Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-03
Indy FINDS SAN SALVADOR
A MODERN, HOSPITABLE CITY
Flyer Completes Hop From Belize in Three
Hours-Terms Jungles Menace
to Air Travel.
BY COL. CHARLES A. LINDBERGH

IN COL. CHAKLES A. LINDBEKGH
ny cable to The star and New York Times
SAN SALVADOR, January 3.--San
Salvador. Nike all capitals OF Mexico
and Guatemala, Ia built In the noun
tains, with volcano dominating the
view. The chief cities Of this region
are frequently situated near vol
canO, 80 that the cones serve az con
venient landmarks in finding the
capitals.
The local volcano, I am told. erupted
10 years ago. but. fortunately. on the
side opposite the city. where a huge
river Of lava poured down.
understand my route will take
me over an active volcano neat
Mana2 qua and another between Mana
qua and Costa RIGA. and am looking
forward to the experience Of looking
down their cratcrs. which are said tc
be unusually large.
A Modern City.
San Salvador from the air appears
to be on attractive modern city. The
squares. That Is, the streets are
blocked off In squares. az in our cities
and the houses within them are bull,
according to the Spa nish style, in a
hollow square. with n central patio
forming q splotch of green inside mos.
Of them.
a closer view Of San Salvador from
the land confirms the impression oi
.ts modernity. The government build
inga are numerous, the churches are
imposing. the private dwellings, well
built against the heat and pleasant
and airy. Traffic IL exceliently direct
ed by policemen ut each intersection
The streets are wide and their paw
ing would be credit to any OF our
cities. So also are the paved roads
around the city. The drive to the
country club. where there was re
ception yesterday afternoon. was very
interesting. for II gave a closeup view
on a smaller scale OF the eXtraordi
narily broken. mountainous country
mentioned seeing from the air Sunday
Part of the road to the club is a
series OF cuts and fills, for II trayerses
Ia ridges in succession. separated by
sloping. wooded ravines. Where the
route pierces the ridges. the sides OF
the road where volcanic ash composes
their soil. have been shav we'd down and
appear almost like perpendicular con.
crete walls. The cuts which the roads
make through the tops Of these ridges
are usually not more than 100 feet
long. then one looks down a deep
ravine for another 100 feet. and then
another cut. The appearance OF this
country IL like corrugated iron. ex.
cept that the corruxations are steeply
angular instead OF round.
Prevalent Formation.
Th;s fnrc>at iar ,,,htot 7 hoy> to,-A
rather prevalent in the mountains Of
Central America. IL obviously not
adapted to forced landings, yet II Is
better to my mind for landing than
the jungles. since II Is usually more
open country where 1t would he easier
for the flyer TO make his way out. 4
forced landing in either the jungle or
this broken country would be far pref.
cradle TO one at sea. for on land the
flyer has chance to get out unaide
The iungles are 80 thick / am in
clined to think one might IN an cmer.
gency land on top of this matted vege.
tation without great danger. In fact,
planes already have landed In tree
tops in the States without difficulty.
The jungle Ia as dark as night, but a
light could not be seen even In the
daytime. am not carrying flares on
this tour
II forced down In the jungle the
flyer could cut small clearing and
start a smoke fire. which possibly
could be picked up from the air In the
daytime. but this would be difficult.
too. In view OF the extent of jungles
and the probability of the flyer com.
ing down off his course. Naturally it
would take a long time. the flyer In
N,sffnyfr,rv 10, "a
Difficult TO Land.
The difficulty which an emergency
landing in the jungle presents 10 the
fiyer Ia In cutting his way out to
civilization once he has landed. II
would be almost useless TO send out
a plane 10 seek flyer forced down
In the tungles. Experience in seeking
Aver in the swamps OF Louisiana
has shown me how hard II IL to see
anything In such areas. Flares would
he useless In such an event. for IL Is
not possible to cut a way out through
the tangled vegetation. hut l believe
this might be- done. especially since
could take q compass course. WIZ
emergency rations and tropical fruit
aud with a machete which I am carry.
Ing. ought To he able In live.
Some OF this jungle country. how
ever. In deceptive. quite aside from
The viewpoint of aviation. In the
drives have enjoyed around San
Salvador. l have seen what seemed
to be almost virgin forest in the
toughest kind OF country. and was
surprised TO learn that this oil really
was under cultivation.
The explanatio il that these woods
are used to provide the necessary
shade for the smaller coffee trees
planted under them. Coffee IA the
chief export OF Salvador. and evidently
much of what appears 10 be wiid
forest really comprises coffee plah'a
tions. All this. III course. does ho'
Apply tn the real jungle,
My stay In San Salvador mas oeen
very pleasant. the warmess sort 81
hospitality here, a. nave shsoun'
tered elsewhere, being one OF the Out
standing traits Of character Of the
Latin Americans.
Impressive Reception.
NV reception Yesterday morning In
the urcat hall Of the national palace
was imnresslye. and I prize the deco
rattan there conferred on me for the
aentiment IL shows towards our peorie'
Before the reception. three Sa'Va'
,ioran army biplanes performed III
teresting maneuvers over the cap''a '
and afterwara I had an onp"r'nn',
10 see part of the wei, equipped say
vadoran infantry and cavalry pass ~
review IN front of the pf"s"e"''''
palace, -, haas.
The aalyado.an avlatorS have neen
extremely cordial and helpful. They
have some very good planes ana KNOW
how 10 handle them. They Keep wv
their atrneid welt, All In all aNlat'e"
seems to have an excellent ssa't hete'
AZ for the people of the county.
I can only say that every ON" =" W.
Latin American republics have Nis'
tied makes ne regret more thtt ! 80
not know Spanish to express difeesN
to them my appreciation Ut the" "e'
come,
The take,off FROM Hel'Se SenNN
I. aAs ~