The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-08-12

l. (Prspared by tho National Geographic 8
ciety. Washington. D. CO.
IF THE name Of every country we
: as self-explanatory as that Of Ecu
3 dor, geography would be simplifie
: For "Republica del Ecuador" NEAR
r Republic Of the Equator" which, t,
gether with the fact that the countr
Is on the Pacific coast Of South Anne
. lea, locates Ecuador beyond all ques
ton. But, though Ecuador lies unde
the equator, 1t is not In the main
land of heat. Over the greater par
Of the country rise the peaks, plateau
and foothills Of the Andes, lifting tn
land into regions of pleasant tempera
ture.
Because of unsettled boundary dis
putes the exact area of Ecuador is
unknown, but 1t is safe to say that II
is larger than any state Of the United
States except Texas. The population
is about 100000 Although the
country Is comprised between one de-
gree north and four degrees south
latitude, almost every variation of
climate is obtainable, from the torrid
lands Of the coast to the chilly plains,
at an elevation Of 1900 feet, at the
foot Of the snow-clad peaks Of the
Andes.
Both the eastern and western ranges
of the Andes traverse the republic.
Between these ranges lie extensive
high valleys yielding the products of
the temperate zone To the west of
the Cordillera stretch the low trop-
tcal lands on the Pacific, and to the
east the country gradually descends
to the low Amazon valley and the from
tiers of. Brazil.
The principal cities Of Ecuador are
the capital, Quito and the seaport.
The latter is the first port
Of call for many ships sailing south
Of Panama, and to reach 1t the vessel
must enter the Gulf of Gayas, and
then steam up the wide tidal river of
The Guayas.
Guayaquil is large city, of about
10000 population, and for many years
lad the unsavory reputation of being
he worst pesthole on the Pacific
cast. This was due to the virulent
elbow fever which was prevalent
here and to the sporadic outbursts of
he bubonic plague, which kept the
lty under a perpetual quarantine:
nd travellers Stunned 1t whenever :
ossible. f
ID Guayaqull Well Cleaned.
The Rockefeller Foundation took In
and the cleaning up of this city, :
18th the result that now yellow fever +
Is practically disappeared and the :,
lbonic plague Is kept well In hand. !,
ne quarantine against the port has =,
en- lifted, Guayaquil is once more a 10
op on the maritime itineraries, and .,
Ecuadorean has reverence. and -,
faith in the "gringo med1co' almost =
strongly fixed as is his religion. y,
Coincident with this Improvement ~
the hygiene Of the city, new streets '"
We been built and new buildings n,
'cted so that Guayaquil Is rapidly e.
gfng ahead. 1t is the emporium of a.,
nador. All imports and exports W,
Is through Guayaquil. The houses ~
built of wood, owing to the lack 90,
other material. They are con- ~.
lcted In the Southern style, with -,
comics protruding over the side
ks and resting upon wooden nil IVY,
|, thus forming piazzas which az W.
protection against sun and rain. ~
fires under the circumstances are ,','
icularly dangerous, Guayaquil has ~.
laps more extensive fire depart
than any other city of its size. to-,
ample reservoirs of water ON
oehlnd the town. 1t is improbable NJ
Guayaquil will ever again be Wis &C &C
oy such disastrous CONGREGATIONS ~
, the past. ons
ross the river from Guayaouil 10 Co.,,
N, the terminus of the Guavaunl gu
uito railroad, company incor-
TED under the laws Of the state Of Tue
Jersey. This railroad. built nv III
1can engineers, extends to Ouito %
niles from the coast. IN
iving Duran. the train proceeds IAN
the fiat and gent,v r,s,r 70 ee'S pick
N Seh''v Using country IL,
e FOOTHILLS Of the Andes In the oles.
country are the great sugar es- ponc
stretching for miles on either srou
'r the track and equipped with aalu
o. miniature railway for hauling uirtS
and with large sugar factories an
,g the plains. tho ascant ,s In f
through dense tronicaI SUI peopl
ully watered by streams and wen
es which can sunnlv nn,,u,' a.. closel
mower. The trains 49, lean
or the climb nm 70 a. W. less S
o,,Ito,. p,,.,,. Of the
49,. as POI
mes feature Of wome
$500. '' IN an open and t
e ground ars In the