Norwich bulletin., 1913-04-23
PRESIDENT CASE TALKS
 ON SOUTHERN TRIP.
Entertained Y. M. c. A. Members Views of Panama, Cuba, and Other
 Island Ports.

| 1 Island Ports.
 An account by President James L.. i Case Of his recent trip to Panama, Cuba and Porto Rico entertained a 1 large number of the Y M c. A mem l bers in the association hall Tuesday evenlnr at the members informal so-
 clal General Secretary F. R. Starkey | presided at the meeting. John W, Mo k1nley's team. which secured 136 of | the 316 new members gained in the
 recent campaign. was presented a handsome banner in recognition of their efforts. and the team explained by Robert o. Fletcher, which secured 21 members, the largest number among the juniors, was also presented ban ! 1 ner- Langs orchestra carried out pleasing programme of selections. A
 the close of the meeting there was a general social time and coffee. cake and ice cream were served.
 The address by President Case was 1 illustrated with stereopticon views and was much enjoyed. The party sailed i from New York March 12 on the fine steamer Laurentic of the White Star 1 line. There were about 45o passen- gers, including many men of promi- l hence. We left New York. said MT. Case, at o'clock Wednesday morn 1 ing and arrived at Havana at 8 o'clock Saturday evening. Sunday and Mon 1 day were passed at Havana, the time being spent in going over the places | of interest about the town, in which J American life and progress, from the splendid wall built under Governor Wood at the time of the Spanish war to the schools which are decidedly American in system. There was much to be seen of interest in the park and plazas, Morro castle the fortress and the sugar and tobacco plantations. Where Hobson Sank the Merrinnac. We left Havana Monday. arriving at Santiago on Wednesday, and one day ant hnr Sn nv,ti nH as an important center during the war and we were reminded on entering the harbor that here Hobson sank the Merrimac The entrance is but 500 feet wide and we wound back and forth through the channel until within two miles of the dock, when we were forced to anchor. reaching land by the launches We visited the cathedrals and prominent buildings San Juan hill and the battlefield We met with a warm reception from the governor of the province. Santiago proved not nearly so modern as Havana and was We left Santiago Wednesday and ar
 rived at Kingston, Jamaica, the day following. This was the first pier at which we had landed since leaving
 New York. Thursday and Friday were spent in this beautiful and typical English city. We took an interesting
 journey to Port Antonio. a famous re-
 sort, going through s27 tunnels in the hills. We climbed through acres and acres of bananas the plantations reaching even to the tops of the noun
 tains. On our return to Kingston in the evening we enjoyed a delightful concert at the Mertle Bank hotel an
 English hotel of the finest type On Good Friday all the stores were closed
 by order of the government and never have I seen a town closed so tightly.
 We saw a number of prominent buildings being reconstructed since the earthquake of 1907. of which there are still many evidences, We. visited the kings house, now maintained as the governors residence.
 Colon and Panama.
 We left Kingston Friday and ar rived in Colon on Easter Sunday. We availed ourselves of the opportunity to see the canal and we appreciated all that we had heard to the magnitude of the project An excellent oppor- tunity to inspect the Gatun locks was presented by Colonel Sfbert. one of the canal commissioners, as the man in whose office Colonel Sibert began his engineering work was one of our par ty. We had special train to cross to Panama and were afforded an op- portunity to see the work at the Cu1ebra cut, where nine of the twelve miles has already been eXcavated. It is planned to let water into the canal in October.
 We passed three hours in the his toric old city of Panama. In Ancon, part of Panama under rule of the canal officials is located the finest hospital imaginable for the care of the sick and injured of the whole section There is also an auxiliary hospital at Colon. We left Colon Monday and on Thursday arrived at Laguaira. the seaport of Venezuela. We had a never to- -be-for gotten ride by special train to Cara cas, the capital The narrow gauge railway winds along the edge of cliffs and from the car windows one can look down for 1000 and in some places tance from Laguaira to Caracas is seven miles, but by rail it Is 23 miles and requires three hours. An excellent macadam road is being built between the two cities, along the railroad
 Several hours were passed in Cara cas, which is a beautiful southern city. with life typical of the country.
 Four Americans on Martinique. I
 We next visited Port of Spain on the island of Trinidad, and found an- other pretty English city much like Kingston. The courtesy of the people and the general brightness and clean Illness made our stay enjoyable. We visited La Brea, where the native work removing pitch from the pitch lake. We went to Fort de France, Marti- 1 nique, and met with a warm reception from the American consul. who was overjoyed to see us as there are but four Americans in the town. We found the place dirty, with ill kept inhabitants. St Pierre, where the vil- lage was wiped out by the earthquake in 1902. is being built up again. For 1 some years the people refused to re- turn to the place. fearing another dis l aster, Since the earthquake no ship 1 has anchored in the harbor of which ] the bottom apparently dropped out.
 Charlotte Amelia presented pleas l ing sight as it first came into view; i pretty Danish village located upon | three hills. Everything was bright | and clean and the people seemed well 1 educated and pros porous.
 On Porto Rico.
 On our arrival at Porto Rico we felt 1 that we were nearing home once more, | as we were again on American soil. l At San Juan American life and ener 1 gy were everywhere in evidence. The l roads there are the finest in the world. | The captain of the port, William High 1 land, proved to be native of Water bury and as residents of his native 1 state were warmly welcomed Spanish is spoken largely theres al 1 though English is coming into use