Guatemala, the country of the future Part 1

Guatemala, the country of the future.

by Charles M. Pepper.

CHAPTER I.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION.

The Republic of Guatemala, which name is derived from the Indian word "Quanhitemallan," signifying "land covered with trees," has been described as the privileged zone of Central America. This is because of its resources, its climate, and its accessibility.

The country is easily reached from all directions through its seaports on both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and through its rapidly growing system of railways. From California, from the neighboring ports of other Central American countries and from Panama there is regular and reliable steamship service on the Pacific coast. On the Atlantic or Gulf side from New York, New Orleans, Galveston and Mobile there is frequent steamship service, while there is also connection at Colon with English and German lines. The steamers on the Pacific coast connect at San Jose with the Guatemala Central Railway, which affords easy means of arriving at the capital city and the great coffee-raising districts. These are reached by the branch to Mazatenango, which forms a junction with the Occidental Railway between Champerico and San Felipe. On the Atlantic side is Puerto Barrios, which will derive additional importance from the early completion of the Northern Railway and which will place New Orleans within five days or less of Guatemala City, Chicago six days, and New York seven days. Besides the means of communication afforded jointly by the steamship lines and the railroads at an early date there will be complete and uninterrupted railway communication with St. Louis and other points of the Mississippi Valley through Mexico. The means of communication and transportation are given more fully later on.

Geographically the Republic of Guatemala is the heart of intertropical America. It is the most northern part of Central America, in shape like a polygon, with the southern side the longest. It lies approximately between north lat.i.tude 13 and 42' and 17 and 49', and between 88 and 10' and 92 and 30' longitude west of Greenwich. Its area is 50,600 square miles--the greatest length from north to south being 360 and from east to west 390 miles. The Pacific coast line with indentations is nearly 400 miles and the Atlantic line about 150 miles in length.

STRIKING PHYSICAL ASPECTS.

In its physical aspects Guatemala is a country of mountains, tropical forests, lakes and rivers and coast plains. It was described by Humboldt more than one hundred years ago as extremely fertile and well cultivated, and this description holds good to-day, though there are vast areas of rich agricultural land yet open to profitable cultivation and only awaiting immigration to develop their richness.

The Guatemalan Andes consist of three minor mountain systems. These are the northern zone, chiefly of denuded cones, 1,500 to 2,000 feet in height, with plains lying between them; the central zone consisting of ranges and chains running east and west with many marked elevations rising from 7,000 to 14,000 feet; and the southern zone consisting of eruptive chains which culminate in many notable volcanic peaks, some of which are more than 14,000 feet in height. These are known as the Cordilleras and they parallel the Pacific Ocean.

There are three river systems emptying respectively into the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and the Pacific. Some of the streams flowing into the Gulf of Mexico are navigable by steamboats of light draught.

Of the Atlantic tributaries the princ.i.p.al rivers are the Sarstoon, the Motagua and the Dulce; the latter empties into the Gulf of Honduras.

Navigation is possible on the Motagua for about 75 miles from the mouth.

The rivers flowing into the Pacific include the Paz, the Suchiate, and the Patulul. These have their sources in the Andean Cordilleras or the neighboring highlands. There is also the Michatoya which is navigable for small boats to its confluence with the Maria Linda. Generally speaking, a few of the rivers on the southern coast might be made navigable for short distances with boats of very light draught.

Guatemala has a series of inland lakes which include Izabal, At.i.tlan, Amat.i.tlan, which are capable of steam navigation; Peten, Ayarza and Guija. The largest of these is Lake Izabal, which is 58 miles long by 12 miles in width and which has its outlet through the Dulce River into the Gulf of Honduras.

The cities and munic.i.p.al districts having a population of 10,000 and upwards are as follows:

NAME. POPULATION.

Guatemala City 100,000 Antigua 10,000 Quezaltenango 25,000 Totonicapan 33,000 Coban 23,000 Chiquimula 13,000 Jalapa 13,000 Escuintla 13,000 Salama 13,000 Amat.i.tlan 10,000 Zacapa 12,000 Flores 13,000 Jutiapa 14,000 Huehuetenango 10,000 Retalhuleu 10,000 Solola 15,000 Mazatenango 10,000 San Marcos 10,000 At.i.tlan 10,000

THE HANDSOME CAPITAL CITY.

Guatemala, the capital, is the largest city in Central America. The location is unusually healthy, being 5,000 feet above sea level. The city is laid out on a splendid scale with many fine avenues and parks.

It is improving its system of tramways by changing to electricity as the motor power. The public buildings are especially notable. Among the princ.i.p.al ones are the Palaces of the Government, the Presidency, the Legislative Power, the Judicial Power, the Munic.i.p.ality, and the Archbishopric; the Cathedral and other magnificent churches; the Ministry of Public Improvement (Fomento), the Mint, the Conservatory of Music, the general offices of accounts, of police, and of liquors and internal revenue; the custom-house, the national inst.i.tutes of young men, of young ladies and of the native race, the first of which is provided with a meteorological observatory; the schools of law, medicine, engineering, polytechny, and arts; the children's college and a large number of public schools; the Colon theatre; the registry of real estate, the national printing-office, the post-office, the National Museum; the military hospital, and the general hospitals, the asylums for the insane and for convalescents and invalids; the central and the Calvary markets; the penitentiary and the artillery, cavalry, and Guard of Honor and San Francis...o...b..rracks; San Jose and Matamoros forts, and a very large number of other imposing edifices. The American Club, which has several hundred members, mostly citizens of the United States, occupies fine quarters.

Some of the parks, plazas, and public drives are adorned with very beautiful marble or bronze statues. Among the princ.i.p.al ones are the bronze monument of Christopher Columbus in the central park and the marble one of the same historic personage in the garden of the Colon Theatre; that of General J. Rufino Barrios and that of Don Miguel Garcia Granados in the boulevard of the Reforma; and that of Friar Bartolomew de Las Casas in the campus of the Inst.i.tute of the Indian race. The last three statues are of bronze.

The seaports of Guatemala are of a varied character. Their value grows every day because of the increased commerce that is resulting from the development of the country under the industrial policies of President Estrada Cabrera. On the Atlantic the leading ports are Livingston, Izabal, Santo Tomas, and Puerto Barrios. Of these Puerto Barrios is easily first. It lies at the extremity of the Gulf of Amatique, is s.p.a.cious and is well protected against winds. As the terminus of the Guatemalan Northern Railway it is a.s.sured of a very extensive trade both in exports and in imports. Puerto Barrios is not only a receiving and distributing center for Guatemala, but also for a considerable portion of the neighboring Republic of Salvador, which has no port on the Atlantic.

The chief ports on the Pacific side are San Jose, Champerico, and Ocos.

By far the largest amount of business is done through the port of San Jose, which is the terminus of the Guatemalan Central Railroad. It has extensive quays and other facilities for navigation.

OCEAN TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.

Guatemala is well supplied with ocean transportation facilities, several of the steamship companies receiving aid from the government. On the Pacific coast there is the Pacific Mail which maintains a regular fortnightly service with extra vessels during the coffee season and which touches at the ports between San Francisco and Panama. The German line known as the Kosmos puts the Guatemalan ports in communication with the West Coast of South America as well as with the ports of California and Mexico. It carries both pa.s.sengers and freight. There are also numerous small coasting vessels. It is probable that service will be resumed by the various Chilean lines which formerly proceeded to San Francisco, touching at Guatemalan and other ports, but which of recent years have not gone north of Panama. All the vessels have excellent pa.s.senger accommodations.

From the Atlantic ports there are ships engaged in the fruit trade with New York and Boston, some of which carry pa.s.sengers. Usually, however, pa.s.sengers prefer to travel by way of New Orleans or Mobile, from either of which cities every Thursday there is a vessel plying directly to Puerto Barrios. The most complete service is that maintained by the United Fruit Company.

In view of the growing development on the Atlantic slope and of the commerce which is certain to result there is an excellent opportunity for an increased steamship service with the ports of the United States.

The time could be greatly lessened with advantages both in the transportation of freight and in the benefit to pa.s.sengers. The policy of the government towards steamship lines both as relates to port charges and to other measures is a most liberal one and every inducement is offered to engage in furnishing additional facilities, which will shorten the time between the different points and increase the frequency of communication.

GROWTH OF RAILROAD SYSTEM.

The railway system of Guatemala under the administration of President Estrada Cabrera is certain to be the most useful means of developing the country. Every encouragement is given to capital to engage in railroad enterprises. The general plan includes both an interoceanic railroad and links in the intercontinental or north and south lines. No measure of President Estrada Cabrera's administration has been of greater importance than his action in securing the completion of the Northern Railway, which will be open for traffic throughout its entire length by the end of 1906. This places the capital and the whole interior of the country in direct communication with Puerto Barrios and insures a very heavy decrease in the cost of freight both for the agricultural exports and for the merchandise and other imports. The line runs from Guatemala City to El Rancho and thence to Puerto Barrios. At various times concessions were given for building the different sections, but circ.u.mstances caused many of them to be almost abandoned.

In the face of repeated discouragements President Estrada Cabrera took up the subject with resolute spirit and with the sanction of the National a.s.sembly made a contract with a syndicate of which the princ.i.p.als were Sir William C. Van Horne, the celebrated railroad man, who completed the Canadian Pacific Railway in the face of monumental difficulties and who subsequently built the Cuba Central Railway; and Minor C. Keith, of the United Fruit Company, who for a third of a century had been identified with various successful enterprises in Central America. Subsequently the Guatemala Central Railway took a share in the enterprise and also German banking and coffee interests. Under the contract no export duty is to be laid on agricultural exports transported over the railroad except coffee and the Company is given the right to fix its pa.s.senger and freight charges on a gold basis. There were many engineering difficulties to be overcome, the chiefest of which was the bridging of the Motagua River. The material for this railway construction was imported princ.i.p.ally from the United States, the rails from Maryland and the bridgework across the Motagua and other rivers from Pittsburg.

The importance of this Northern Railway to the development of Guatemala is incalculable. It insures the opening up of a very rich country which means a great addition to the exports of Guatemala and it also should bring a large immigration because of the facilities for easy communication and access to the markets of the United States which it will afford. With the operation of the Northern Railway in connection with the Guatemala Central, the country will have a through railway line from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, 270 miles in length. While the interior development is the chief benefit of this through railway system, it is not unlikely that during the years that must pa.s.s until the Panama Ca.n.a.l is completed some of the international traffic which cannot be accommodated on the railway line across the Isthmus will find a cheap and expeditious pa.s.sage across Guatemala.

On the Pacific slope the leading railway system is the Guatemala Central. It was built by C. P. Huntington and is one of the best railroads anywhere south of the Rio Grande. Though of narrow gauge the roadbed was laid for standard gauge, and this change can be made at any time. Unlike most foreign railways the Guatemala Central maintains the American system of checking baggage. Its main line and branches cover the coffee-raising districts of the Pacific coast section of Guatemala.

The Occidental Railroad has about 50 miles of track and the Ocos line 20 miles. Both of these are on the Pacific slope.

COMPREHENSIVE RAILWAY POLICY.

It is worth knowing that while the interoceanic line approaches completion Guatemala is making decided progress in the links of the Pan-American or intercontinental north and south trunk line. From a junction with the Northern a branch will run south to Zacapa and ultimately will be extended into Salvador. Towards the north there is only a section of 30 miles to be completed in order to prolong the Guatemalan system to Ayutla on the border of Mexico and this will be done as soon as the extension of the Mexican lines to the boundary are completed. These extensions are to be finished within two years, so it may reasonably be said that by the end of 1907, if not sooner, a through railway journey will be possible from San Francisco, Chicago, or New York to the capital of Guatemala. The importance of this railway building was shown by Senator Stephen B. Elkins, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce, in a speech made at the dinner given the Pan-American Railway Committee by the Hon. H. G. Davis. In his speech Senator Elkins said that the freight on coffee, which now approximates $20 per ton or $1,000 on a carload of 50 tons, would be cheapened till it came down to $250 per carload, or $5 per ton.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MONUMENT TO COLUMBUS.]

The railroad laws of Guatemala are thus explained in my official report as Commissioner of the Pan-American Railway:

"The railways of Guatemala are regulated by the provisions of the Commercial Code and by the general railway law known as Decree No. 566, dated February 1, 1898. By the terms of this decree persons or companies seeking franchises are required to submit the plans to the Department of Fomento; when indorsed by that Department the sanction of the Council of State is sought, and finally the approval of the National Legislature.

All contracts celebrated by the executive power have to be approved by the National Legislature. The contracts may be with designated individuals, with persons acting for others, or for companies that are to be formed.

"Concessions can be granted with subsidy or without it, guaranteeing or not the capital which may be invested, with an interest proportionate to the product. The Government shall include in the estimates the share of pecuniary responsibilities required for fulfilling the obligation contracted.

"The State may exempt the enterprise from the payment of every cla.s.s of contributions, from the use of stamped paper and fiscal dues, for the time which it may consider just or opportune, but in every instance the exemptions shall be specified in the contract.

"The right of eminent domain or expropriation for the benefit of grantees holding franchises is enforced. The Government also undertakes to procure uniformity in the gauge and the rails.

"The Government offers every inducement to promote the extension and development of railroads in the country. The best evidence of its policy toward legitimate and genuine capital is shown in the terms of the contract for the completion of the Northern Railroad.

"The engineering difficulties of railroad construction in Guatemala are not grave, as the lines skirt the foothills of the great agricultural regions. The immense natural resources, consisting of the products both of the tropical and the temperate climates, such as coffee, sugar, tobacco, the cereals; the vast pasturage for live stock; the undeveloped timber industries, and the unexploited mines, all open up prospects for profitable traffic."

In addition to its railways Guatemala seeks to maintain a complete system of highways or cart roads. Among the most important cart roads which have recently been built or are now under construction, are those from the capital to San Juan Sacatepequez, San Pedro and San Raymundo.

There is also a cart road between Huehuetenango and Quezaltenango; one from Coban to Quiche which will join the departments of the north with the rich western section of the Republic; from Totonicapan to Quiche; that between Ovejero and Trujillo, which will place in communication the departments of Jutiapa and Jalapa; that from Tumbador to San Marcos; that from Solola to Panajachel; that from Chicacao to Nahualate; and finally the highway from San Jeronimo and Rancho San Augustin, which will join the department of Baja Verapaz with Zacapa. All these roads serve as new arteries for the development and the enlargement of commerce and agriculture and this has been the special care of President Estrada Cabrera, who has provided the means for opening, wherever possible, the necessary ways of communication.

Distances between the capital city and the princ.i.p.al points of the country are as follows: