New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-03

tfculariy for the foreign colony Is the post
office the arrival of the foreign mail The
way the poor news-starved Americans devour
the New-York papers is pitifu-
The cathedral, Capitol and public buildings are
all In the central Plaza Bolivar. which contains
a fine statue of 1.-THE father OF five Countries
There are a number of good native and foreign
hotels and restaurants in town. and the Italian
restaurant near the Opera is pure Joy to the
travellers who have been unable to take things
as they came at the wayside inns. There are
many churches throughout the city. all Catholic.
with the exception OF one American Protestant
church. presided over by an American PASTOR
The city, indeed in common with most Span
ish-American towns is a stronghold OF CathoIi-
cisIn. and the priests are both preachers and
teachers While there is no obvious union be-
tween church and state and there is freedom OK
religious worship yet church and state are much
more closely allied than with US The President
and high officials often march in the great reliS-
ions processions-most interesting functions,
which are viewed by the pOpulace with reVer-
ence and veneratiOn.
IL is we'll for foreigners to follow the custom or
removing the hat when one Of these professions
| is passing. whether they believe in the creed
| or not The writer once observed foreign dig
/ nitary curously viewing one Of these spectacleS
/ from the curb. with his nigh hat firmly planted
on his aristocratic head The instant the process
sion had passed the hat was even more firmly
/ planted. but the head was not so much IN e'l-
darca An outraged Colombian had very prop
/ erlv damned the hat we'll down over the ears
| The proportion OF Spanish blood IS greater
in Rogota than i'm other portions Of the coun-
FRY though the Indians and mixed breeds stI1
/ largely predoruinate- The lower class dress III
/ the native costume, the distinctive features OF
/ which are the large cap the f@"ama nat anu
| the -ardals- The people o. ass
usually dress as do NEWCOMERS. hlsH .----7
/ and dress suits being in particular favor; anu
| like some American women, many or the fdlr
| Rogotans import their gowns from Paris
i French is commonly spoken among the educated
| people and English 10 a large extent indeed
| many of the wealthy residents send their sons
| TO the colleges Of this country and England
! This is more 10 show them the outside world
than because the educational facilities OF DO
| gotta are inadequate. II is superior 10 most
| South American cities in this respect having 4
| university several colleges. a school or music
| and various schools OF the arts and trades. in
! addition TO the public schools. Attendance at
| the public schools is free but not compulsory
| The astronomical observatory is one OF the
| highest and finest in South America Those
residents who can afford the luxury have villas
/ in the hot country. 1t seems odd TO a New
/ Yorker to go away in the summer TO set warm
| The most popular and convenient of these warm
| valleys is VIleta This custom OF gong mo
| the hot country once or twice a year 70 TEN
| porar" as il is called can. indeed. hardly De
! called a luxury for the climate Of Bogota al
| though very invigoratinS at hrst, Is SO eq4A
! that it at length becomes trying.
| The business of the city is, to a large extent
| carried on by foreigners, the French, German
| and English interests being most important
/ Americans possibly because they have more
| room at home have not as yet secured very
| strong footholt in Colombia, but it will be well
for Uncle sam to keep his eye on this coming
country There is little manufacturing in Be-
gotta almost all manufactured articles being
imported Cheap grades of cloth are made.
two glass works built-after the mule trail
had become pretty we'll covered with broken
bits of the imported prOdUct-and the enter
prising German who. few years ago. started
a brewery in Bogota and educated the natives
in the manipulation of stems is now million
aire.
1t is difficult for foreigners to gain admit
lance to the native social life. The old Spanish
reserve and dignity have not by any means worn