The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-05-14
NORTH DAKOTANS
IN VENEZUELA
p. =. PHALEN or DICKINSON
WRITES or VISIT TO THE LAND
THAT FIRED cAsTRo-ARREsT.
ED DEVELOPMENT AND HARD
TIMES.

Dickinson, N. D.. May 12s-To The
Forum; As daylight waned on the
evening of Feb. 3, we were well out OF
Colon harbor headed northeast in the
Caribbean sea for Venezuela.
One must look at good map to
realize that Colon lies nearly zee
miles west of New York, while Pan
anna, lies slightly east Of Colon, and,
crossing the Isthmus Of Panama by
the canal, the course lies south south
east, while LaGuayrR, Venezuela lies
almost directly east of Colon about
500 miles, but $50 miles by sea, making
thirty-six hours or more of Journey.
We arrived at LaGuayra tie morn
ing Of February and the quarantine
and other port officers were in evil
dence, but, bless my soul, the best
sight to be seen was some bright
looking young fellows who were off,
GERS OF the American dispatch boat
Dolphin, which was anchored in the
harbor and had been there since about
Christmas time pending the revolution
and the political extinction of Castro.
This town is q collection of very
ordinary looking homes and inhabi-
tRnts with about as progressive an
air as that possessed by jackass.
We landed by small boats and then
boarded the coaches on a quaint, mar
row guage railroad that winds like
a corkscrew for twenty three and one
half miles to an elevation of :, ,1O5 feet
to reach Caracas, the capital, which
Is 3,01S feet above sea level and only
six miles directly from LaGuayra.
Small tank engines of English make
haul the trains Of three cars and the
road Is so constructed that, as it
winds around the heads OF the canons
It descends on one side and ascends
on the other, making a safe PROPOSE
tion in mountain climbing, having an
average grade of 3.75 per cent
Caracas is an attractive city OF 9o,-
600 people, including the federal dis
trict "a trolley line is in operation,
paved streets and things like that
There was evidence of arrested de-
velopment and hard times resulting
from Castro's antagontsm to foreign
commerce, and people were hopeful OF
better things under the new admins
tration.
In the dining room of the hotel,
where we ate an elaborate lunch, there
hung picture of the signing OF the
American declaration Of independence
Though this seat OF government was
founded in 1867, Simon Bolivar and
the history Of things he created large
" predominated.
We returned down the mountain to
LaGuayra and the boat at 4 o. m.
though more than half the passengers
remained over night to take a twelve
hours journey Nby railroad the follow
ing day to Puerto Cabello.
A bull fight that evening enlivened
the experience of those who cared for
/ that kind of sport
The ride down the mountain to La
Guayra was even more novel than the
ascent In places, one could look
down 2,0o0 feet into the valleys and
canons below as we glided smoothly
up and down and around the corners
OF the mountainous points.
We remained on the Oceana i'm the
harbor that night and the Oceana's
officers entertained the American ma
val officers of the Dolphin at dinner.
A look at our officers and men in such
a place conyinces one that thew are
built for business.
Sunday morning we pulled out of
LaGuayra and sailed back directly
west for seventy miles to Puerto Ca
bello, where we landed and awaited
the arrival OF the land excursion. /
asked one of the party his real l1dg-
nent on the twelve hours railroad
trip and he told me he was like the
man who had Ave children and would
not take million dollars apiece for
them but he wouldn't give a durn
cent for another one.
-Cabellos founded in 1856, is an an
cient town and looks the part. We
wandered about its streets and Ioiter-
ed'in the plaza for two or. three hours
on the quiet Sunday afternoon. The
air was soothing and restful and we
were in much better shape when re-
turning to the Oceana than the dust
covered and tired looking excursion
lists who arrived by train from Carac-
as about p. m.
Much to our regret, Trinidad and the
Barbados were cut out of our trip
ON account of quarantine regulations
and, when we pulled out OF Cabellc,
we headed in a westerly direction for
the island of Grenada about four hum
dred miles distant.
My wife and / were In the first boat
that landed at ST. Georges harbor,
Grenada, early in the morning of Feb.
g. This is an English colony, and we
climbed the Hill towards the fort now
used as police barracks. the policemen
being all colored gentlemen, good
dark color at that.
We first entered PRESBYTERIAN
church that had a lonesome appear
ance. Returning down the hill we met
an English officer-good white blood
and dressed In white duck suit. He
was very cordial and entertaining and
we started up the hill with 7Am to-
ward the fort. He was the chief OF
police and his Office as well as his
cottage was close by, and as my wife
"rubbered" into his walled garden to
inspect the plants and flowers, we were
introduced to his wife, portly dame
OF substantial appearance Their last
abiding place had been in Cyprus and
many attractive articles adorned the
cottage, while the Oriental rugs were
especially enticing. My wife compli-
mented her on the cleanIy appearance
OF the town and the advantages Of an
English colony in point OF order and
cleanliness and asked IL she was not
English, but my lady said there were
about twenty OF the English families,
bat she did not like them because
they were too stiff. She was Trisf,
and from Dublin. She was all right
"a M%I,Ny. ww9wm aJaa &onlr .xa 80 ~ ~ :