Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-01-03
VERY INTERESTING FACTS
ABOUT THE COUNTRY.
"A Duel to the Death-No Married
FIirts and Women Generally Shown
the Highest Responsibilities 6usi'
ness and Other Matters of interest
in Distant Land.

This, says a correspondent, is divided
as follows: English and Americans.
5000; Germans and Austrians, 1890;
French, 300; italians, $500; Mexi-
cans, $500; Spanish, 1920; Portu-
guese, 1000; all other nationalities,
5000 Of this number it is fairly es-
timated that one-half came here to en-
gage in legitimate business pursuits,
while the remainder are forced eXlles
from their native lands-laWbreak
who are safe here from any POSSIBLE
ity of extradition. Here are men from
Chicago, New York, Boston, Philadel-
phia, New Orleans and other great
American cities, who, by their enter
prise and brain force, backed by
goodly amount of money which they
brought with them, are growing
wealthy The gold mines of Hondu-
ras, which under the most favorable
circumstances are but half developed
and not half worked, turned out over
$8000,000 in yellow metal.
1t is in the vast rubber forests, how
ever, that the greatest wealth is &C
uuired Their are recorded at the cap
ital by the treasurer something like
100 national concessions to Americans.
Each one of these concessions ranges
from 5000 to 10000 acres, and each
acre will average 1000 rubber-produc-
ing trees. The average grown tree in
one season is capable of being MIXED
to the extent of forty pounds of pure
rubber 1t will be readily seen, there
z &c on nrnfjt
this business. The cost of producing,
melting, carting to the coast and eX-
porting to the New Orleans or New
York market will not exceed % cents
per pound.
This sum also represents the proper
tionate cost Of the concession, which
in all cases runs for twenty years.
The cost Of q concession depends al
together upon the condition of the
national finances. If the treasury is
depleted-which is the case most of
the time-then a concession can be
had for approximately $50 per acre
and yearly tax of Sc per acre. No
concessions are granted for less than
500 acres and this allotment is made
by the surveyor general If man
has discovered a particularly fine lot
of trees, which have not been taken
up he may file his claim to them but
if granted, it will be at an exorbitant
figure.
No one of the South of Central
American states possesses so many
varied and constant resources as Hon
Inrac Wprn if NOT for itS h1 nlZwa r6
state of civilization there would be a
bright outlook for investors from all
over the world. The following are
the industries reported for taxation
for the year 1899, and it is safe to as
sumo they are largely in excess of
these figures: Gold, $S,O00,000; silver,
S4,SO2,453; lead, $S17,223 stock and
agriculture, SAL 100000 rubber and
lumber, $16,S11,271 fruit, $2,450, 00O;
total, $94,7SO,9 47.
In a country like this, where flowers
have no fragrance, and women wear
no petticoats, everything goes by con-
traries. Civil rights are vaporous
and life decidedly uncertain. AS to
the men, their eyes plainly read, q
Sllli ~ III - I1soS PIt VI AAheo my
me feel like the ruthless hunter l am
"a hunter Of sensations and mere lit
erary material, whom the quest of
sport has swept to this country to be
in at the death.
With the women it is different.
While the men are very much dor
mant, the women are correspondingly
alive, the married women, or sonora,
particularly so. l find the educated
Honduras girl physically attractive.
physically sympathetic, and altogether
enthralling.
1t is easy to tell the married from
the unmarried women wherever you
meet them here by the manner in
which they wear flowers in their hair.
the senoras putting them on the right
side and the SenoritaS on the left,
Their is no country on the face of the
globe where men hold women in great
er respect than in Honduras. Not
only do they guard them with an
earnest solicitude, but they accord
them the distinction of outward def,
erence. They protect them from every
care, and bear every burden that man
can carry for woman. The chivalry OF
olden times survives among these peo
pie and this is doubtless one reason
why the women are so contented with
their lot.
There are no married flirts in Hon.
duras, no scandals caused by unfaith
full wives, no ambitious women pinine
in their secluded homes, so far as
known. There are no woman's rights
conventions, no woman's temperance
societies, no mothers meetings. There
is not even womans card club in the
country The wife knows nothing Of
the family finances; she is not con
suited in serious business affairs. Il
| were asked: What do they do with
their timer ] should say their days
are ute as full of activity, both menta
and physical, as those of their sisters
in the United States. Honduras wo
men do not crave the freedom anG
publicity of life that are enjoyed il
Chicago or New York. They are very
charitable, and are kindness itself tt
the poor people of their neighborhood
sending portions of bread and mea
daily to those who are in destitute
circumstances.
1t was my fortune to witness a due
between a native Honduranian and ;
Spanish trader who had recently com,
to this country. 1t was over a wo
mans love and both men decided tt