Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-04-05

FlNAI La Gua1ra In Venezuela. 1t
IIENN is not the worst place In the
YS)k world, yet gentleman sent
out by department of the
United States government to collect
Information recently arrived just in
time, by running, to make connections
with the train for Caracas, and de-
parting went out with the same speed.
In response to the question as to his
object in neglecting commercial con-
ditions of this port, he said he was
told to avoid La Guaira, because no
man could endure Its heat; 1t was pes
tilential." Many people live In La
Guaira all their lives, and / know a
number who are not dead yet. The
poetry former American consul once
dropped into entitled "Adios to thee,
La Guaira." is yet famous text of
those who do not really know the
place. and may be 1t was worse when
Consul Bird "fopped his wings" about
its GALES" and "pulperias.,
It Is common among commercial
travellers, especially from the United
States, to rant and rave at La Guaira's
climate and conditions. But the eli
mate of La Guaira Is fully as agree
able as one finds at any port OF the
same latitude. They speak from a
days experience; write from over a
years continuous residence, and 1t is
misrepresented. 1t is an enervating
climate for a northern man II he stays
too long, but 1t is delicious at times,
and rarely severe.
With market offering surprising
variety of fruits and vegetables, many
OF them not usually found In tropical
ports; with delicious fresh fish daily.
and other commodities not formerly
to be had. life is not altogether un-
pleasant.'as many seem to think.
Situated at the base and on the
Jagged edges of cliffs of high, rugged
mountains which rise almost directly
from the breaking surf Of the Carib-
bean Sea to an elevation of from 1000
to 1900 feet, Its location is extremely
picturesque. The town is divided into
three or four villages, Of which La
GuAira proper is the center; stretch
ing along the narrow shelf at the base
of the. hills for distance of four or
five miles, encompassing Maiquetia on
the west and the Venezuelan, Baden
Baden, yclept Macuto, on the east.
II It were out Vest 1t would surely
be nicknamed "Stringtown," but 1t
gives homes and employment, to ten
or Twelve thousand souls.
sNhxS 5tnvr,,,C sc 4 C,,oSr, :, Al
quetiA differ but little from other
Spanish towns, with cobblestone-
paved streets, opening out at unex-
pected corners into looking parks
as surprising and welcome as .oases
In desert. The streets are flanked
by brick or adobe succeed houses Of
one or two stories; the front rooms
frequently serving as shops, stores, OF
''pulperias" for the sale Of fruits,
vegetables, matches, beer, wines,
liquors, and highly colored cottons
and alparagatas, the rear rooms and
second stories being the living rooms
Of the families.
La Guaira is the principal port of
northern Venezuela, and the port of
iHsress anu esress lot tne capltal,
Caracas, the Paris OF South Amer
lica, with which 1t is connected with
( a wonderfully scenic and picturesque
railway. It .njoys large import and
export tradsr with an average OF 20
SHIPS engaged IN international COM
merce making IT port OF call month
ny. Whiie the coastWise sailing craft.
ia. Az .
many with this as their home port,
are 1nnumefable. 1t Is dull day in
deed IN La Guaira harbor that finds
less Tran 10 or ~ small sloops and
echooners loading or unloading cargo
from the coast towns or the adjacent
Islands.
Inc approach from the sea is pic
turesque IN the extreme. and the sight
as one steams into the harbor Tor
out OF ~ rs one not soon to be for
gotten II gives curious inter-
Mingling idea OF the villages along the
The streets wind and weave up the