The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-09-18
OLSON WRITES ABOUT
LIFE IN PERU
Former MinOt Man Saw the Mummy
of Pizarro, Who Discovered Peru
in l533-Says Old Boy Looks
Natural

lie lOllOWIlS lilIcIcSCIIS lStSSI was
received by the Independent from
Chas. w. Olson, former Minot resi-
dent, who is connected with large
banking concern at Lima, Peru:
Lima, August 10, 1919.
Before leaving New York wrote
you telling you for what point | was
bound and as you see, | have now ar
rived at that point.
BY emitting the mentioning of some
very hot and rough weather in the
caribbean between Kingston, Jamaica,
and Colon, the time that elapsed be-
tween June II and July 3rd-the per-
iod of our trip-was pleasant and very
interesting. 1t seems that what has
been said and written about 'our"
canal is true and we were rather proud
of what we said there including the
clean towns along the way.
The weather in the canal zone was
not hot while we were there and al
though it may sound strange, the
temperature on the west coast of
South America became cooler as we
approached the equator and at times
was chilly. This is due to an ant
arctic current flowing from the south
and to the proximity to the coast of
the high mountains.
Our first view of the South Amer
lean west coast was not impressive
as it is all devoid of any vegetation
being-all along the Peruvian coast
for more than fifteen hundred miles
composed of barren rocks and noun
tain sides with the rare exceptions
where streams come down from the
mountains, permitting of irrigation
in narrow sections. There is no rain
fall along the coast but during the So
called rainy season there is fog or
mist which is not sufficient to wet
one and they say that in Lima it does
MT rain once in thirty years.
We are now enjoying the rainy sea-
son or winter weather, which con-
tinues from June to November, after
which the summer weather begins. 1t
is rather damp now and cool but not
as cold as San Francisco in the win
ter.
The weather in Lima and the West
coast is entirely different from that
of the interior, where now within four
or five hours by train from here there
is great deal of snow and where
rain falls in the summer This inter
Tor country raises cotton, sugar, cof-
fee, sheep, cattle, ETC., and the noun
tains are rich in all kinds of minerals.
Lima is a city of nearly 100000 in
habitants and was laid out by Pizarro
some little time before we came down,
in fact is was in 1888. He laid the
corner stone for large cathedral just
across the street from where we live
and we were privileged to see his
mummy, which is kept in the cathed-
raj. He looks quite natural.
Lima has some nice shops, public
buildings, churches without number
and very up to date street car sys-
tenn running out to various suburbs
and to the seaport Calais, eight miles
away.
It's streets in the business sections
are narrow but clean and look very
busy, especially in the evening, when
automobiles, carriages and pedestrians
are out.
Prices. of everything, whether i'm
ported or of local production, are ex-
ceedingly high as are also rents and
it is very difficult to find places to
rent. condition similar to that in
most cities in the States.
BUSINESS conditions are good and
since a so-called revolution on July 81
and 4, when there was change in
presidents, the political situation
seems to be all right for the next
four years or so.
There is not first class hotel in
Lima, except as to rates-in fact the
hotel accommodations are the poorest
of any city I have been in with pop
ulation one-tenth of that Of this place. |
Manila had several hotels better than
the best one here, as has also Hong
Kong and Shanghai
The people range from pure white to
pure Indian, and some pure darkies,
and there seems to be no line Of de-
between them. They are
similar to what we have heard of I
Latin Americans in that it is rather
difficult to get them to do anything
gospel is Manana.
The country, the people and the
work here are interesting but it. isn't
a place that appeals to most North
think, unless time creates
some sort Of fascination for it as it
does in the Orient.
uY.L1- 1