New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-20

FIRE YESTERDAY.
e na to ne s she OF I
department but Panama has had her own municipal
standing this. she has absolutely neglected to es-
tablsh or enforce even the most ordinary
for Preventing tSF Carriage is left days
OF the residences decay and polluts the earth as
well as the atmosphere Each house has ITS own
out The small yards IN The rear Of private resi-,
I ana asen % Of ali
S and srs save fh hyoRs
is IN the light Of this not stTanss hnaf n
has bsa name HeaIth Is yng nto aeeeSnt the
general Ignorance Of the popGlace the unlyerSa a
constant downpour OF rain that marks other days.
conditions are seen to be ripe for pesaenee 6, me
the transsthmian city Of Colon.
COMPLETE TRANSPORTATION REQUIRED.
Fifteen thousand persons domicled here in an
little larger than that occupied by the Soo in
Colon but Panama stands high. whereas Colon Is In
q swamp; the houses hero are. In the main. con-
struoted OF stone with tile roofs while In Colon
there only niulsy frame shacks. Here the rains
wash the streets; IN Colon they accentuate the
ewamps and quagmires. The streets in Panama are
little better than dark alleys. but they are paved
That the pavement is only the toughest cobbie-
stone is true but even that suiees to reduce the
mosquitoes To clean up Panama would be com
sataortiss Shall shall have eompieted the Work. Which
they will begin soon the treaty is ratified this
will be converted into no mean city-its tropical
location considered.
The statements recently made IN the States TO the
winter resort should not. however. be credited It
have occurred e change amounting to a complete
" ms to d draw or ae Thr Is o In
all the vicinity OF Panama a single driveway;
drives might be made there are in abundance espe-
ea out Of level fs ns to the o
the city. On this savanna where the vegetation
Weather residents of Panama maintain dry
season or summer, homes With a little enterprise
money charming Guburb might be called into
other parts OF the isthmus. and scarcely accessible
during any except the dryest and hottest terms.
structlon. the city itself is uncomfortable
IT is FEATURELEss CITY.
Within the city there are practically no points
calculated to evoke moro than a passive interest.
The cathedral-there Catholic
churches on this side Of the isthmus-is typically
Spanish in its architecture. but despite its ags-t
was built in 1850. of soft yellow stone-it fails 10
attract. Seen from distance age worn and with
small growing ATS caves troughs Rnd about
its spires. IT presents a pretty picture Viewed at
close its age and the general air OF neglect
and decay It bears repellent- OF other churches
there of sufficient Importance to engage
and there upon street corners index the Catholicism
OF the place, but their number makes them COM
snowy structure. while the Cabildo City Hail. is
the verge or BuccOIlDlnB 10 the acuon OF ume
There is no theatre in the city; no place of any
of yellow houses with red tile roofs and narrow
@ snail and apparently poverty stricken square
i on Carrying one By pile Of old ruins OF these
nnIy because OF one feature. This is the ruin Of
Church Of San Domingo av st ss well down
aotIy how old this church is but tradition has it
and that the night before il was to be consecrated
DESTROYED by FIRE ut stands n9 as the , site
about f hangs ss oP m d 5
above the ground absolutely unsupported, and has
hung shef two ,Oi ruined walls This arch
T osrR Rsvf eee 6he
struoted In the hrst instance or why 1t did not fail
Which Rungers for the canal as positive Pr4oI ina,
On. a,da iss' the waterway
| rEp PLACE IS VOID OF COMFORTS.
.1,s IN city SO void Of attractions must Of necss
city bav. drawbacks, and Of these there are
plenty in Panama There is here. as have already
explained some social activity: but this touches
only the better class of the permanent population
For the transient and for the lower classes there Is
| absolutely nothing of interest Once narrow
gauge single track trolley line meandered aimessiy
but that has fallen t into ds HH
tudc at shutdown. the place is dulness Person,ieu;
Once In while there Is bauP psh Of the
across the from my hotel oano Is =. ms
.TJiaWstba These concerts draw only men. how
ever an unwrftten law seeming to drive all women
| from the streets at nightfal a, ~
This paucty of interest evokfng surrounoinss
tends to the homes and hotels 1t would De oiIi-
cult ma tier determine which is the more DART
the home the hotel All the more Inpor
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. hotels and pubic strucIures
are built in the form OF hollow square Win pa
comics facing both the street and the inner cSulc
All buildings alike in several PARTICULARS ma .
yet ind that is not occupied on It's srI bib
| soor for commercial purposes pecunarity Whlcn
| results in making all residence quarters above
ground Except in store buildings which nave sno"
| vtndOws-and these latter are mean Hltio
| the use of glass is unknown. There are openings
Tor windows clossble by inside shutters; but Whas
&c The Ilse OF wasting money on window frames and
glass panes when, the mercury never goes below 80
Secrees and W there curtains, carpets OF
| upholstered furniture-things absolutely unknown
hereto be spoiled by beating rains. Every house In
| panama is alike too in the matter OF water sup
ply-hree only being excepted In the favored three
fhtre Is an attempt at furnishing running water py
| means OF rain tanks and windmills of these
three one il the Gran Hotsl Cenuai-ons OF tos