Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-08-17


education than any Of her sister re-
publlcs In Central America. Last year
she spent Ss6O.OOO for the schools, and
has a total population Of only 260,OOO.
The primary schools are free, and at
tendance compulsory. Besides these
she has colleges and academies Of good
standing, that are we'll attended She
has, also an institute for the study
Of physical geography, now under the
direction OF very able man named
Henry Pittler, a Swiss. with whom
yesterday ! spent very profitable az
ternoon. His researches extend In bot
any zoology, and in the physical geog-
raphy OF Costa Rlca.
DELIGHTFUL CLIMATE.
The climate OF San Jose Is mild and
equable. Just now one sleeps with
comfort under two blankets. There Is
never the heat Of some OF cur eastern
cities neither their cold, for II never
freezes. The altitude Is little over
three thousand feet, but the proximity
Of the two oceans exercises q great
influence on the climate.
AGRICULTURAL WEALTH.
The products Of the soil are various.
A visit TO the market yesterday re-
yealed a choice OF fruits and vegetables
that would satisfy even a strict vege-
tartan. There we're Irish potatoes In
great abundance, and of size and quail
ity equal TO our own, sweet potatoes
were plentiful. String beans, green
corn, bananas, plantains, oranges,
yams, peaches, apples, alligator pears,
and our common pears, onions, garlics,
cabbage, carrots, turnips, radlshes,
lettuce, squash and great number OF
other fruits and vegetables not known
in the north. Cheese, butter,
sugar beans, corn, etc, and an album
dance Of excellent coffee were also
seen. In fact the market was well
stocked, and / am Informed that II
continues well stocked throughout the
year
CITY EMPOWERED IN BEAUTY.
The surrounding country is OF en-
chanting beauty. The mountains en-
closing the valley are covered with
timber TO their very SUBMITS. except
where the hand Of man has felled the
trees to give place to pastures and
fields The whole valley Is covered
with green. Grass grows where the
trees do not. or where cultivation is not
thorough, on the north is little town,
the two large churches OF which can
be seen above the high foliage Houses,
haciendas and little villas are seen in
the other directions and along the foot
hills. Thus surrounded the city seems
to take new beauty from It's beautiful
trimmings
Consul Caldwell first introduced US to
Senior Manuel Aragon, director Of the
department OF statistics, to whom we
are under obligations for much valu-
able information. Senior Arogon Is a
well educated man OF perhaps 56 years
Of age. He has served his country In
one capacity or another for many
years, as minister of finance, as chair
man OF congress, and In the capacity
now of director OF statistics His edu-
cation was obtained In Costa Rica,
but being a natural scholar he
reads and speaks English and German
well though he has never attended ali
English or German school. He Is well
versed on the geography Of his country,
and considers Costa Rica~ one Of the
richest little republics In the world.
In speaking Of the government he OBJ
served that To a certain extent the con-
stltution follows that OF q United
States, and yet, he said We are quite h
military people. you in the United
States honor your Constitution, we do
not honor ours, and this marks q diff
ference" he continued. He said, how
ever, that there was a gradual tendency
among all classes to make the constl-
tuition supreme, and TO lift the Law
above the officer or executor Of the law,
but as they had obtained much Of their
form. and many Of their IDEAS from
Spain, II was no wonder that mllitar-
ism prevailed.
To Mr.. Plttier We are also much in
debted for assistance and information.
He had spent year In the country
lying between here and the border OF
Colombia, and being conversant with
the roads and the difficulties coulu
warn us beforehand. A not very well
come bit OF information was TO the
effect that in one Of the rivers We must
Gross there were vicious allegators.
Several men had been taken, and
when he crossed two years ago one OF
his horses, swimming alongside OF the
boat, had leg bitten off. lie also adj
vlsed us Of several places where we
must travel In forests for several
days at time without food for our
animals other than palm leaves which
were not plentiful. Thus forewarned
we can avoid danger by taking plenty
OF corn with us. An encouraging re-
mark, however, was TO the effect that
We could make the trip, but not with
out difficulty and not entirely without
danger.
Our equipment for the trip is good.
All are enjoying good health and all
are now acclimated. All are provided
with tent shelter, with water proof
ponchos, and with water proof pack
covers, and we shall carry at least two
weeks provisions with us. our animals
are in good condition, and having been
corn fed, are prepared for hard work
But most OF all the boys are en-
Unused with a determination that will
surmonnt many difficulties, which to
the weaker minded would be insur-
mountable. Upon the whole, / believe
the expedition is better equipped for the
remainder OF the journey than at Mo-
gales Il was for the start.
our next postoftice address Is Bogota,
Colombia.
BENZ. CUFF, JR.
San Jose, Costa Rlca, July 6, 1901.