The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-07-08

en- crowd the wharf with g~ay-cOlOred
birds, brilliantly plumaged macaws,
verdant parrots and p~arrakeets, tiger
and puma skins, panama hats, Offer
ing them for sale, and there are lively
scene along the dock throughout the
stay of the ship. Corinto itself is a
pretty port. The entrance to the har-
Dor is dotted with green islands and
the shores lined with tall graceful
palms. The streets are clean and well
laid out. Trees and flowers bloom
everywhere, the wooden-framed build
ings are tidily kept, while the many
well-stocked shops bespeGk the COM
mercial Importance of this place. Along
the main street to within a few min
utes' walk from the water front runs
the railroad, and here you entrain for
the capital city.
Leon the Largest City.
The trip to the capital is a pleasam
revelation of the character of the coun.
try. Leaving the rolling waves of the
Pacific, it's shore bordered with the
towering coconut palms and man
groves, you soon come upon the bank
of n wide and deep inlet of the sea,
the Paso de Caballos. Crossing this,
areas of thriving sugar plantations
stretch before yOu.
About 80 miles from Corinto you
come to Leon, the largest city in the
republic-the distributing center for
the coffee and mining districts of Mata-
galpa, Segovia and Jinotega. There
is considerable movement about the
station. You jump into one of the
coaches, and a drive through the wide
and fairly level streets brings you to
the main hotel-large, airy, clean and
comfortable. En- route you observe the
many quaint low homes thrown into
contrast here and there by a larger
and more elaborate structure. Leon
is a busy city of 10000 people. 1t has
: a number of fine public buildings, a
= law and medical school, a number of
: attractive clubs, and life in that city is
, as enjoyable as it is charming.
. Leon, it will be remembered, was 4
/ t~ime-honOred rival of Granada for the
site of the capital. and so spirited did
t the contest for this honor frequently
btNpilC NlaAl Il INNS Wy iah "
be chosen, and the privilege of housing
the national government of the repub-
: lie fell to Managua. Leon boasts of one
l of the largest cathedrals in Latin
[ America. Great and massive, it fronts
one side of the plaza and either side
{ of the entrance steps is guarded by
the lion of CASTLE. For over n century
= and a half this edifice has witnessed
and withstood the historic trials of the
nation.
: Managua, the Capital.
After a pleasant stay at Leon you
resume your journey to the capital,
Once more you pass through fiat grass
lands "interspersed with charming
woodland. Here and there stretch be
, fore you expanses of cultivated areas.
q Presently MOmotombO greets you, a
beautiful volcano, erect, imposing, and
constantly sending forth little volumes
+ of smoke that pass Off into white
clouds as they ascend the skies. And
= then Managua! The drive TO the hotel
takes you through q large part of the
n city, and you get your first glimpses
f of the various public buildings, parks,
g homes, stores, and streets Of the cap
ital.
I Managua lies OH the south shore OF
+ the lake of the same name, q body OF
T water covering 10 miles in width and
over twice that in length. At some lit
e tie distance away and connected by
a River Tipitapa Is wonderful Lake
Il Nicaragua, a sheet of water nearly l0t
miles long and 40 miles wide.
n AT Leon you are impressed with The
commercial activity of the city. Ii
n Granada you will observe a genera
liveliness in the life in general. The
e spirit of Managua is also distinctive
There is more of the quiet and dig
nifty that behts a capital city. Among
the public buildings worthy of specia
= notice are the national palace, the
presidents palace, the offices of th'
other departments, and the arsena
that stands on a hill overlooking the
main street.