Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-07-20


And now we are fairly In Nicaragua.
In some respects the most interesting
OF all the Central American republics.
a look at the map shows that Nicara-
qua Is shaped like a triangle with It's
base on the Caribbean sea. II contains
about 10000 square miles Of land, and
had at the last census 10000 inhabl-
tants. Ii Ia easily seen that much Of
the land Is uninhablted. Two ranges Of
mountains extend through the republic
from northwest TO southeast, thus
forming a basin In which IL located the
great lakes. The rivers on the Pacific
slope are short and inconsderabe with
the exception OF the Rio Negro. which
drains a larger country and empties in
10 the Gulf Of Funseca The rivers on
the Atlantic coast are somewhat larger
and some Of them especially the Rio
Grande, Is navigahle for some distance.
San Juan del Sur is the most important
OF all the rivers. not alone because Il Is
the outlet Ofsthe great lakes, but be-
cause IL viii be utilized as part OF the
great ship canal when that passageway
for vessels ~ made. But the most in
terestlng part is the basin, which COM
prlsee the two great lakes the larger
Of which, Nicaragua, is about the size
Of salt Lake, 80 miles long and &c wide.
while the smaller Is little larger than
Utah lake, being % miles long by is
miles wide. These are beautiful
sheets OF water surrounded by a
beautiful country. There are many other
lakes as well, but they are much small
er. and many OF them are merely ex-
tinct volcanoes having filled with water.
Some Of them. II is claimed. have con-
nection with the ocean, as their waters
are little salt. The waters Of some
are said to be medicinal especially for
all kinds Of skin diseases,
AN ACTIVE VOLCANO.
The principal volcano is still active.
Momotombo. and sends forth volume
OF smoke that can be seen for a long
distance, like a cloud constantly rising
from It's summit. 1t Is beautiful cone
6,l00 feet above the surrounding coun
try with one side washed by the lake
Managua. A cut of this volcano is seen
on all the stamps. FL Vlejo the high
est OF all Is now extinct, Its altitude
IL G,256 feet. Conseguina on the gulf
Of Fonseca, the first NJ the Inc OF vol
canoes, Is 300 feet high. This Is an inn
portant mountain. as forming a land
mark for shlps at sea. There are sew
eral small cones rising directly out Of
the lakes. forming beautiful little ISL
ands. Some Of these are Inhabited.
RESOURCES AND INDUSTRIES.
The chief industries are agriculture,
stock raising and the gathering Of
precious woods. There Is some mining,
but as yet this industry Is not deye-
oped Coffee is raised in abundance on
the higher lands and on the sides Of
the volcanoes, and there is an Amerl.
can colony at Matagalpa engaged ex-
! clusiyely In the coffee business learn
! that they are doAg well, and that they
| Ike their new home even better than
| the Old Just now coffee is low In price.
Il Is going through hard times But
| the government offers a bounty on all
new trees set out and the increase In
| the area cultivated II steadily going ola
/ Bananas are much grown also for eX-
/ port, and there Is no better land for
| this important Industry In Central
| America than We found on the Atlantic
| coast OF Nicaragua. Corn and tobac-
| GO are also important crops. but not
/ much OF these products Is exported A
! corr crop Is raised during the wet sea-
| son and a tobacco CROP on the same
land during the dry Sugar from cane
| II manufactured I'm abundance. and
! there are a couple OF large plantations
| equipped with modern machinery. But
all OF these Industries are capable OF
! great enlargement and would pay we'll