The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-30

canal to derive some benefit tnerefrom' Thousands of tons of material will be need- ed before the last spike" is driven ana see no reason why Southern producers should not continue as well as they have be- gun. l
 Better transportation facilities. however. are badly needed between Gulf and 1sthmian ports While the Fruit Line has many steamers plying in the banana trade to Central American and Isthmian coast towns. no regular service is maintained by them. hence much of the mall and many pas- sengers from the South come to the Isthmus via the New York route. although the trip that way takes considerably longer. The sailing time between New Orleans and Colon Is five days and between New York and Colon ssven days. albeit the distance Is but couple of hundred miles greater to bile and New Orleans would do much to promote the relations of the Southern States with the Canal zone and the Republic of Panama.
 The population of Panama Is almost en- tirely Catholic. end the religious observ- ances in commemoration of the Holy October of each year. always constitute a notable occasion in local church annals. On Sunday. the 1st inst. the newcomers on the Isthrnus were treated to a most interesting sight
 At g in the morning pontifical mass was celebrated by the venerable Bishop Javier Junguito, and in the afternoon at o'clock the procession in honor of the day took place. The weather was beautifully clear, and not too warm. and the streets and bal comics along the line of march were throng- ed with people The procession formed at La Merced. the cathedral parish church, and was headed by the Catholic clergy. Next came band of music and a company of soldiers both from the barracks. Follow ing came the school girls, hundreds of them. marching in single column on either side of the street, all neatly dressed in white and wearing flowing white veiis After these. walking in single column in the centre of the street. came three separate groups of young ladies (senoritas), also wearing flow ing veils of white, and carrying banners. The banners of one section were red. of an- other white. and of the third violet. thus typifying the three mysteries of the Holy Rosary-joy. sorrow and glory. Lastly came the image of the Holy Virgin. with a rosary in her hands. The image rested on a. large platform which was borne along the streets on the shoulders of six men. The burden was very heavy, but the bearers their eyes centred on the upborne figure and their minds in high pitch of religious excitement. walked along apparently un- conscious of the weight. chanting the while in a low tone. The procession was ovel
 half mile in length. and formed very | interesting spectacle.
 There are five Catholic churches in Pa mama besides the Cathedral. The naynes oi | these are La Merced. San Francisco. Sar | Jose. Santa Ana and Santo Domingo. Th' l last Is nearly in ruins. while all the church | es mentioned are more than two centuries | old. La Merced and the Cathedral are fl l the best state of repair. The roof of thu church of San Jose leaked so badly that ser
 vices. when it rained. had to be abandoned | The ladies of the congregation proceeded t' bestir themselves. and last week held | bazaar to raise funds for new roof. Th' l Bazaar was conducted very much on thu ] lines of similar affairs in the States. ant
 all articles left over were raffied off witl | the aid of a roulette wheel
 The Cathedral Is the finest, and at th l same time the largest church building oi l the Isthmus. and although nearly three cen | turies old. is still in a good state of preser | vation. The site of the edifice was deter | mined upon by Bishop Fr. Thomas de Be Ianga as early as 1B3o. but it was not unti