Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-03
CARTAGENAF0RNS
PLEASANT PICTURE
Walled City of Colombia Once
Strongest Defense Of
Spanish Main.

Recent dispatches from Cartagena
relative. to a new political situation In
Colombia bring Colombia's chief naval
station into the news limelight. Carta-
y sena. with it's 400 years of stirring his
tory, is still the most Spanish Of all the
former Spanish towns in Central and
South America.
The city lies on Colombia's Carib-
bean coast on a peninsula joined to the
mainland by a causeway," says bull
letin from the headquarters Of the Ma
tional Geographic Society. Its gray
and ivory stone and brick houses with
their corrugated red roofs contrast with
the green hills that rise in the back
| ground and form pleasant picture from
the water.
Ramparts 40 Feet Thick.
Lying parallel to the mainland is
TERRA Bomba Island which must be
slirted by vessels entering the harbOr
OF Cartsgena. OF the two entrances the
Boca Grande Oarge MOUTH is nearest
the city; but 1t is too shallow for ship
ping to pass through, so the lower en-
trance or Boca Chica (small mouth),
which lies 8 miles distant, Is utilized.
Walls in some places 40 feet thick
encircle the old town and; recall the
days when the city was one pfs she
strongest defenses on the Spanish Main.
Although they are now disrnantled, sew
eral we'll preserved fortresses, which dot
the walls, present q, military aspect.
Arches, balconies and .grills give
Cartagena as Moorish all air as any city
of Southern SPAIN CFunhling arches
and faded plaster structures attest the
city's age. Many OF the. .balconisS ex-
hibit fanciful carving I'M stone, and the
1rills are often Of wrought iron IN ara
hesoue designs. The doors and windows
which front on the narrow, dark, cQbble-
stoned streets are heavily grilled. Moss
Of the older houses are built in square
shapes around a patio or courtyard
where a grass-grown plot. q well OF
fountain, plants, q tree or two and
usually a gorgeouSly colored tropical
bird, make q delightful spot in this al
WAYS warm city. The mean annual tenn
perature is 80 degrees Fahrenheitss.
Has Its Modern Touches.
"Burros and automobiles pass through
the chief gate of Cartagena, q venerable
structure of yellow stone surmounted by
steeple Electric lights brighten the
streets that once echoed to the foot
steps OF Sir Francis brakes plunderinG
crew. Tramways roll along under over
hanging balconies of lilac or orange
plaster Women in Partisan dresses shop
in the tiny stores with their stocks Of
brilliant shawls, jewels or luscious tropi-
cal fruit, which nestle in the colonnades
surrounding the Plaza de Los Coches
The marble pulpit of the Jesuit Church
OF st. John Of God is celebrated
throughout South America.
AT present Cartagena is secondary
IN commercial Importance to Barran-
ouilla, which is also a Caribbean sea-
port. Nevertheless it does thriving
trade, and two-f1aSted schoohef$ rs wen
as large merchant steamers line the
water front The bulk OF the exports
which pass through the town consist OF
coffee, chicle, ipecac, hides, gold, platt'
mum, balsam and caeaos
Syrians Peddle in Colombia, Tee.
THE larger part of Cartagena's pop
ulation is colored. while mestizos or
mixed Indians and whites form the
comparatively small middle class, and
pure whites of Spanish descent form
only about a tenth. About half the
business in Cartagena Is carried on by
Syrians. They have agents. throughout
the town and country, and. no hamlet
in the interior Is free from~a visit from
Syrian peddler with his .emnipresent
pack .ss
The railroad out of Cartagena. ex-
tends only to Calamar. about 6S miles
distant, but the intrepid pendlers pierce
the interior afoot or by cas1oe. Mach
Of the profits OF the Syrian merchants
are invested in Colombian mines and
real estate.
Before the war. Cartagena'S inn
ports came largely from Europe be-
cause the average Cartageno business
man had traveledin Europe was fan1il.
! lar with European wares and felt q
racial compatibility with Europeans.
During the war when transatlantic
commercial shipping was tied up, he
was forced to become acquainted with
American products. Since then COM
merce between the United States and
Colombia, has grown by leaps and
bounds. The proximity OF the two coun :
tries and the: rapid delivery Of goods
has largely been responsible for this