The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-12-31
AMONG RUINS OF SOUTH
AMERICAS F CITY
La Antigua a Mighty CapitalWhic Rose and Fell Before
washington Began to Belts Grand Cathedral and
wonderful Monasteries-Th Convent of the Recol-
LEGION Now Owned by Americans.

al idEd
out with the idea that it would be the
metropolis of North America and for
generations It was the center of cul-
lure and learning of southern North
America 1t was destroyed in 1873
by earthquakes and at that time il had
i1o,oVo people. In 1900 Boston had
ohlV $4,000. and it was a city Of wood.
This old capital of Guatemala was a
city OF stone and stucco. Its streets
were paced with stone, and il had
OullulngS which covered acres. 1t had
torty-nine churches, four Of which
were parish churches, whose priests
were under the government. and the
Otners had been established by the
Spanlards, who Quilt them in graft
tude for the prosperity given by the
LORD. There We're also eight great
mOnaSterleS. five converts, two big
hospitals and three massive iails.
mere were palaces galore, and out
side the City were seventy Indian viii
lagos surrounding it like the setting OF
a diamond.
In the center Of the city was a
great plaza, upon which faced the
cathedral 800 feet Ions and 1910 feet
deep. This was lighted by so win
dows, and over its grand altar was a
dome 70 feet high, supported by IS
columns of stone faced with tortoise
shell and adorned by bronze medal
$3.50
The monastery of San Francisco
had more than 5000 people within its
walls. and the College Of the Jesuits
vas even more beautiful Further on
describe the ruins of these and
other buildings, which give some
idea OF the maSniticence OF the CAPT
tai
1t was a wealthy city. It's white
inhabitants had thousands Of slaves,
and gold and silver were brought in
from h mountains and sent from
here by the shipload to Spain. The
land about was cultivated. and every
thing was prosperous beyond the
dreams Of avarice.
Destroyed by Earthquakes.
Then came the earthquakes anc
eruptions. In 1858 there was {
plague, and in 1886 there was a grear
earthquake, which destroyed a larg'
part Of the city. In 1901 there wa
another plague, and fifty years late
the earth trembled again, and masses
Of G rolled down the mountain
slopes into the city.
About a generation later the piagu'
came for a third time, and hen afte
a respite of thirty years the vo!can,
had another eruption, during which
the earth shook and the thick wall
CT the churches cracked like egl
shells. The last earthquakes wer
those of 1873. At that time tn
mountains seemed to be on a contin
uous shake, the tiles flew from tn
roofs Of the houses like straws blow,
about in a gale Of wind and the bell
rung as the earth trembled. TIL
domeS of the churches were split, tn
roofs Of the monasteries fell In an
, many monks at prayer were buried i
. the debris. At last the final earth
quake was on the 18th Of December
1873. This destroyed so much OF tn
, city that the people decided TO move
: The King Of Spain took it up and sen
: out his orders that the site of tn
= capital be changed. He was Cbeye
, and the Guatemala City Of today lie
on a little plateau thirty miles away
1t is so surrounded by raVineS an
. gorges that the earthquakes do NO
trouble it. 1t was laid out on tn
q plans Of the old city, but it has ceve
: reached its magnificence, and tn" pop
! ulatiOn now is at least 10000 les
than was tina Of the old capital at tn
time of the removal, now more n
1873 years ago.
3 The Antigua of Today.
! | wish could show you the Antlgu
: Of today as. it lies about me. Som
Of the oldssbuildings have been re
e paired and new ones erected. 50 tina
We have now here a population c