Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-12-22

~ - w North American continent.
AL2YIgSl II was famous hundred
wears before any settlement
in the United States began to be- It had rs
lens OF thousands when our Dutch ances-
tors landed on Manhattan island, and its col
lcoes and its cathedral when the boys OF the
PILGRIMS were first trotting the COW paths
which formed the streets of old Boston. 1t
had palaces and public buildings When we
had ONLY log cabins, and its RUNS show that
it far surpassed any other city OF North
America for 200 or more years alter the
continent was discovered.
The Old Capital OF Spanish America
have seen all the ruined cities OF the
world but | know none more interesting
than those OF this old capital OF Spanish
America. | have tramped through the
streets OF Pompeii and have explored the
remains OF Zimbabwe in northern Rhodesia
I have explored Timgad. the once buried
capital which is now being eXcayated on tae
edge OF the Sahara, and have wandered
about over the Site al old Carthage. y few
wears AGO | was in Baalbek, that old rum III
INC mountains OF Lebanon, and II Is only
Jew weeks since wrote to YOU about lli-
ripua. The city oi the Mayans in the Mota-
Qua valley not fat from here.
Tie ruins 81 Antigua lie al the foot 81
tho mighty volcanoes They represent I
mctropols Which was destroyed again and
again bv earthquake and eruptions until the
people 81 Guatemala gave ZIP III despair and
moved their capital 70 where il i nov.
The Site OF the city is so miles from the
railroad. and ii took me 10 hours OF hard
riding on the back Of mule to reach It. y
was situated here in the mountains on the
slopes OF the Volcano de aqua and OF the
Volcano de Fuego. which, translated INTO
English, mean the mountains OF llre and OF
water.
These mountains are symmetrical vol
canoes. Each is as beautiful as FnllYa1na III
Japan, or the AIoyon volcano OF southern
I,uzon. Fuego now and then funlbles and
it is said that it may at any time break out
in eruption The Volcano dc Agua IS now
quiet but II wears after the old e1tN#Nas
started il burst forth III 4 deluge ot=Watef
and reduced it to ruins Some think the
water came from lake III the volcano,
which the eruption threw out like mighty
cloud burst and others say that It came
from torrential rains, which had been pour
ING Tor seven days and which rolled down
the mountains bearing forests. rocks and
earth III their floods.
That first city was founded by Pedro II
varado only s. wears after Columbus first
crossed the Atlantic Alvarado was an Off
Ger OF Cortez and he VAS sent With al army
of $50 SpanardS to conquer the countries OF
Central America lie enlisted great hordes
OF Indians. ,ubduing the natives. lie re-
eluced tribe after tribe to slavery branding
them and selling them ia the public mar
kcts. He chose this place as his capital
and architects came over from Spain to lay
out the city, 1t WAS just about the time q
lis death that The town was destroyed an6
he Indians here believe that il was largely
done as a Judgment upon his Wife, who COM
planned TO The Lord because she had lost hel
husband.
A Seat of Culture and Learning.
In rebuilding the city the Spaniards chose
a site about two miles away and there erect
ed their capital This remained i'll existence
for 230 years. when il was again DESTROYED
bv the same volcano which had brought Oh
the flood The new capital was laid out will
the idea that it would be the metropolis o
North America and for generations it wa
the center of culture and learning OF south
ern North America. It was DESTROYED il
~ al and att h NJ time Il ar