The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-01
BY FRANK G. CARPENTER.


ONE with me and take a look at
the capital of Guatemala II Is
~ one of the prettiest towns of
the western hemisphere. and at the
present time the cleanest and bright
est OF all the cities of Spanish Ameri-
ca II contains over a hundred thous-
and people, and covers enough ground
for million. Just now the town
looks as though Ii had come out Of
a bandbox. The houses were all new
ly painted. by the orders OF the presi-
dent just before the visit OF Secre-
tary Knox. At the came time ths
brass knockers on the doors were
shined. the brass knobs on the balloon
les were made 20 look like gold and
the result is We have a newly created
city as spick and span as the rose
colored capital OF Jaapore in India.
4 spanish Town.
Guatemala city is Spanish in arch
itecture. The only buildings over nifty
feet high are the churches. The resi-
dences are low and seldom of more
than one story. Skyserapers are un-
known IN Central America. and the
sky line is as rule. straight from
one end of the street 10 the other.
Most of the houses are close to the
street They are built OF brick or
stone covered with stucce. They con-
sist of large rooms running around
patio, or garden. in the centre. me
windows facing the sidewalk are low
and are invariably covered with iron
used as seats and leaning places. and
one frequently sees pretty spanish
girls looking out
The most of the roofs are nat. with
walls along the front when are or
ten decorated with knobs or orna-
mental srucco work. The roofs, wh4ch
are Of red tiles. and. as whole. the |
buildings are picturesque
Artistic and Quaint.
7 wish | couh1 take you inside some |
of these houses They are delightful
homes and they abound in quaint ied-
lures. AS our young Glrls "oulo say |
IL am Just crazy Over the door KNOCK
ers" They are made Of brass ana are
of mos, beautiful shapes. Some are
brass hands. others are female heaos
and some ere OF wrought iron a. us
tical,v SHAPED. The doors themselves
are heavy and are often studded with
iron or brass nails eXquisitely fin {,
ished Some of The front doors are as
big as those Of barn and the larger
ones have smaller doors cut through
them. The big door is for the CARR |
ages and a mans team drives rlght
into his house. the curbstones being |
SO sloped IN places that one can get
10 the sidewalk without Jolting. IN
some houses the stable is at the pack
or side of the patir, and the pest !,
rooms are often on the second hoor-
The Denver of Central America.
Guatemala City is the Denver OF
Central America. II has the same
clear air. the same bright skies and Z
il is about as near heaven as our
pious metropolis of the Rockies 1t Is
situated on the backbone of mountains
which run from Alaska TO the strait
of Magellan, and its altitude is thou
sand feet above that OF the AileSheh-
les. II lies in an amphtheatre sur
.ualides5 by volcanoes and is bordered
bv gorSes and ravines. which it's peo-
ME think keen off the earthquakes.
The present capital was founded just
alout the time That we sent forth our
Declaration of Independence. but the
old city of Guatemala which lay thT-
ty miles away. at the foot of the Vol
cauo de Agna, Was one Of the first
rites Oft the New world and a hum
dred years or ago II far surpassed
anything In the Unite states in It's
size and magnificencet Its location,
however. was bad. and il was destroy
ed again and again The last earth
quake occurred about 1913, when for
the third time the city was reduced
80 ruins The people then decided TO
move, and they came 20 this place and
laid out the town OF to-day.
The new Guatemala was planned af-
ter that of the old city. II had many
plazas or open spaces, and Its streets
lv
There ere eighteen streets and mir
teen avenues. the streets crossing the
avenues at right angles and forming
many square blocks OF 800 feet on each
side The streets are wide and well