The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1903-09-04


CiuGad Bolivar the scene OF the
Venezuelsn reFolutionistsr last stand
against Csstro's army. is an exciting
place to live in, even at the best OF
times.
1t is a semi-ciTiazed spot On the
verge Of the unknown jungle" said a
New Yorker. who has been there. I
was condemned for my sins. 10 spend
a week there shortly before the town
fen into the hands OF the revolution
lists last year
4 noticed that If anybody went out
after dark he always stuck his revolF-
er in his belt. and ! was warned By
several friendly citizens not 70 stay
out late in the streets unless I wished
10 be held up and perhaps murdered
1t was a paradise for the adventur-
Gus One day / saw a rum-shOp keeper
chase the local barber down the street
with a loaded pistol in one hand and
q machete In the other 1 offered up a
prayer for the tOnsorial artist. be
cause had no razor and he was the
only one Luckily he escaped
The trouble was about an overdue
account The purveyor Of liquid JOY
was simply trying TO collect his money
according TO the approved local Gus
tom.
Another day an imprisoned revolu-
ZIONIST escaped from the Quartet, OF
barracks. and a couple Of soldiers ran
out 20 step him with bullets. He got
one in the leg and pulled up bowling
The people thought the TevolutiOnists
had come. so in a trice shops were
shut. doors bolted. and everybody dis
appeared OF the streets Ike magic.
The doors and shutters Of the mer
chants stores are made OF sheet iron
When they are closed the stores be
come ver5table fortresses-
Most OF the private houses are sim
ilarly protected and have little Erilles
through which the inmates can SPY
out TO see whether visitors are enc
mics or friends Truly. a soothing
place for q nervous man 70 live in
When the shots were fired at the
runaway I happened 10 be IN the Brit
ish consulate. spinning yarns with the
Vice-COnsuL Immediately he heard the
shots he locked his safe. the clerk shut
and barred the steel doors. and then
we GOT cur revolvers and went out on
was all over in a moment. and the
poor. wounded wretch was dragged
roughly along the street back 10 the
Quartet
-Ciudad Bolivar is probably the hot
test place on earth. II is built on sol
i'd black rock which retains the days
heat far into the night. so there is
practically no respite. New YOrk's re-
cent heat wave would have been vel
coined as a cool spell by the inhabi-
tants Of the OrinOcO hades-
All day long one is plagued by myr-
lads Of mosquitoes more aggressive,
New Jersey famous; and at night bat
taliOns Of frogs croak horribly and
murder sleep.
The walls of the houses are badly
pitted with bullet marks-grim relics
OF former revolutiOns-and many are
in ruins Ciudad Bolivar has often
been a battlefield before to-day.
The streets are unpaved. and in
the center of each there is a green.
stagnant ditch Where streets inter
sect. a plank is thrown across TO
bridge these bitches.
There are no vehicles. and indeed
very little civilization OF any kind. The
place is always swarming with nickel
plated generals and bandit soldiers.
who fatten on the unfortunate fnhab-
itants. sip aguadiente. smoke their
eternal brown cigarettes and discuss
the glorious victories they are going TO
vim. New York Sun.