Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1912-05-25
FROM SOUTH AMERICA.
A Letter That Will Interest Readers Of
the Chronicle.


SANTIAGO, Chile, April 20, 1912.
DEAR FRIENDS As / cannot find time
to write personal letters describing our
trip to my friends, take this opportun.
ity of writing letter to the CHRONICLE
so that all who are interested may read
it.
The weather was very favorable for
our trip both on land and sea. We
spent only one day in Chicago, then
went to Washington where We enjoy ed
weeks visit with my aunt and cousin,
Mrs. Merriman, who was a Spearfish
schoolmate, Miss Cook and her nephew,
Mr.. Harry Elkins. While there we
went to two good theatres, and Mr..
Elkins and Mr.. McGeary, Congressman
| Martins secretary, took US all through
the most important Government build
iDgs. We were fortunate enough to Wis.
it the Capitol building one day when
Congress was in session aud heard sew
eral of the best speakers-Mr. Joe Can
non, Mr.. Clark, Mr.. Mann and Mr..
Underwood.
The rest of the time was devoted to
| calls upon the Chilean Minister where
We made arrangements for our trip.
While there We had the pleasure of
meeting Captain Cuevas of the Chilean
Navy and the Panama Consul of Chile
who gave US Introductory letters to off,
cials ut several ports, making our trip
much more pleasant.
We spent only four days in New York
City where our friends, Mr.. and Mrs.
Thornby and Miss Meyer, made our Wis.,
it very pleasant. We spent one evening
at the Hippodrome. / only wish it were
possible to describe in detail the staging
of this great production with its beauti-
ful music and wonderful scenery.
We sailed from the North River Pier
at noon, February 3rd, on the "Tagus," /"
one of the Royal Mail Steam Packet com
pany steamers. | shall never forget my
last glimpse of the United States as we
sailed out of the beautiful harbor past
the Statue of Liberty, and not until the
last speck of land had entirely disap-
peared from view, did we really realize
that We were bound for a foreign coun-
try.
The Tagus is fine, large steamer, and
we had pleasant state-rooms in the CEN
ter, but the first day out We were very
uncomfortable. Nearly all of the pas
sengers were sea.sick as we ran into a
hard blizzard off Cape Hatteras, and the
steamer rocked and pitched terribly.
But after we had become accustomed to
| the motion of the ship We enjoyed every
| minute, dancing on the deck in the
evenings and playing games during the
day.
Our first sight of land was the Islands
as we neared Antilla, Cuba, and what a
beautiful sight 1t was. We anchored in
the Bay with Antilla back of us, Preston
on the right and Fort Nelson on the
left. The large palms, hills of sugar
cane and native huts with large red
stone buildings in the foreground, and
the high mountains in the back made a
beautiful picture, which was much ap-
preciated by US who had just left snow
covered mountains few days before.
| The next morning when we awoke we
found that we were sailing through the
Wiudward Passage between Cuba and
Jamaica. The deck canvas was put up
to keep off the hard wind and rain storm
so that all could walk the deck TO avoid
sea-sickness again. But at noon when
the sun came out we found that it was
SO hot that the thinnest of summer
clothes were necessary for comfort.
We were piloted into the Kingston
Harbor past Port Arthur which was sub
merged by tidal wave at the time o.
the earthquake in Jamaica. We passed
the wrecks of two large steamers there
We were anchored in the harbor tina,
night and until late in the afternoon o
the next day.
One of the most impressive sights wa!
the Kingston Harbor by moonlight, with
four hundred negroes loading coal and
singing their Southern melodies. From
the coal yard at the end of the pier
they carry immense baskets of coal or
their heads, forming one long line dowr
the gangway into the ship and up on an
other. AS they pass the officers in
charge they are given penny for each
trip. many Of them making sixty or sew
enty trips during the night. 1t take
about twenty hours to load two thous
and tons in this way. About ninety pei
cent of the population of Jamaica ar,
negroes, but they are happy class
when they are working. At the same
time five immense derricks were bein@
teresting to watch the loading and un
loading of the ships cargo. The larg'
turtles were also raised from the small
row boats at the side of the steamer witt
the derricks, some of the turtles weigh
ing more than two hundred and fifty
pounds.
We spent the greater part of the day
riding around in the City viewing the
beautiful American homes and stores
going to Constant Springs, the beautiful
Botanical Gardens and parks. Th'
women work along with the men ant
earn mems wages. The earthquake
ruins are being cleared away and it wa
a strange sight to US to see the womel
an small girls carrying large hods o
mortar on their heads to the men on tn,
tops of the high buildings. We me
many who had walked almost twent.
miles leading donkey laden with frui
and vegetables and carrying a heav!
load on their own heads, going to mar
ket where they get perhaps fifty cent
worth of goods in trade for their fruits
All go barefooted and wear turbans oil
their heads, and some of the men wea
skirts and long hair caught up will
combs. The Jamaica money is yer.
large and one receives a pocket full o
change for a dollar.
Just about an hour before the shi
sailed we watched the negro boys div
for coins which we threw to them, the.
would very seldom miss finding them
then would put them in their mouth ant
dive again.
The two days trip from Kingston wa
grand-the weather SO warm and tn
ocean so calm, and the phosphorus il
the water shone so brightly at night
We arrived in Colon the morning of tn
eleventh, but were not allowed to Ian,
until the Doctor declared all well.
was 80 hot in Colon that we we're gla
to take the train for Panama at noon
The train was crowded but we eGjoye
the trip along the Canal Route and wer
:. with friends who explained it to us a
We passed through the important places
First we passed the Gatun Locks, Gatul