on the part OF those
who have lived elsewhere is almost univer-
sal.
The electric light plant which lights this
road and the homes and the city seems not
10 be amenable TO heaven. TO the municipal
ity or TO the private consumer. Apparent
ly the owners are the leaders of fashion,
and it is the proper thing to use the light.
But the advantage that the company has
is that the consumer pays for his light
whether he gets il or not. Coal is not one
of the products of the island. When the
company forgets to order coal the light goes
out. and stays out until an order is sent
and the coal I'm the course of two weeks.
arrives. But the bills go on forever For
two weeks last month there was no coal
Then the moon came and relieved the mu-
nieipality Of its pail of darkness, but the
monthly bills were not diminished. The
light is fairly good. but the cost is large.