Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-03-02

is rolling few miles away from
Colon and all the way to Panama.
The railroad was built in 1850, and
population centers along it. Con-
seqaently, a broad belt is almost
entirely cleared of wild growth:
yet the wild bamboo and palms IN
trude wherever possible.
At Bohio, twelve miles from TO-
lon, one of the two dams will be
constructed should the lock system
be decided upon. Dredging from
Colon to this point and two miles
beyond has been done. Everywhere
between the two cities within the
zone. improvement has been made
or is being made. The houses are
| neat. commodious and comfortable.
They have iron roofs without gut
| ters to hold rain water to become
breeding places for mosquitoes, are
elevated on concrete pillars. and
the work of screening them With
wire game il in progress. Needs,
grass and underhrnSh are chopped
down and burned. Surface ard
pipe drainage Of the soil every where
is perfect. The surface drains are
braced with stone tC prevent wash
| ing away of the wall In the en-
tire journey | did not see pool Of
standing water, and the wholr sur
face of the country looked clean
and wholesome, far more so than
many parts of Alabama.
At the Panama railway station
United States army drags, each
drawn by four fine mules, were in
waiting, and after introduction to
the gentlemen who met us, we took
seats in the vehicles and were con-
veyed to the United States build
ing, and received by the secretary
Of legation. Under his escort we
went Immediately to the palace and
were presented to President ANA
dor Guerrero Here we spent tit
teen or twenty minutes in pleasant
chat with the President, who
speaks English Auently. In very
fine article Of champagne he toast
ed the United States and President
Roosevelt
On the walls Of the reception
room were oil portraits of mony
celebrities of Columbia and Pana.
ma, and | was so fortunate as to
identify the portrait Of Bolivar, the
liberator. which seemed to please
his excellency.
In carriages we drove to points
of interest. Some Of the party WIS.,
tied the Ancon hospital, a great
group Of binding, half encircling
the brow of lofty hill outside the
city. | went to the cathedral,
which is more imposing in size
than architecture or adornment.
and there sought ruins with bits of
history associated. There was
some which, according to the best
citizens" date back to the destruc-
ton of the city by the buccaneer
Morgan. We dined in a pavilion
overlooking the Pacific ocean and
then resumed sight 81 eing
| CROOKED STREETS.
Panama's population is estimat-
ed at about 10000; no canvass has
been taken. The Spanish charac-
teristics of the city are beginning
to disappear before the march of
progress. The streets twist in all
directions. | asked merchant to
direct me to a certain locality, and
in his efforts to comply bis hand
waved from point to point, as if
signaling. The driveways are
paved with cobblestones, and the
side walks with hagstones. Pay.
ing is not herculean work; the
driveways are,from six to twenty
feet in width and the sidewalks
two feet. In some of the streets
vehicles 90 only in one directions
the width not being sufficient fol
two abreast. | saw no chimneys
cooking is done with charcoal OF
oil. suppose. | was told that t
street railway line was laid in the
suburbs some time ago, but aban
doned on account of lack of patron
age.
Panama imports large quantitie: