The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-18

But the engine went up the grade with
out much difficulty, although it worked
hard, and almost suffocated us when
passing through tunnels. The railroad
is narrow gauge, and the distance to
Caracas from La Guayra is % miles.
stood on he platform of the front car
during much of the ride of two hours,
and we passed over trestleS which
seemed frightful, but it is said there has
never been an accident on the line. An
hour after leaving La Guayra, we
passed behind the mountain and lost
sight of the town. The stations are
merely passing points; almost no one
lives in the mountains, except railroad
| track laborers. Through the mountain
runs a wagon road and very frequently
we saw pack trains; six to thirty little
! donkys carrying packs, and one man
on foot driving them.
About noon, we, arrived at Caracas, a
town of eighty thousand people. 1t is
entirely surrounded by mountains, and
bowling mob of hackmen met us at
the station. Getting their loads, the
hackmen raced for the hotels whipping
the small horses numerically, and
bouncing their carriages and their pas
sengers about over the rough stone
paving.
There are two hotels at Caracas: the
Klindt, a very good one, and the Grand,
a very poor one. We happened to draw
| the good one, and possibly this is the
reason: the day was Friday, the en-
CINE which pulled us up the mountain
was No. 13, and we rode in car No. %.
(Note-On the "Moltke' there is no
room numbered 10. I occupy No. II,
and across the hall from my room is
No. Is. all the odd numbers being on
my side of the ship. I had another
piece of good luck. because of the rare
combination mentioned above. had
room to myself, on the rst floor above
the office. All the other passengers
slept two in a bed. or two in one room
with two beds. as the hotel accommo-
dations at Caracas are limited and our
! party a very large one.
| At Hotel Klindt. the dining tables
were set in the paved court, and this
| court was covered with a wooden roof
If you are familiar with the Bryan
| hotel in Atchison. YOU can get an idea
of the dining room of the Hotel Klindt
at Caracas by imagining the dining ta-
| bles of the Byram located on the first
| floor, in the court. 1t was much like
| this, except that at the Hotel -Klindt
the roof of the court is above the roof
of the hotel, to admit light and air.
/ There is never any winter at Caracas,
/ and such a thing as heating a room is
unknown; the problem is to get air.
| On this trip into the mountains of
| Venezuela, earlv in February, wore
] the lightest clothing I wear I Atchison
/ in July and August, and even then
| found the weather uncomfortably warm
| at times.
After luncheon. we secured a carriage
and guide. and went driving. Among
| other places we visited was Calvary,
a mountain top almost in the center
1 of the city. and which has been con-
verified into tropical garden. The wa
ter reservoirs of the city are located
| on this mountain, and a museum and
| menagerie are maintained there. From
| this mountain top. Caracas may be
i seen to best advantage, and all travel
Il ers agree that there are few hand
j Somer cities than Caracas. In the val
leys surrounding the city may be seen
the greatest of green fields, and tropi-
| cal vegetation wherever there is wa
| ter. All the roofs of the houses are
| of red thing. And back of it all, in
every direction, great mountains. Ly-
ing against these mountains, clouds. ]
saw one cloud effect while standing on
the top of Calvary that 1 have never
seen equaled. Rain is rare at Caracas,
but clouds are always lowering over
the mountains: there are few perfect
ly bright days.
In thinking of Caracas, remember
that it seems to be a prosperous city,
with beautiful homes IN the town and
in the suburbs The capital of the re-
4 public is located here with all the ma
tional buildings. And the town looks
like a very old Spanish town, as it was
founded in 1861.
In riding or walking about the city
half the doors you pass lead into courts
filled with flowers. and fountains in the
center. And hundreds of rich people
seem to live in Caracus, and maintain
beautiful establishments. I was much
impressed with Caracas: it seems to me
I have never visited a more beautiful
city.
Except that three ship loads of tour.
lists visit Caracas every year, visitors
to the city are rare. And all along oul
/. | route, the people seemed to be expect