The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-06
A KANsAN IN HONDURAS.
Gilbert Guthrie Writes Interestingly O,
Life in Central America.

Gilbert Guthrie Writes Interestingly Of
Life in Central America.
Atchison. Kan. Nov. s.-The Globe
says:
Gilbert Guthrie, who loft here sew
eral months ago for Central America.
writes an interesting letter from San
Juancito, Honduras. where he is en-
gagged in building a cyanide plant for q
Dig mining company. Among other
| things he says:
Had a bully good trip down here,
| and had to lay over at Panama for
about week. As the old tub of a Pa
| clf1c Mail stopped at all the ports COM
| ing up Con the Pacific side), had a
| chance to see some of Nicaragua and
Costa Is1ca. War was on between Mica
ragua and Honduras besides a bunch
| of revolutions, and then San Salvador
putted into the game with the United
states Warships as a background. 1t
maue lovely mess for several months
The day reached camp a battle was
going on not many miles away. The
mining company was trying the expert
ment or running automobiles over the
mountains, but it didn't work very WELL
They sent an auto down to meet me at
the coast, and say. boys, it was certain
ly an exciting ride over the ninety miles
or Wild, picturesque mountain road.
The country was full of ragged SOL
diers, and yours truly was looking most
of the time for a good piece of tall
timber that would hide a man about
pa, the capital. we had to hit it over the
twenty-mile trail out to this place. The
manager welcomed me with open arms,
and about the time was beginning to
feel comfortable, he gave me the in
formation that I was expected to do
wonders in the way Of of converting
the old. rfckety concentration and
amalgamation plant into an up-to-date,
modern cyanide plant.
After a close inspection Of the COM
pany mules, to pick out which one could
carry me out of the country the quick
est, took good smoke, and decided
to have try at it. found that I was
expected to be mining and civil engi-
neer, metallurgist, chemist assayer,
miner, construction engineer, mill
wright. cyanide expert, and a few other
things. The mechanics had never seen
cyanide plant before. and my head
carpenter is native and deaf. When
I want him to do anything, have eth
err to write it in Spanish, or make high
signs I believe that I could now
teach q monkey to speak Russian. The
company gave me free hand, and my
word is law on the new plant. and now.
after steady experimental work, and
good plugging, I have a plant about
two-thirds done that will be a dandy.
San Juancito is small camp of sew
eral thousand inhabitants. and plenty
of dogs and pigs, and is located in a
very picturesque hole in the mountains
The climate is fine; also the f1eas are
plentiful There are twenty to twenty
five white men and two white women
in the camp. The chief excitement is
giving farewell dinners to- departing
brethren, who are leaving either for
their own or the company's good. Dur
ing the war it was rumored that this
place was to be plundered. so our local
soldiers took time by the forelock and
vanished, so we 'gringos' had to do
guard and police duty. I went around
armed to the teeth. scared to death,
but in perfect running order, A drunk |
en- native shot off his gun for fun, and
the shot whist1ed over my heId. The
way I ducked for cover would have |
made a Filipino turn white The ma |
tives never bother the white men. but |
among themselves they are a peaceful
lot, don't think. The way they carve |
each other up is something wonderful |
People in the states think that these |
Central American wars and revolutions |
are jokes, but they kill just as dead as |
they do anywhere. When I finish here |
I am to go over into Nicaragua to in |
spect a property there and hope to get |
home sometime in the spring. have |
the best bachelor quarters in camp, a |
good salary plenty Of work and worry, |
and powerful keen desire to get home |
for while"