Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-01-02

father being the editor OF the most
important paper in Ecuador, Ell Tele-
|?crafo. He rendered me a luncheon
and / thought that I was back in the
States as all the food was imported
| and he has wonderful chef.
One of the most depressing things
about Guayaquil is the seriousness
of the children. Practically every
prominent family in the city is in
mourning and the children are dress
ed in black. Even the babies are
CARRIED in crepe. There is no laugh
! ter in the place, no music, and
every night at six o'clock all the
houses are closed. 1t is like living in
a city Of the dead.
After a week in Guayaquil l cross
ed the river to Duran which is the
| terminus of the Gauyaquil and
fQuinto railroad. Here / found more
Americans and spent the night IN
the railway quarters, the guest of
another brother Shriner from Har-
] risburc, Pa, Mr.. Paget. The G. and
c. Railway is operated by Ameri.
cans but its bonds are largely held
in England. 1t is one Of the most
daring pieces of railway construction
in the world and climbs up the
mountains to Quito, Il distance OF
nearly 800 miles.
The start was made early in the
morning and two days was required
to make the trip. Outside Of Duran
we passed through great plantations
of sugar, rice, bananas, coffee and
cocoa, the latter the bean from which
chocolate is made. 1t was hot and
dusty and our progress was slow. In
four hours we were at the foothills
| and then heavier engines and shorter
! trains were needed. We began to
reach the heavy construction work
and for hours marveled at the dar'
| ing of the American engineers who
| built the line. Finally we reached
the devils nose" and to go up it g
|! switchback is necessary. All the time
we are crawling higher and along ii
/ the afternoon we are II 900 feet high
| We are now in the land of the sno"
peaks and are fairly stunned wher
the triple peak of Chimborazo, 90.
7O3 feet above the sea level, ano
the highest mountain in this coun'
try, bursts into view. For hours we
! wind about its side and are entranc'
| ed by it's beauty. Other great vol
canoes come into view and just a
dusk we catch glimpse of the great
| Cotopaxi, the highest active voica'
no in the world. From its summit
smoke curles upward unceasingl,
and it's e,uptions are fearful. A
| night we reach the little town d
i Riobanlba where we are to spend tho
night.
1 Another day of wonders followed
and perhaps the most interesting
=, part of the trip was to see the In
] dams who congregated at the rail
:; way stations. They were most pic
:; turesque, but the dirtiest people
have ever seen. Without shoes an'
with the scantiest kind of clothing
i they enduc the terrific cold withoa
complaint In the afternoon Quite
was reached and here / am now II
!; one Of the most picturesque cite;
! in the world. The approach to Quite
\ will ever remain in my memory as
the most wonderful thing l have eve,
seen. Eleven great snowcapped peaks
some of which emit wreaths of curl.
ing smoke surround this city and
form panorama that is unrivelet
in the world.
j My first visit after locating myself
in Hotel Fromert was to the Ameri,
can Minister and here I found ore
4 of the finest Americans I have ever
met, dandy old chap who could not
do enough for. me. His wife was more
than kind and my first Sunday din.
ner was taken in their home. 1t was
amusing to hear their descriptions
OF Ecuador: Mr.. Hartman, the Minis
j ter is from Montana and a genuine
I product of the West. He was for a
number of years in Congress and is
we'll known to many of our Virginia
people. He is making a great sue
!. 1ess in his work in Ecuador and Is
! appreciated by the government as
we'll as the people Of the country. ]
wish that we had many such Minis
tcrs as Charles Hartman. Anothe;