Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-03
CHILE AND ITS CUSTOMS.
An Interesting Talk with DIR. Walter II.
Peters, Delawarean, Who Noy Resides
I'm Sntttb America.

IbE6TS, " IOrIileT JelhWdTthut laS TO-
turned to the United States, bringing
with him bride of a few weeks, and
incidentally, many interesting reminis-
censes of the country and the people
with whom, he has been associated dur
ing his long absence.
DIR. Peters ia brother of Mrs.
Charles J. Kinkead, and he and Mrs,
Peters arrived in Wilmington last
week to spend some time with DR.. and
Mrs. Kinkead at No. 1928 Washington
street. They landed in New York one
week previous, having left Santiago
Just 81 days prior to the date of land
ing in New York. DIR. Peters at one
time lived noar Camden, this State,
and after graduating at the Philadel-
phia Dental College located in Chile.
He has been very successful. While
not for a moment forgetting his home
country, or the many pleasant associa-
tions Of family and friendly ties, DR..
Peters has come to regard Chile and
her people with favor, much more So
than the average traveller who merely
visits the country for few weeks or
a few months.
A reporter of The Gazette called
upon DIR. and Mrs. Peters few days
ago aud had a most interesting talk
with them concerning Chile. Mrs.
Peters was formerly Miss Sara Rosa
| Villegas- Duncan and is a native of
Chile. She is pleased with America
and likes the people here. She has
made many friends since her arrival
here and is perfectly at home in Will
mington.
In making the trip from Valparaiso
| to New York, which required 81 days,
a distance of about 6,000 miles was COW
cred, and although there were great
changes in the temperature. no incon.
venience was experienced and no great
changes of clothing were necessary.
| The climate of Chile, the doctor said,
in speaking of the country, resembles
| that of California, being SO pleasant
that it is very seldom necessary to have
4 fire in the houses for heating purposes.
Vegetation thrives and in the irrigated
sections almost any thing in the vegeta-
bic and fruit lines will grow. Farmers
devote their attention chiefly to rails
ing wheat and cattle. the cattle indus
thy being very extensive. The climate
is so pleasant that cattle are not put
in stables>i from one years end 10 an
mountains are brought down to the
1
| Chile is inhabited by natives, Span
iards, English, Germans, Italians and
few people from other countries.
There are not many Americans. The
natives, who are confined almost exclu-
sively to the poorer classes, are de-
scended from Indians who inhabited
the country many years ago, and have
inherited the traits of the Indians,
many being indolent and doing only SO
much work as is necessary to keep
them alive. OF the better olass Span
i iards predominate, while in some sec
tions Englishmen and Germans are
found in large numbers. In Valparaiso,
which is seaport of much Importance,
the business people are chiefly English
and German, most of the business, both
forgeigu and domestic, being transacted
according, to English methods and the
English language being used. There
are only three American wholesale
houses Of any Importance in the ccun.
try. These houses handle only Ameri-
can goods, while most OF the Others
handle English, German, Spanish and
French goods.
Railroads connect all of the import.
ant cities and towns, and, while The
system is not as complete as in this
country, il is creditable In the noun
famous country, however, many Difficult
ties are encountered ard in many places
trains cannot make fast time on ac.
count of the grades. As an instance
. four hours are required in making tht
run betw sen Santiago and Valparaiso
distance of 80 miles. The road passes
! through the Andes mountains.
,, The country is rich in nitrate, silvel
and copper mines, ana many people arr
, engaged in mining. The Huanckaci
silver mine, one of the largest IN th'
world, is now controlled by an Ameri
do not depend upon mining for livinI
!, and who do not live in the cities ar,
!, engaged in farming. which is profitable
Much of the fore lin trade is Will
England and Germany. The UniteS
States receives only a small portion
owing to the fact that the transporta
,, tion facilities are much better with tn
? Old World. 1t is believed, however
i that, if the Nicaragua Canal is eve
! finished much of the trade now goinI
! elsewhere will be diverted to tn
United States. .-
|. Most of the dwellings and busines
= houses in the cities and rural district
are only one story high, being bull
this way on account of the frequenc
with which the country is shaken b.
T. earthquakes. Some of the more modsr
buildings in the cities, however, ar
( three stories high, being Euilt of stee
!. frames and brick or stone walls. 1t
|. the custom there in building houses
i build them around courts and many q
g the larger houses have the courts j
Q the centre, so as to admit daylight j
all the rooms. Formerly buildings wer
!, constructed almost entirely of mud an
). straw, but bricks are used largely now
i. During tho warm season earthquake
i, occur with almost the same frequenc
), as thunderstorms in the United States
L; This is due to the fact that many I
J. the mountains in the Andes range ar
;. volcanic composition. As rule til
!. earthquakes arc mild and OF compara
/, lively little damage results. Like elet
:. trica storms in this country, the
/. purify the atmosphere. 1t has bee
|. many years since serious earthquak
7. visited the country. AS general thin
i, these disturbances simply shake tn
d ground and buildings and the peop
J. experience peculiar sensation, as
10 they were being lifted from the groun
and shaken. Frequently windows al
|. broken. Sometimes there are three {
foui earthAuakes in one day and |
other times mona are felt for month I
longer. Occasionally they are of tN
"a minutes duration. In such cases, an
i. also when the shock is unusual
u severe, the people often run out of the
No houses and kneel in the streets in cray Q