davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
The Mule Cars of Guatemala

by gorges and ravlnes, which its people think keep off the earthquakes.
 The present capital was founded just about the time that we sent forth our Declaration of Independence, but the old city of Guatemala which lay 9 miles away, at the foot of the Volcano de Agua, was one of the first cities of the new world, and hundred years or so ago it far surpassed anything in the United States in its size and magnificence. It's location, however, was bad and it was destroyed again and again. The last earthquake occurred about 1773, when for the third tilie the city was reduced to ruins. The people then decided to move. and they came to this place and laid out the town of today.
 The new Guatemala was planned after that of the old city. It has many plaZas or open spaces, and its streets cross one another at right angles. There are IS streets and 13 avenues, the streets cross- ing the avenues at right angles and form ing many square blocks of 200 feet on each side. The streets are wide and well paved. They are bordered by sidewalks and lined by these Spanish houses. which are painted in all the colors of the rain bow.
 In the center of the city is a great plaza, upon which is one of the largest eathedrals on the continent, and where tli71CitAA palace, the old mint and the Portal del Commercial, consisting of fine stores which look out upon arcades facing the plaza.
 A City of Churches
 The cathedral here is worth seeing. II is planned after that of Mexico City, in the form of Latin cross, with three aisles on each side, making five in all. It covers a great area and it's gigantic towers can be seen for miles over the country.
 The building was begun in t7S2, and at first it was planned to cost but sS00,000 The expenses upon it have, however, been many times that, and it is now one of the gorgeous buildings of Latin America. The pulpit is plated with gold and there is a gold crown above it.. tsoid enblems hang from each of the pillars and there are scores of paintings of saints in gold frames on it's walls. The altar is of Ca rara marble with beautiful carvings, ani the whole church is magnificent
 Leaving the cathedral and driving about through the city, one sees fine churches or church buildings in almost every block. In the past the people were much more devout than they are now and the priests had more power. Today some of the old convents have been turned into govern- ment offices and the administration is rather opposed to the church than in favor of it.
 One of the most interesting or the ec- olesiastical buildings is the Church of Santo Domingo. It was begun when the city was founded, and was completed at about the same time that Thomas Jeffer- son left the White House. The stones of /this church are said to be laid in a nor tar mixed with milk and sugar cane juice supplied by one of the nabobs of the past In it's vaults are the mummies of the early friars
 ba n San Francisco. which was begun in 1900, had it's mortar mixed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01

boat on the Thames. I am up every morning at six o'clock and take a plunge in the riyer no matter what tho temperature. Then am ready for q couple of hours exercise. This is talk en in the form chiefly of dancing. Breakfast out of the way, I am ready for a morning of study and meditation, for the knowledge of the mystics is in- exhaustible and can never be wholly mastered"
 Thurston's house boat is strange sight to eyes unaocustoJned to the trim -conyentionalfty of the English house boat or garden. He has given nature a free band and the upper structures of the habitation are almost buried in a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
A Corner in Guatemala City

funds He ordered them opened and year later began these festivals to Mine va. Since then he has established soI thousands of primary schools and has a# stituted normal and industrial schod The country has now a national institu which confers degrees. It has mant school for women, a national conservato of music, a school of art and schools law. medicine and engineering.
 The National Library contains abc 10000 volumes and many manuscripts. cluding the records of the inquisltion Guatemala In the law school libra there are 5000 law books, and the C library has about 3000 more. One of s best English libraries Is that of the Am ican club, which numbers 35o0o volumef
 Teachers at 15 Cents Day
 The chief trouble with the schools h Is the lack of money for teachers. great deal has been spent for temples F for putting up school buildings. .z many of tho buildings are empty, ia some of the schools are without sehols There is not enough in the treasury pay for good teachers, and ordinary Faa structors get from F to 10 cents a da
 1t Is the same with other governn employees | am told that circuit jud receive 200 pesos per month. This, at present rate of exchange, equals I2 Sl5: and as a judge of this kind usu has Il house which would rent for il times that per month. 1t is hard to how he keeps up the proper style on salary. The only way he can do so if graft and as a result justice is often sale to the highest bidder
 The process of getting favorable cree as I am told, is as follows: Tho man who wishes to win his case odlls upon the judge night or so before ths trta for or against it. but merely makes so- cial visit. and upon leaving lays check payable to bearer upon the chair or table The judge understands. and If the cheeA is cashed the man is the winner.
 As it is, everything about the schools is behind the times. I bought geogra phy of Central America at one of tn chief book stores. IL was published b' Appleton S Go. in 1896. and from it tn little Guatemalans are learning that tn United States has now 55,00o000 people while the other figures given are those O IS years ago.
 A Word About the Press
 If is the same with the newspapers They are few in number and small In clr- culation. There is not one in the capital which has daily issue of more thar 500O and the Sunday issue of the Journal which you are reading contains mora print than any Guatemala newspaper has in one week--I might almost say in a month. Nevertheless, there are four dailies published in Guatemala City. ond there are eight more periodicals regis tered. The papers have six columns 10 T nage and the pages measure 2z by 2 inches. There are some telegrams, con siderable local news and not little ad- vertising. The advertising rates are mol more than cents per inch for each in sertion. and they run as high as slo gold ner page, with reductions for long con tracts. FRANh C. CAkfhNIEh.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
The Doors Are Heavy and Studded
 With Iron

with the whites of eggs, but just how many eggs were employed is not known. This church once had convent con- nected with it, and at time 1t was used as pantheon for the burial of dis tinguished persons. The church has now been taken over by the government, and the general postoffice occupies the con vent.
 Many of the churches are shrnes. and to some of them pilgrims come from all over Guatemala. In the Church of La Merced is a statue, known as the Black Virgin, which was consecrated in 1717, so that 1t is almost 200 years old. It is considered especially holy, and is fa- yorite shrine.
 A Good Mission Field
 And just here l would say that Guate- mala is a splendid field for missionary work. The people are Catholics, but they have a religion like that of the middle ages, and they need regeneration. The work should be done by. our Catholic missionaries, who would, l believe, find the grain ripe for the harvest. It must be remembered that a great majority Of these Guatemalans are Indians. Guate- mala has more than 2,0000O0 population, and of these about 1,5O0oOO have no white blood The Indians are divided up into tribes, and many of the tribes have mixture of Catholicism and of their old faith. They have their priests, but they also have medicine men and fire and devil worship. This is so of the Quiches, who are descended from the Toltecs, who ruled Mexico before the AXtecs. There are several hundred thousand of them.
 The Indians of Guatemala are naturally devout. The greater support of the church comes from them, and l see a half dozen red men to every white man in the churches. It is perhaps due to the In- dans that the worship of today is so full of superstition. The statues in the churches are gorgeously decorated. In some places the Christ is clad in 8 wooen gown like a monk, and nearly every where the wax Madonnas have gowns of brocaded silk and their heads are deco rated with jewels.
 As it is now the church is very poor and with the opposition of the govern ment it is difficult to support the clergy The priests are not free to speak as they please, and the power and wealth which they had in the past have disappeared As to Protestant mission work. there is some carried on by the Presbyterians, the Methodists and the Evangelsts. am a Presbyterian myself, but I really be- lieve the best work can be done here by the Catholics, and that Central America should be given over to them. What is
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01

guide 10 the secrets which are so jeal- ously guarded by the natives. 1t was not until she returned to England and accidentally met Thurston that her greatest wish was satisfied In the Staines recluso she has found the men, tor she had so long sought and straightway shc plunged into deep study Of the fascinating subject to the exclusion of her stage work.
 Copyright 1912 By Curtis Brown)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01

are less than coco school children in a population of 2,O00,000 The president O. tho republic is an enthusiast on the sub ject of schools, and one of his ways Of showing 1t is by the erection of these temples to Minerva. which arc to be found at all the large cities
 The temple here, of which I have al ready spoken in connection with the visit of Secretary Knox. covers about q quar- ter of an acre. It consists of a great platform with roof upheld by T Ionic columns The front Of the building has allegorlcal figures representing Civiliza- tion and Progress and under them an in- scription saying that Manuel Estrada Ca- brera, the president of the republic has erected this for the study of the youth of the country.
 Similar buildings, though not so grand, have been erected to the Goddess of Wis dom and Education in other places l saw one in the town of Progreso as l came over the railroad from the Caribbean sea to Guatemala City. and there are others at Quezaltenango and elsewhere.
 In these temples there are annual fes- tivas of the school children at which time the eminent men of the republic make speeches and the little ones come out in great parades There is song sing ing, oratory and essay reading, and alto gether feast of reason and flow of soul of a sort.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01

wanted is not a new faith, but regen- eration. revivifying and modernization Of what the people believe now, and this can be much more easily and effectively ac- complished by our Catholic church as it Is today.
 The Theatre and the Bull Ring
 But you must not think that Guatemala is all churches. It has a fine theatre and a well patronized bull ring. The theatre is named after Columbus, and it's build ing was modelled after the Church or the Madelaine in Paris. It has sub sidy from the government, and stars are brought in from Italy, Spain and Mexico
 The bull ring is right near the Central railway station, and during the season all classes meet there Sunday afternoons to see the fun. Now and then bulls are inn ported from Spain to contest with the Guaternalan bulls, and some of the chief Spanish bullfghters come here to take part As a rule. however, the animals used are oxen, with now and then an old bull for a change.
 There are always good bands at the bull fights and the city has plenty of music. The military bands play in the parks and on Sunday afternoons rich and poor walk about there and listen to popu- lar and classical airs.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
Cabera and inc Schools

understand that President Cabrera has done considerable in the way of i'm proving the schools. At the time he ear1e into power they were closed for lack oi
The Washington herald., 1912-01-31
HOUSE FOR CANON
SOON TO BE BUILT
Residence for Rev. William L. De
Vries to Be Erected in
wOOdley Lane.

Excavations have just been finished for
the foundation Of an attractive three
story residence to be erected in woodley
lane. near Thirty-sixth street. for Canon
William L. De Vries, OF the Episcopal
Cathedral. The house. which will cost
approximately 5000. viii be Just across
from the Cathedral grounds.
The contract for the building has been
awarded 10 NJ. II. Herman. builder.
The plans were prepared by Kendall &
Smith. architects.
The house will have a rough-stone
foundation. and the superstructure viii
be Of terra Gotta blocks. which will after
ward be given a stucco facing. The roof.
which will be OF a curb type, broken In
several places with ornamental dormer
windows. VIII be Of slate.
The feature of the interior will be
large library, with beam ceiling on the
second floor. The room will have an at
tractive open fireplace. On this door
there will be three bedchambers and two
baths. There viii also be a large OPEN
air covered sleeping porch. The third
floor will contain three servants rooms.
On the first floor there will be a din
ing-room, parlor. reception hallway, ONCE
or reception room. kitchen. and pantry
rooms. The laundry, storage. and fur
mace rooms will be in the cellar.
The dining-room will have an orna-
mental beam ceiling. and will be finished
in mahogany. The parlor will be finished
in white enamel
The Washington herald., 1912-01-31
OLD GRUIT HOME
BEING TORN DOWN
Historic Landmark to Give Way to
Modern Structure FOR Book
Dealers.

The last residence in the business por-
tion Of + street has gone.
Several days ago wreclSers began tear
ing down the old Cruit home on the
north side OF street, between Four
teenth and Fifteenth streets. and now
all that remains OF this historic land
mark are the walls and portions Of sew
eral floors Within a short time all
traces of the what was at onestime the
residence OF one of Washington's most
fashionable families will have been, re-
moved and excavations will be started
for the new building to be erected on the
site for William Ballantsne & Sons.
book dealers, now located at Is Seventh
street northwest.
In wrecking the old home a number Of
things not Included in present-daC con-
struction have been discovered. All the
beams used In the house are found to
have been hand hewn and still show the
adz marks. The foundation. which is
unusually heavy. is made OF rough stone
The most interesting thing that has
been unearthed so far Is a deep well or
at the front Of the building. The hole is
about four feet in diameter and is ap-
parently about twenty-five feet deep. It
was covered over with heavy boards
Suspended from the ceiling above II is a
windlass. II was at first thought that
the hole was the remainder of a wen.
but pipes have been found which now
cause the wreckers to believe that II was
used as a clstern for storing rainwater
from the slate roof covering the old
home.
AS yet no one has ventured to be low
cred to the bottom Of the old cistern, but
before the excavations for the new build
ing are started Il will be more fully in
vestigated. There has been much specu-
lRtion among the workmen employed In
wrecking the old home as to what viii be
found at the bottom Of the cistern. The
excavations for the new structure will be
quite deep. but II is believed that at least
ten feet OF the former cistern will stin
remain to be filled.
The contract for erecting the new build
ing has been awarded TO the Boyle-Rob-
ertson Construction Company. The cost
Of the structure will be approximately
$4,000.
Plans for the building have been pre-
pared by Frederick A. Kendall and Delos
II. Smith. architects. They provide for a
three-story structure. having a frontage
OF q feet and a depth Of 113 feet. Orna-
mental copper will be extensively used
on the front. The construction OF the
front will he OF tapestry brick and deco
rative terra Gotta The portion Of the
The Washington herald., 1912-01-31
NEW HOME FOR PHYSICIAN.
Structure for DR.. schreIber to Con-
tain Omees and Apartments.

Structure for DIR. schreiber 10 Son-
tain Omees and Apartments.
a two-story apartment building for Dr.
II. r. Schneider IL now under the course
OF construction at 5os II street north
east. The work is being done by the
De Lacy Construction Company from
plans prepared by jules Wenig. architect.
The building is nearly completed and
win be ready for occupancy within a
month. 1t occupies lot approximately
nineteen feet by sixty-three feet. The
ffrst floor of the building. which Will be
used by DR.. Schreiber as his ONCE and
home, contains seven rooms.
They include n weIl-llghted office room
and a waiting room adjoining. Entirely
separated from the ONCE is the living
apartment, which contains parior. dining
room, kitchen. and two bed rooms. The
second floor of the building is arranged
in a similar manner. anc 1t is under
stood that IL will also be used by either
a physician or dentist. The building Is
constructed a light brick with limestone
trimming. 1t has a slated mansard roof.
The Washington herald., 1912-01-31
BUILDING NEWS GOSSIP asR J.

roof which win show from the street viii
be OF red tile and will oyerhang rom
the main wall OF the building. beneath
IL viii be a horizontal panel OF aecora-
tive terra Gotta tiles.
The main ioor OF the building VIII be
devoted to one big salesroom. with ofiices
in the rear. The second floor VIII con-
tain a large stockroom. Two printing
and engraving rooms win occupy the top
floor. which win be well lighted by large
windows at either end. Over the main
entrance there viii be an ornamental
marqulse roof
The Washington herald., 1912-01-31
HOME IS ABOUT COMPLETED.
Work ON Dickson Memorial Build
ing Soon to BE Finished.

Within the next two weeks work on the
John Dickson Memorial Home, In Saul,s
Addition, will be completed and every
thing will then be in readiness for oecu-
pancy. 1t Is understood. however. that
the home will not be formally opened
until some time during the coming sum
mer.
The interior finishing OF the home is
now being completed. Most Of the trim
ming has been done. and woodwork I'm
ishers are now at work.
The Dickson Home, which will be for
aged men, has been built by the Boyle
Robertson Construction Company from
plans prepared by Arthur Heaton, archi-
tect
The Washington herald., 1912-01-31
MoIds for statue shipped.

The plaster molds for the statue of
Archbishop John Carroll. founder OF the
Georgetown University. were yesterday
shipped by the sculptor, Jerome Conner.
to New York. where Il viii be cast Ac-
cording to tentative plans, Chief Justice
White will deliver the dedicstory ad-
dress, when the alumni association. of
which George Z. Hamilton is president.
formally presents the memorial TO
Georgetown University. April q. Presi-
dent Taft also is expected TO speak
The Washington herald., 1912-01-31
TO ERECT OFFICE BUILDING.
Structure for Gas Company in wis.,
consIn Avenue Planned.

A meeting OF the directors Of the
Georgetown GasIight Company will be
held within the next few days to award
the contract for erecting a new ONCE
building for the company at the north
east corner OF Wisconsin and Dumbarton
avenues
Plans for the building have been pre-
pared by Marsh & Peter. II will be
two-story structure. and will be spproxi-
mately 50 by s. feet. II will be con-
structed with light-colored brick and
terra Gotta trimmings.
The first floor Of the structure will
contain Offices for the gas company and
large room which will be rented for
store purposes. The company will re-
tain a public office. where bills may be
paid and the necessary bookkeeping
rooms. The second floor OF the building
will be used by the business department
Of the gas company. It will contain a
large exhibition room.
The Glenwood post., 1912-08-03
WORD OF WARNING AS
TO CREAMERIES

\ word of warning needs to be given
against certain promoters who are try
ing to induce communities to start CO.
operative creamerics. In the past they
have worked great deal of harm in
other states and have recently entered
Colorado. These promoters usually
represent construction companies VINO
aim to make large profit by selling
machinery and material.
We do not wish to discourage in any
way the building of creameries when
the dairy industry in region has
reached a point where it will suppOr;
such a plant. The first consideration
in starting creamery is to investigate
the supply of milk or cream. No co.
operative creamery in Colorado may cl-
pect to make a success without having
pledged the milk of at ieast 400 cows
The greater number that it is possib
to secure, the greater chance of sue
cess, for the cost of operating fair
sized cvreamery. is very nearly the
same as for a small one.
Another common cause of creamery
failure is the excessive cost of building.
Promoters are responsible for the BULL
ing of many creameries that have cost
twice their actual value, and are even
then i'll adapted to the needs of thu
community. When a high priced cream
cry is built and is obliged to close doHn
because it caDnoe make expenses 4
gives the whole dairy industry in that
region setback from which it will no,
recover for many years. 1t is an cN
pcnsive lesson and the better way is to
count the cost before building.
DairyIng IN Colorado is still growing,
but it is still young. In many places
the local demand for cream and milk
takes the entire product. Milk for
city retail and cream for ice cream
plants will usually command higher
prices than can be paid for its manu-
facture into butter. If there is an cx-
cess of product over the demand and
other conditions warrant it, "a creame.y
may be successfully operated. Many
creamcries are successful from the start
i is our intention to publish in tha
near future series of articles showing
the cost of building creameries and tho
harm done by promoters who are ex-
plotting the dairy industry for their
own profit. G. A. GILBERT,
Colorado Agricultural College, Fort
Collins, Colorado.