The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1915-11-05
" Y

Entirely alone, Don Albino could make head.
way with his project Of getting rich quickly and.
taking advantage Of passing vessel, went back
to Valadolid. The cotton he had succeeded in
planting before his deserted him was al
lowed 10 grow wild, and the island once more
was completely abandoned by
1t was not until lS4S that Cozumel again
inhabited. The revolution which caused Yucatan
and Campeche to separate had deprived many
citizens of the means of livelihood, and for
teria as well political it became
necessary for them to seek pastures The
federal government offered to help them, provd-
ed they would leave the peninsula. But to where
could they be transplanted? Being Yucatecos,
quick to resent the paternalsm of the govern.
ment, and always suspicious OF the party in
Offices bona fdes, they of spirit difficult
to keep under restraint and more than likely to
soon become unruy again Therefore to allow
them to migrate to the central states even to
the regions bordering on the Gulf of Mexico, was
out OF the question; 1t was imperative that they
be kept apart from the doce peoples of the
republic lest they inoculate the latter with the
political restlessness that had been their own I'M
doing Finally 1t was agreed that they should be
taken to Cozumel This arrangement duly
consummated and everything necessary to enable
the eNiles to make a good start furnished
gratutously by the government. After very
many vcissitudes the colony thus launched
gradually settled itself into place, becoming at
the expiration of a decade firmly estab-
shed, and Cozumel is today the terra"
homeland of as hardy and independent set OF
slanders-half farmers, half fshermen-as can
be found anywhere in the Antilles.
The present population OF Cozumel numbers
fourteen hundred souls The capital, San
Miguel is credited with 900 and the village of Ell
Cedral has about l5O the remainder scat
tered among the numerous ranches.
San Miguel is quite a thriving well formed
town. 1t has several vide, clean streets: a plaza
very presentable little church, large gen
era store and several small ones an inn and
municipal offices and customhouse; 1t also boasts
a sort of esplanade running along the entire sea
front, at end of which is the lighthouse and
at the other landing jetty Although most OF
the buildings palm matched cottages. there
several strongly built stone houses and the
main street has a twostory brick house and a
modern bungalow.
The only regular communication with the out.
side world is by government transport These
steamers call twice each month to leave and
collect mail when en- route with troops and sup
plies to and from Vera Cruz and the military sta
tons Of Quintana Roo
Health conditions in Cozumel are extre civ
good, when the tropical climate of the island is
taken into account. The normal rate of mortality
averages ID per 1000. EpdemicS very rare
indeed practically unknown
The great majority OF the Cozume, islanders
poor. so far possessing surplus of this
world goods is concerned. being satisfied with
hand-to-mouth existence.
Among the very few articles exported from the
island are 3ponges. but the quantity is limited
and the quality not very fine. More than one at
tempt has been made by foreigners to fully ex.
plot the sponge business here, but all efforts TO
make it profitable a large scale have failed
There are very many ruins the island
some of which I and to the extent of nv
limited time and ability examined-the architec.
tural beauty and general plan Of which provide
irrefutable evidence that the early inhabitants
were intelligent and cultured to a degree more
than surprising.