Diario las Américas., 1958-01-04
Know thy
Neighbor
By ANTONIO RUIZ

PANAMA. The Province of We
raguaS is the only one in the Re-
public of Panama that crosses the
entire isthmus, and thus has coast
line both in the Caribbean and
the Pacific. The original settlers
in this area preferred the cooler,
fertile highlands of the interior
to the seacoast, Ind therefore San
tiago, the capital, is located we'll
inland This is one of the oldest
towns in Panama, and the impor-
lance it had during the colonial
period may we'll return to it as
a result of its location on the new
National Highway, midway bet
ween Panama City and David, in
the western part of the country
In recent years its trade has in
creased considerably due to the
great promotion in agriculture in
the surrounding region. Veraguas
is called the bread basket of the Re
public, because of the Importance
of its rice, corn. and other cereal
crops. 1t also has thriving indus
tries in the production of hogs,
poultry and coffee.
Another natural advantage is the
location in this province of i'm
portant gold and silver deposits
that have been worked in varying
degree from the time of the con-
quest by the Spaniards. The Nat
ional Normal School was moved
some time ago from the capital of
the Republic to Santiago, where
it has been housed in a fine group
of buildings in a modern campus.
Soma, the second largest town in
the province, lies on the National
Highway, in a deep, fertile valley
surrounded by high mountains.
Near it is the inlet called Bahia
Honda, calm expanse of the Pacific
beyond, where the United States
fleet conducts its maneuvers while
in Isthmian waters.
North of Santiago are several
towns: San Francisco, with a much
admired colonial church; Calobre,
in a remote mountain district, a
health resort especially frequented
by persons suffering from rheu.
mathism, because of its excellent
mineral waters, and Caiazas, in
whose vicinity lives a tribe of In
dians who have hehir own local
governor and chieftain, speak their
own language, as we'll as Spanish,
and weave lovely multi-colored
shopping bags which have great
demand in Panama City.
The Province of Bocas del Toro,
lying north of Chiriqui, between
Veraguas and the Costa Rican bor-
der on the Caribbean coast, is a
beautiful region where Columbus
stopped on his last voyage to the
New World. The bay, called Bahia
del Almirante, or Admiral's Bay,
was so named in honor of the great
discoverer.
Today there is also a fine port
there, called Almirante, where for
merly banana Loats arrived regu.
larly to take on cargoes for the
United States. In recent years the
growing of abaca, for hemp fiber,
has been replacing the cultivation
of bananas. Production of bananas
most of which is by foreign COM
panies, centered in Bocas del To-
70 Province until 1920, after which
it fell off because of the ravages
Of a fungus disease, and the in
dustry has shifted to the Pacific
coast in the Province of Chiriqui.
Since then Bocas del Toro has de.
dicated most of its efforts to the
cultivation of abaca, the source of
what is called Manila hemp. It
is also the strongest fiber known
to man and the best material for
the manufacture of marine cordage.
Spanish Version Page 3.