New Britain herald., 1930-10-31
QUITO SPRINGL|KE
 DESPITE LOCATION
Situated Almost on Equator
 , But Mountains Cool It

Washington, D. C., Oct. S1- With Ecuador's cabinet reinstated and it's Congress voting confidence in it's President, Quito, the country'S unique capital, settles down to It's normal status,
 "Ouito's suburbs nearly touch the Equator but it's 100000 inhabitants enjoy perpetual springtime, says bulletin from the Washington. D. (. headouarters of the National Geo slaphic Society. "The city nestles la d bowl-shaped depression nearly two miles high among the Andean peaks. capped mountains ar visible from the streets.
 Railroad Makes City AccessibI
 Before the completion of tht Quito -Guayaquil railroad, connect ing the capital with Ecuador's prin- cipal gateway and port. Quito was isolated. The few travellers that Nlsl- ted the city trekkcd for two weeks over difficult trails to reach Qulto. Now, by rail. they may alight at the Quito depot the evening Of the sec ond day out or Guayaquil. The night is spent at 8 hotel in Riabamba, ] picturesque Andean town near tn" base of Mt. ChimboraIo, Ecuador'S loftiest mountain peak.
 "Shop windows of Quito reveal what the freight car has done for the city. They might have been lift ed.from Fifth Avenue and scI down in the streets of the capital. Behind la,se plate glass windows are dis played American radios, bolts of English cloth, French perfumerf and cosmetics. and chinaware from Germany.
 Motor Cars and Caravans
 hAt the curb purr motors of smart, red, green and yellow auto mobiles from Detroit that have just discharged wealthy Quitans dressed in the latest fashions from Ne" York, London and Paris.
 But Quito retains remnants even o pre-Spanish days. The smart mo- tor cars must dodge struggling, dust st-covered, donkeys and lamas with cargoes of lumber bags ct cacao bear5 and vegetables, and bundles of Panama hats lashcd tc their backs. If the traveller knows his Ecuador Indians, he can identify their origin by the cut of the mer' chants orange ponchos and thel' glossy black hair
 Ten Dollar Panama Hats are Popu.
 lar Hcadgcar
 .Many Indians make Quito thclr pcfmanent residence: many come and go from the rural districts Witt the Quito sun. In the market place the bright shawl5 and poncf cs O the natives add color 10 the piles Of fruit and vegetables, homemade dclls and dyed cloth. Some of the bronze skinned visitors. particularly those who specialize in selling blankets. prefer the streets to dis pcse of their merchandise. Nearlf all of them wear Panama hats be- cause Ecuador is the home of 'Pana- ma hats
 Tn nearly three centuries that the Spanish ruled Ecuador they saturated the capital city with their customs. The principal square, Plaza Mayor, is laid out ill Spanish style with a Spanish government building facing it. Here and there, throughout the city, ornate facades of Spanish churches rise above the roof tops. The narrow ccbblea streets flanked by white, red-roote 1 houses with balconied upper storles recall streets of cities in Spain.
 "Many of these Spanish appear ing houses are occupied by, pure blooded Spanish families. Frequenf- ly.showevnr, a sort of native variet7 shan occupies the first floor Wher= sacks of grain and vegetableG, reels O. rope and piles of blankets block the doorway, while the sides ana tops of the openings are ornament ed with clusters of rat traps, tn cups and cheap trinkets, ConkeS belly bands, and woven leathe' belts.
 Quito was the capital of the Kingdom of the Quitus Indians when Pizarro's men took the city 1n 1543. Quito remained the capital oi Ecuador when the Spaniards re linouished their hold on the coun try in 1922.