Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-19

0NLYL|THIIS KNOWN
By Americans Regarding
Venezuela's pharacteriss c5
CASTR0'S RURAL PLACE
-a%-.=aa--
NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD
CAUSE OF MANY DISPUTES.
First President Harrison Lived at
Bogota When Minister to Country
Religious Customs.

ITO certain extent fvenezuela is a terra
incognita to large number of the people
of the United States said Mr.. Simon
Strasburger of Rochester N. Y, who for
some years has held commercial relations
with the South American republics. to a re-
porter for The Star at the Arlington this
afternoon.
Il have 1t on the authority of Mr.. Scruggs,
late minister plenipotentiary to Venezuela,
that no later than 1892 western member
of Congress rose in his seat when matters
diplomatic relating to the country were I'M
der discussion and exclaimed:
p" Mr.. Speaker, where is Venezuela, any
how?
ION the same occasion another member
of the House offered motion to CONSOLE
date. in the interests of economy, the mis-
sions to Venezuela. Ecuador and Peru.
The same year a st. Louis merchant wrote
the United States minister at Caracas to
find out the most available Venezuelan sea
port on the Pacific. Another person. Col
orado cattle dealer, was anxious to know
of the minister whether. in order to visit
Maracaibo. it would be necessary to sail
via Europe.
Castro's Country Place.
While Caracas may justly be called the
little Paris Of Venezuela, and Is the lit
eTdIy ceHleu Oh the fepuDIc as well as the
capital Of the nation. 1 like Bogota, the
handsomest town in Colombia. Caracas is
delightfully."- situated. 1t nestles in the lap
of the charming and romantic Chacao val
ley, deep basin in the eastern Corderilla
of the Andes A Gordon Of blue mountains
and green foothills surrounds the valley
fringed with coffee estates and sugar plan
tatons. Bisecting the valley Is the Guira,
FED by streams of pure mountain water.
The climate Is mild and equitable, the
n h1 1v1,.r A Hoo -
the valley Is the modern village Of Ante
mino. which is known the Little Tyror
of Venezuela. Here is located the country
place of President Castro. and which has
been the country seat of his predecessors
for more than "a century past 1t was in
this favored spot that President Castro Of
fered Madame Baltazzi refuge until the
present storm which afiicts the republic
shall have subsidized.
Cause Of Many Disputes
The narrow-gauge street railroad which
connects the capital with Antemno enters
largely into the present contentious between
Germany and Venezuela The road is a
German enterprise, and ever since It's COM
pletion has been the source Of acrimonious
displomatic disputes 8 and insernatiepal I'M,
pleasantness.
1T appears that when German capitalists
agreed to build the road the Venezuelan
government contracted on its part TO guar
antee : per cent annually on the capital in
y Vested ot to build and s9nip the road pro
100000 per mile. ana its. net earnings should
not fall short ola per cent investment
Now, it appears the stockholders claim
that the road cost mere than 500. per
mile. In short, the German capitalists put
into practice the motto of Dayid Harum do
unto others what others would do unto
you, and do 1t fust.' Naturally the Ger
man capitalists have from time to time pc
ttioned their government to enforce their
demands, and the latter has interposed on
several occasions, even going so far as to
threaten to seize the customs of the coun-
try.
Taken the Bull by the Horns.
Now, after several serious diplomatic
ruptures Germany has taken the bull liter
ally by the horns, and, in conjunction, with
Great Britain has gone almost to the limit
to make the Venezuelan government settle
According to my way of thinking, the gov
eminent Of Venezuela is like a man who has
run in debt beyond his means for necessities
and Injuries, but the day of payment hav-
ing arrived he has not the ready money TO
meet his liabilities.
"Bogota is a very ancient town. Founded
In 1888 by Gonzalo Jiminez de Ouesada,
Charles chartered 1t city by royal de-
cree. IL has mint public market, ma
tional library of 5000 volumes a museum
of antiquities and natural curiosities, n ma
tional university, and thirty-three churches
one of which is of the Presbyterian faith.
me .o"n also mas tnfee beautiful parks
and is abundantly Supplied with pure noun
tain water. A system of tramways con-
meets the city with suburban points The
population Is not far from 100000. The
town is very compactly built.
Characteristics Of Bogota.
THE sidewalks are hardly broad enough
for two persons to pass each other. The
custom is, when two persons meet. for one
to take to the wall and the other to the
gutter. 1t Is only recently that vehicles
were to be seen on the streets. The nave
ments, like those Of most cities in South
America. are rough cobblestones, such as
We're to be seen In this city forty years ago
Previous to the appearance of vehicles dom
Keys and men furnished all the means of