The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1918-02-15

under direction Of President ESTRADA
Cabrera. The president, who Is a pa
iron of all the arts, has vigorously
pushed the manual training and tech
meal schools. They are to be found
throughout the settled portions OF the
republic. Education Is compulsory.
Electric lights and pure water piping
are installed in all communities of any
size. The telegraph system Is admirar
ble / sent ten words $50 miles Cor I
cents american currency much
lower rate than prevails in the United
States or most other countries. The
| telegraph, educational, postal and min
ing laws were personally formulated
by President Cabrera, who Is a jurist
! Of extraordinary attainments. The
police system is excellent. / have
never seen an intoxicated person In
the republic. One can travel in any
portion of it unarmed. Concrete has
worked wonders. Every community
has its public concrete washing place
where the women may wash their
clothes and to which water is often
piped a great distance.
Descendants Of the Mayas.
The people of the highlands, except
in the larger towns, are mostly In
dams, who are believed to be descend
ed partly or wholly from the ancient
Mayas. l had read that the faces upon
the existing obelisks and monuments
often bore a striking resemblance to
! Of he Tnd pf
day. The statement / found verified
In the monuments at Quirigua. OF all
the prehistoric races of the American
hemisphere the Mayns were among the
most advanced. They had progressed
so far in. mechanics that they were
able to move rocks weighing 20 tons
or more over great distances. They
possessed considerable amount Of
written lore, and represented sounds
in their hieroglyphics. Their carvings
! of human beings or animals had been
developed beyond the profile stage OF
the Egyptians.
We found that many of the Indians
we met upon the road had but limit
ed knowledge of Spanish. Father Gar
Ella OF Naguala Is authority for the
statement that there are now q diff
ferent dialects spoken among these
people. Rev. Father Rossbach of To
tonieipan has 10000 Indians In his
parish. He did not know, he said, OF
more devout or moral race. They
are, too, picturesque people. The
men, with their loose, open-sleeyed
jackets, plaid skirts, sturdy bare legs
and flat straw hats of home weave,
strangely resemble the natives of
northern Japan. The women lend a
touch of vivid color to every country
side. They wear richly hued guipils
, home-woven waists of purple CLOTH e1D
bellished with red and gold patterns
and with sashes extending from the
waist to below the knees, wouno
:, somewhat tightly yet permitting free
dom of the limbs.
f TWO Attractive Cities.
+ Totonicipan, in the northwest par
5 of the republic, which we reached from
|. the Peten region, lies at an altitude o.
h $500 feet above sea level. Around 1
o on all sides but the west rise the wnlli
|. of great hills. 1t Is well-paved cit,
b of $4,000 population with attractive
8 shops and fine churches and publi
n buildings. All about are vegetable
!. gardens, grain fields and numerous on
;. chards. Were 1t not for the loft.
If mountains nearby, the North Ameri
If can here might fancy himself in tn
d central part of New York state.
y, | 6,o I.~s,< Il
n west for Is miles to QuetzaltenangC
" the second largest city in Guatemala
IS distinguished by Its imposing publ
d edifices, beautiful plaza and fine bus
a. ness structures. There are six goo
hotels in Quetzaltenango and, althoug
1t the city is 80 miles from the railroa
le ut San Felipe they enjoy brisk pi
Is tronage.
st The stage road to San Felipe is OF
lie of the scenic highways of the worl
VA In 80 miles It drops more than one mi
ct and skirts the TANKS of Mount SAINT
~ Maria, one of the most picturesque
it. the Central American volcanoe
lie More than this: In few brief hou
by it plunges from the pine-clad tempe
a. ate zone into tropical. jungles of
I'd luxuriance that battles descriptio
nd Here is a foreworld. Prodigious har
oy woods with branches rising from cle'
lie boles so to 100 feet above the earth a
ng hung with giant creepers like emo
ay nous serpents. Clusters of orchi'
cling to the branches or crevices
ly trees or hang suspended from trailir
on vines. Skeins of gray moss beard Il
ty trees. Tree ferns, giant palms and e
ty otto flowers are features of a jung
re which, at tines one can only penetra
hit with a machete. In few hours
We the auto stage the traveller has plung
es into different world