The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-03-17
TRIP TO A SUMNER CLINE.
ATTORNEY II. A. BOWERS TALKS
ON JAMAICA.

Magnificent Tropical Luxuriance-An-
cient Architecture and Tombstoues-
Great Coffee PIantations-An Album
dance of Fruits and vegetabIes--The
Geographical situation of the COun-
try-A Peculiar Breed of Cattle.
Attorney Edward A. Bowers, of 209
Crown street, has recently returned
from trip to Jamaica, and while there
he made a thorough and careful survey
of that land. When asked as to his
opinion of it's geographical and COM
mercial facilities, also its productive
ness, he was very enthusiastic. In re-
ply to series of questions he gave the
following brief synopsis of his trip.
Owing to the improved methods of
travelling to this island more people are
visiting it every day, not only from the
Americas, but, owing to the direct
steamship line from England, from all
parts of Europe, who find Mecca in
this new Riviera The hotels found
on the island of Jamaica are excellent
and differ greatly in this respect from
those found on other of the West Indian
Islands. The island abounds in fine
mountain scenery and tropical sur
roundings, and these in time will I'M
doubtedly make it great winter re-
sort. The island is one hundred and
fifty miles long and from twenty to
twenty-five miles in width. The Blue
Mountains run almost from it's eastern
end to the center, forming sort of
back bone to the island. Much of this
range is over four thousand feet high,
while Blue Mountain peak is 1880 feet
high, or two thousand feet higher than
Mount Washington. / went to the top
and never saw more beautiful or in
teresting scene in all my travels. From
my point of observation the entire east
ern end of the island lay before me, and
no more gorgeous spectacle of tropical
luXuriance can we'll be conceived of
than that which I then beheld. From
that point of observation Cuba, ninety
miles away, is clearly perceptible.
Looking down from this height, at the
extreme end of the island of Jamaica,
can be seen the very rugged coast, SER
rated by the action of the water, and
then looking from this point, the entire
land UP to a height of six thousand
feet, can be seen the great coffee plan
tations which produce the famous Blue
Mountain coffee. Here and there can
be seen on the various estates ancient
manor houses, relics of a by-gone age,
these intermingling with the small
holdings of the negroes. After the
emancipation of the blacks they came
up the mountain side and cultivated
patches, raising all kinds of vegetables
and fruit supplies, having not only a
great abundance to live on, but also
quantities to sell. The only method Of
travel on these mountain roads is on
horseback, and this Is sometimes ex-
ceedingly dangerous owing to the mar
row trails. The enormous productions
of the coffee plantations come down in
long mule trains, which makes the po-
sition of the equestrian who meets them
somewhat ticklish. In passing from the
plain of Kingston, which is on the sea
level, to the top of the peak one goes
through every form of tropical vegeta
ton, from the cocoanut plains to the
beautiful tree ferns, only found in the
moist regions of the higher uplands.
The atmosphere gradually grows cooler
as you ascend, so that when you arrive
at the top an overcoat is desirable. On
the south of this range lies Kingston,
the capital and largest city on the is
land. The trade winds, from nine
o'clock until sunset, makes the city
somewhat hot. although it gradually
cools along about twilight, and the
breezes which come all day from the
mountains greatly tend to modulate the
climate. In the city one sees all kinds
of tropical life, which presents an in
teresting study to psychological schol-
ar. Going to the docks you will see the
little native boys diving for pennies and
cabling the visitor into throwing over
board what they call Uncle Sans mon
ey, by great variety of winsome
methods. From here I took a trip to
the former capital, Spanish Town
Here all kinds of ancient architecture
is to be found, the Kings house, as it
is called, and the quaint old cathedrals
with the peculiar burial stones in the
rear. I continued my journey from here
by rail, stopping at Mendeville, the
center of the orange growing district.
Here I stayed at one of the finest coffee
plantations on the island, owned by an
English gentleman named Mr.. Wynne.
Coffee is grown here at an elevation of
two thousand feet, and it becomes ne
cessary for it to have shade. BY
wonderful dispensation of nature tree,
known as the trumpet tree, produces
natural shade for the coffee. The re-
gion, west of Vaudeville is particularly
interesting about Mount Pelier, for here
a Mr.. Ellis has been raising, for num-
Der of years, cross bred cattle from In
d:a. His finest stock is a cross bred
called Mysore cattle, and they are a
cross between the Indian and Jamaica
stock. They are large and strong, can
walk faster than horse and are very
useful on the plantations. The western
terminus Of the railroad is at Montego