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 S LATEST OFFICIAL 
 
 MAP AND GUIDE 
 
 iSuatemala and Eondurasi 
 
 11 
 
 J' 
 
 /j^^ ^^/f^€fim (^^ma '-0kUfOd, 
 
 President of Guatemala. 
 
 A Short History of the thrifty Re- 
 public of the South, containing all 
 information that will be useful to the 
 visitor, immigrant and workingman. 
 
 ...ISSUED BY... 
 
 V. LAMANTIA LABOR AGENT, 
 
 327 Exchange Alley, New Orleans, La. ^ 
 
 :- Copyrighted 18S6, by V. Lamantia. 5- 
 
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4- 
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 CO 
 
®o hta (Bxcellencti, 
 
 JOSE IWflRIR mm BARRIOS, 
 
 President of Guatemala. 
 T/its little work is respect f idly 
 dedicated as a slight acknowledge- 
 ment of the many sterling' qualities 
 of the most progressive ruler of 
 that Republic. 
 
 VINCENT LaMANTIA , 
 Ex. U. S. Consul^ 
 
 Catania^ Scicily. 
 
 • • • • • • • 
 
 • • • • • 
 
 • • • i 
 
 
GDIITEPIflLII. 
 
 A SHORT HISTORY OF THE 
 
 THRIFTY REPUBLIC OF 
 
 THE SOUTH. 
 
 Containing All Information that 
 
 Will Be Useful to the 
 
 Visitor, Immigrant and 
 
 Working Man. 
 
 If there is a country where prog- 
 ress and prosperity walk hand in 
 hand, and over which the shadow of 
 coining events now rests, Guatemala ife 
 that country. It is the El Dorado of 
 the laboring man and a mine oi 
 wealh to the visitor. No lack of work, 
 no want of money. 
 
 'A history of the origin of Guate- 
 mala will, of course, will be of no in- 
 terest or moment to those who labor 
 long for a livelihood. The following 
 
brief sketch of the state is therefore 
 appended for the benefit of those who 
 may wish to visit that country of 
 sights and signs as a matter of edu- 
 cation or amusement. 
 
 In 1502 Columbus, the great navi- 
 gator, landed on the coast of what is 
 now known as Honduras, and took 
 possession of that country in the name 
 of Spain. In 1523 Cortez, after con- 
 quoring Mexico, sent one of his offi- 
 cers south. This officer made himself 
 master of the northern portion of 
 Central America, or what is now 
 known as the state of Guatemala. 
 This was virtually the origin and be- 
 ginning of the country now attracting 
 so much attention. In the course of 
 a few years all the country gouth, em.' 
 bracing the present ^ve Central Amer- 
 ican states, was under the control of 
 Spain, and was organized under the 
 captain generalship of Guatemala, the 
 other states being provinces. 
 
 In 1820-21 Guatemala, or Central 
 America, shook off the Spanish yoke, 
 and for a time was a part of Mexico. 
 In 1824 the Republic of Central Amer- 
 ica was formed by a union of all the 
 states, but this was dissolved in 1839 
 by the withdraw^al of Honduras and 
 Kicaragua. Matters continued in this 
 state until 1872, when President Bar- 
 nos (uncle of the present ruler), the 
 President of Guatemala, made an ef- 
 fort to form a federation of all ih^ 
 
— 3 — 
 states, under the general name of the 
 United States of Central America, 
 Jealonsy of the other states and sus- 
 picion of the President's motive 
 caused dissention in the other states, 
 and eventually led to war, in which 
 Barrios, the originator of the great 
 movement, lost his life, being lulled 
 in the battle of Chalchuapa, in 1885. 
 War and bloodshed continued in 
 this portion of the world for some 
 years, and this continued strife has 
 tended to retard the development of 
 the country. It has remained for Jose 
 Maria Reina Barrios, the present 
 ruler, to carry into effect a movement 
 for the settlement and civilization. 
 
 Guatemala is the most important of 
 the five Central American Republics. 
 It is third in size, but first in agricul- 
 tural and commercial importance. It 
 has an estimated area of 46,800 square 
 miles. There are twenty-seven depart- 
 mnts or counties, and there are 374 
 cities and towns, and in 1870 had a 
 population of 1,394,223. ' 
 
 By the amended constitution of 1889 
 executive power is vested in a Presi- 
 dent, who is elected for six years, and 
 a National Assembly, elected for four 
 years. These are all chosen by uni- 
 versal suffrage, the same as in the 
 United States. 
 
 The physical aspect of Guatemala is 
 generally mountainous. The mouns- 
 tains are covered with magnificent 
 
— 4 — 
 
 forests, and from this the state takes 
 its name, as the meaning of "Guate- 
 mala" is "full of trees." 
 
 The country has a great variety of 
 climates. On the Pacific coast the heat 
 is intense. On the Atlantic side it ia 
 much cooler. As one leaves the sea* 
 shore the climate changes and be- 
 comes cooler as the distance increases. 
 It is cold in the highlands, and some- 
 times snows. The maximum temper- 
 ature is 88 degrees, the minimum 38 
 degrees, the average 65 degrees. 
 
 VAKIOUS ALTITUDES. 
 
 The city of Guatemala has an alti- 
 tude of about 6,000 feet, same as the 
 City of ^lexico. 
 
 Amatitlan has an altitude of 4,212 
 feet. Escuintla has has about the 
 same. It is a popular health and sum- 
 mer resort of the state. 
 
 Antigua is one of the historic cities 
 of the state. It was fonded in 1583. 
 It is surrounded by rich lands, and is 
 the center of the vast sugar and coft'ee 
 interests. It has an elevation of 5,000 
 feet. 
 
 Chimaltenango is also a large and 
 wealthy city. Here are located vast 
 cotton factories, and other industries. 
 It has an elevation of about 3,000 feet. 
 
 The city of Coban has an elevation 
 of 4,300 feet. It is the center of vast 
 coffee and fruit interests. 
 
 Zacapa is located in a fertile val- 
 
ley. It is a city of 44,000 people. It 
 has an elevation of 600 feet. It is 
 healthy and the climate agreeable. 
 
 Chiqiiimnla is about the same ele- 
 vation as Zacapa. It has a popula- 
 tion of 63,000. 
 
 Jalapa has an elevation of 6,000 feet. 
 The climate is even, being^ very little 
 change the year around. Agriculture 
 is the prinncipal industry. 
 
 Jutiapa is low, but the climate is 
 healthy, although warm. Coft'ee and 
 sugar is the principal industry. 
 
 The towns mentioned are along the 
 line of the railroad, and a very clear 
 idea can thus be had of the climate, 
 etc., along the line. 
 
 IMMIGEATIOX. 
 
 Guatemala is a healthy country, 
 abundant in vacant and fertile lands, 
 almost two-thirds of which are not 
 cultivated for want of labor, and the 
 country offers to immigrants great 
 advantages. The soil lieeds no fertil- 
 izers, and the industrious immigrant 
 even without capital, will simply have 
 to till the land slightly and sow the 
 grani to obtain a sufficient crop after 
 six months for the ample support of a 
 family. 
 
 The government encourages and 
 protects immigration in a very liberal 
 manner. Those who possess a little 
 money can make a fortune within a 
 few years. Others who have a profes- 
 
_^6 — 
 Bioii or trade find -unlimited fields to 
 exercise thein profitably. No person 
 ever yet left the country on account ol 
 a want of an opportunity to invest 
 his capital or for lack of lucrative em- 
 ployment, when he wanted to work. 
 
 A few years ago a vessel with Ital- 
 ian immigrants arrived in Guatemala 
 and though nothing was prepared for 
 them, every one found employment 
 without dilficulty. Those who had no 
 money, made a good living cut- 
 ting grass from the fields and selling 
 it in the cities. Others cultivated gar- 
 dens, and did well with vegetables, 
 etc. Others raised pigs, chickens, etc., 
 and made money. 
 
 THE PURCHASE OF LANDS. 
 
 The following are the principal ar- 
 ticles of the code concerning the pur- 
 chase of vacant lands: 
 
 Two dollars per hectare (21 acres), 
 if the lands are level and covered with 
 natural pasture. 
 
 One dollar and a half if the land is 
 level and covered with brush, from 
 which sassaparilla, gutta-percha, etc., 
 can be obtained. 
 
 One dollar if there are no bushes, 
 but none of the above products. 
 
 Eighty cents if the lands are broken, 
 stony, etc. 
 
 Lands that are within sixty miles of 
 a city are appraised at about one- 
 quarter increase. 
 
The appraisement of lands is mado 
 by experts, 
 
 COST OF AKTICLES OF FAMILY 
 USE. 
 
 Fresh beef, 8 cents; coffee, 12 cents; 
 flour, $8 per hundred pounds; butter, 
 40 cents per pound; tobacco, 40 cents 
 per pound; soap, 10 cents; oranges, 
 per 100, 15 cents; eggs, 10 cents; wood 
 for fuel, 30 cents per load. 
 
 Animals. 
 
 Horses, $40 to $80; mules, $60 to 
 $320; cattle, average price, $14. 
 
 Wages are never less than $1 per 
 day. 
 
 All the prices here gaven are in 
 Guatemala money. 
 
 HOW TO GO. 
 In former days the trip from the 
 United States to Guatemala was a 
 matter of serious thought, and con- 
 Bumed much time. Steamers only left 
 New York at irregular, intervals, and 
 the time was something over fourteen 
 days, and the fare was $45. Passen- 
 gers were compelled to go by the Isth- 
 mus of Panama and up thePacific side 
 to San Jose. Now the trip is a small 
 matter of ^ye days, with comfort and 
 ease, and the cost is $30 or $18. For 
 this shortening of time the public is 
 indebted to the New Orleans, Belize 
 and Royal Mail Steamship Company of 
 New Orleans, and known as the Ma- 
 
— 8 — 
 clilca line. The lleet is composed of 
 five steamers, and was organized by 
 Messrs John and Mike Macheca 
 J<:nown as the "Macheca Bros." At the 
 beginning there were only two ves- 
 sels. 
 
 The present personnel of the line 
 is John and Mike ^lacheca, Joe and 
 Peter Torre, Mr D. Cifalu, John B. 
 Cifalu and Captain Leech. All enter- 
 prising people, to whom Guatemala 
 ow'es much of her progress and pros- 
 perity. 
 
 The vessels now composing the Ma* 
 chica line are the Breakwater, Still- 
 water, Clearwater (to and from Mo- 
 bile), the Wanderer, the Foxhall, and 
 formerly the City of Dallas, which was 
 lost at sea not many months ago. 
 
 The Breakwater is the flagship of 
 the fleet, and is commanded by Capt. 
 Louis Kivara, a courteous Genow^ese 
 mariner, and a lineal descendant of 
 the great navigator Columbus. He is 
 assisted by Mr. Wm. Grant, purser, 
 w^ho does all within his power to make 
 the trip on his boat a pleasant and 
 instructive one. 
 
 The Stilhvater is next in importance 
 and i-s commanded by Capt. Henry 
 Gait, with Mr. L. Harang purser. The 
 Clearwater is next, wdth Capt. McFar- 
 land on the bridge and Mr. J. Lowe 
 purser. Next is the Foxhall, Capt. 
 Leslie in charge and Mr. Wm. Mache- 
 ca in charge of accounts. The Wan- 
 
derer completes the list of vessels, 
 with Capt. Brown in command and 
 ]Mr. W. Vvasson, purser. All of these 
 gentlemen have sailed the ocean blue 
 lor many years, and passengers on 
 either vessel will be given every atten- 
 tion, and meet with that true bon 
 homme that stamps the true mariner. 
 
 The vo3^age from New Orleans is via 
 Belize and Livingston, the steam- 
 er arriving in Baiize on Sunday night. 
 Leaving Belize, a run of twenty-four 
 hours down the bay brings the vessel 
 to Livingston, w^here connection is 
 made wath steamboats running up Rio 
 Dulce and across Lake Izabal to Pan- 
 zos. From Livingston the vessel 
 crosses the bay (nine miles) to Puerto 
 Barrios, when the voyage to Guate- 
 mala ends. The vessel proceeds to 
 Puerto Cortez, in Honduras, and be- 
 gins its return trip to Xew^ Orleans. 
 arriving on Monday evening. 
 
 On leaving the vessel at Puerto Bar- 
 rios passengers proceed by mail to 
 Gualin, a distance of SO miles. The 
 railroad is now complete and in oper- 
 ation to that point — the fare is 4 cents 
 per mile. From Gualan the trip to 
 Guatemala City is made by mule train 
 and is completed in three days. The 
 fare is $20. 
 
 From this it will be seen that in- 
 «^t.ead of a sea voyage of fourteen days 
 the traveler now reaches the capital 
 
— 10 — 
 city in eight days, with an interesting 
 overlana trip after the sea voyage. 
 
 RAILROADS. 
 
 It was only in recent years that 
 Guat-emala made anything like pro- 
 gress in railroad building. In 1871 a 
 concession was granted for a railroad 
 This was granted to Messrs. Leland 
 Standferd, C. P. Huntington and oth* 
 ers. The road was not opened to trafic 
 however until 1880. The line is seven- 
 ty-one miles long, and connects the 
 capital with the Pacific Ocean. From 
 Champirico to Ratallhullen, a distance 
 of twenty-five miles, a road is operated 
 by the government, and arrangements 
 have been perfected to extend it fur- 
 ther north. These two lines were, up 
 to 1884, the only railroads in the state. 
 
 In 1884 the Guatemala Northern, 
 from Puerto Barrios to Guatemala 
 City, was begun. This was under the 
 airection of President Barrios, the el- 
 der, who with his own hands threw 
 the first spade of dirt that marked the 
 beginning. Work continued for about 
 twelve months, w^hen it was brought 
 to an abrupt close by the declaration 
 of war and subsequent death of Pres- 
 ident Barrios on the battle field. 
 
 In ISbS a contract was made with 
 an English company to complete the 
 line, but it amounted to nothing. 
 Later, in 1889, another contract was 
 
— 11 — 
 
 made with a French company, who 
 also failed to carry out their plans. 
 
 During the operations of the Eng- 
 lish compan^^ in ^.-^6 there was ciu 
 American engineer employed on the 
 work. At the breaking out of the 
 war this man left the country and 
 joined the Panama Canal Company. 
 When the expose of that comx^any 
 came the American returned to Gua* 
 temala. The present President Bar- 
 rios was then in charge, and at his 
 request the ^^merican reported oili- 
 cialy as to the practicability of com- 
 I)leting the line begun by the former 
 President. As nothing was impossi- 
 ble to this man, he, at the request of 
 President Barrios, took charge of the 
 work and built eighty miles. This 
 American was Sylvanus Miller, the 
 man now in charge of the road. 
 
 This road is now under the general 
 management of Mr. [Miller A. Smith, 
 a competent and XDopular railroad 
 manager. 
 
 Track laying has just b^icn com- 
 pleted between Gualan and Zacapa, 
 and grading from Zacapa on toward 
 the cai)ital is now under ^vay, under 
 Qirection of the leading contractors, 
 Messrs. R. H. May, Fred Prescott, Clay 
 Parks, \Vm. Penny and K. E. Cald- 
 well. 
 
 From San Jose, on the Pacific side, 
 a line is in operation to Guatemala 
 City, a distance of seventy-one miles. 
 
— 12 — 
 This ii the Huntington system. 
 
 Another short line is operated by 
 the government from Camprico to Ra^ 
 talhulan. 
 
 PROPOSED LINES. 
 
 Thus lar mention has been made 
 only of xne lines in operation. The 
 system of proposed lines is extensive, 
 and w^hen completed will give Guate- 
 mala a m.ost complete railroad sys- 
 tem. As already mentioned, the line 
 from Gualan to Guatemala City is in 
 course of construction. In addition to 
 this, a line is being built from Panzos 
 to Coban, under direction oi Mr. Geo. 
 Jeckeyl, thus connecting the coifee 
 interest of that section with naviga- 
 tion through Lake Izabel to Living- 
 ston. From Panzos a line Vv'ill be 
 built south to Zacapa, and from Za- 
 capa to Jutiapa, through Jalapa. From 
 Coban the line starts south, and is 
 surveyed into Guatemala City and 
 from the city to S. Geromino, on the 
 coast. 
 
 From Zacapa another line croses to 
 Hon auras and connects with the In- 
 ter-Oceanic at S. Baraba. 
 
 When these lines are all complete 
 the rich agricultural portions of c.ie 
 state will be open to commerce, and 
 ample facilities afforded to handle the 
 products, all o.. which wil be brought 
 into Puerto Barrios for export, Gua- 
 tamala can then boast of one of the 
 
— 18 — 
 
 most complete as well as extensive 
 railway sjctems extant, and the three 
 factors in bringing' this about will 
 be: President Barrios, for his enter- 
 prise and patriotism; Sylvanus Miller, 
 for his ability as an engineer and con- 
 tractor, and the Macheca line, for 
 facilities in shipping and handling 
 material. 
 
 In addition to the railroads, the 
 country abounds in trails and roads 
 throughout all the sections not 
 touched by rail. All the cities and 
 towns are connected by these public 
 highways, and, where no rail facilities 
 are to be had, traders and settlers will 
 have no trouble in going from town to 
 town. 
 
 GENERAL INFORMATION. 
 
 To the hustling investor, Gaute- 
 maula offers superior inducements, 
 and the capital required is more in the 
 line of *' willingness" than money. The 
 cultivation of coffee has made immense 
 fortunes for all those who have en- 
 gaged in it, and this fact has caused 
 the inhabitants and those who cared 
 to work, to neglect the lesser lines of 
 Work. This refers to the food supply, 
 or articles of home consumption. All 
 of which are neglected and will give 
 vast returns to "small investors" who 
 uses his brain as well as brawn. 
 
 Everything the people eat is im- 
 
— 14 — 
 ported. Beef, vegetables, grain, fruit, 
 etc., are bought, not raised. Here there 
 is an opening for men of moderate 
 means. Cattle are shiped to the state 
 by hundreds for beef, and yet the 
 whole state, with its natural pas- 
 tures and its even climate is a natural 
 stock farm. Watermelons are shipped 
 from ]New Orleans, and sell for $1 each 
 in the various cities of the state, and 
 yet the soil and climate produce the 
 largest and best melons to be had in 
 any clime. Vegetables of all kinds are 
 shipped in, and command better prices 
 and find readier sale than in the 
 United States. Yet the best gardeners 
 in the world can be had in Guatemala. 
 The same conditions exist in dairy 
 products, wine, chocolate, honey, and 
 all those little things so common and 
 so necessary in the United States. The 
 reason for\his is found in the fact 
 that those who are able to buy de- 
 vote their time- and money to coffee, 
 and the poorer clases are too indo- 
 lent to raise and sell an article that 
 they consider useless, because not nee- 
 essarv to sustain life 
 
 Tokcco culture is another branch 
 that cannot fail to pay. This indus- 
 try is specially protected by the gov^ 
 ernment, and premiums are offered 
 for the largest amount raised by each 
 planter. i:very native who raises five 
 or more '^cargas" of tobacco is ex^ 
 empt from military or municipal duty. 
 
-^ 15 — 
 A *carg'as'- is about one hundred 
 pounds. 
 
 The country around Zacapa and Chi- 
 quimula is the tobacco growing por- 
 tion of the state. 
 
 The articles of food that are import* 
 ed because the natives will not raise 
 them is as follows: Wheat, barley, po- 
 tatoes, corn, beans, rice, hay, lard, salt 
 and dairy products. 
 
 Guatemala is very rich in minerals. 
 Silver and gold is found in paying 
 quantities almost all over the state. 
 Detailed particulars of this branch can 
 be had by application to the govern- 
 ment or any agent of the country. The 
 minerals include silver, gold, salt, 
 chalk, quicksilver, lead, copper, mica, 
 etc. All these can be worked in pay- 
 ing quantities, and the mining laws 
 of the etate are liberal and encourag- 
 ing to prospectors. 
 
 Foreigners on arriving in the terri- 
 tory are strictly enjoined to respect 
 the authorities and to obey the laws, 
 for by so doing they acquire the right 
 of being protected by them. 
 
 Neither natives nor foreigners can 
 claim indemnity for damages or injury 
 to their property or person, caused by 
 revolution. 
 
 Property is declared inviolable. Ex« 
 propriation proceedings can be insti- 
 tuted only for motives of public in- 
 terest, legally; process, in which case, 
 
— 16 — 
 
 the owner may receive full value ot 
 his property in current money. 
 
 Every service which, by virtue of 
 law, cannot be rendered gratuitously, 
 shall be properly remunerated. 
 
 No one can be arrested or impris 
 oned except for offense against the 
 government. Every person arrested 
 shall be examined within forty-eight 
 hours. The detention shall not exceed 
 five days; within that time the author- 
 ities shall justify the imprisonment 
 or set the prisoner at liberty. 
 
 The government of every depart- 
 ment, or county, is exercised by a 
 political chief. Eaeh town is controlled 
 by a local authority, who is under the 
 county officer. 
 
 In order to obtain concessions for 
 building, privileges to cut timber or 
 any other enterprise, application must 
 be made to the government. 
 
 There is a generally accepted belief 
 among those who do not post them- 
 selves, that Guatemala is a "fever 
 breeding death trap." They think 
 and believe that to go to that country 
 means to expose themselves to death 
 and sickness. This is a very mistaken 
 idea, as nothing of the kind exists. 
 There is no "swamp" in Guatemala; 
 no marshes; no stagnant water or 
 "boggs." The country being moun- 
 tainous, is well drained, and the air 
 is pure. The strip of country along 
 
— 17 — 
 the coast, varying in width from three 
 to ten miles, is low and hot. During 
 the months of July, August and Sep« 
 tember rain falls daily during this 
 period. This is what is called the 
 "rainy season." Along the coast the 
 dampness and extreme heat during 
 these months make it very unpleas- 
 ant for foreigners, and this strip is 
 where the fever makes its appearance. 
 Everyone who goes there is by no 
 means liable to sickness, the fever ap- 
 pearing only among those who re- 
 main in that part five or six months. 
 Back from the coast the high land be- 
 gins, and settlers are not subjected 
 to the same conditions as along the 
 coast. 
 
 American Consuls are stationed at 
 the principal points. 
 
 Parties going about the country and 
 leaving the state must have a "pass 
 port." This can be had from any oi 
 the Consulates. 
 
 Any article of wearing apparel, 
 food, tools, etc., can be purchased in 
 the state. The prices are about the 
 same as in the United States, 
 prepared for cold nights Parties g 
 
 Parties going to Guatemala should 
 go prepared for cold nights, as the 
 temperature falls, and travelers and 
 settlers sleep under two or more blan- 
 kets. If they intend to stop along the 
 coast they should take a mosquito bar. 
 
— 18 — 
 liiaukets aud bars command good 
 prices. 
 
 Doctors, hospitals, etc., can be found 
 witho'il trouble in case of need. 
 
 COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGES. 
 
 In his annual report to the Secretary 
 of State, dated January 18, 1891, Mr. 
 Samuel Kimberly, the United States 
 consul-g-eneral, submitted much infor- 
 matiou of value concerning the com- 
 mercial opportunites for the mer- 
 chants and manufacturers of the 
 United States in Guatemala, from 
 Avhich a considerable portion of this 
 chapter is compiled. 
 
 The merchants throughout the inte- 
 rior of the country are usually dealers 
 in general merchandise, that is, they 
 carry mixed stocks of goods, compris- 
 ing a little of everything that is 
 wanted by the people, nine-tenths ot 
 whom are agriculturists and laborers, 
 and require the cheaper grades of 
 clothing and dress goods, crockery, 
 etc. Their capital is usually small and 
 they procure their supplies from the 
 wholesale dealers in the larger cities 
 of the Republic, carrying stocks rep- 
 resenting a value of from $5,000 to 
 $15,000, about one-half of which is pur- 
 chased on credit from six to nine 
 months' time, with interest of 7, 9, and 
 10 per cent. The goods are transport- 
 ed from Guatemala city and other com- 
 mercial centers on pack muies, ox 
 
— 19 — 
 carts, and b}' *'carg-adores" — men who 
 carry packs on their back — and take 
 loads of 125 pounds. A mule carries 
 250 pounds, but the load must be di- 
 rided into two packages of 125 pounds 
 each to be handled conveniently. Foi 
 this reason manufacturers and ex- 
 porters in the United States should ob- 
 serve the greater care in the packing 
 of articles for that market, making 
 the packages not heavier in weight 
 than 125 pounds, as secure and com- 
 pact as possible and without any un- 
 necessary w^eight. The same condi- 
 tions apply to Mexico, and all the 
 countries of Central and South Amer- 
 ica. 
 
 There is general complaint through- 
 out all the American Kepublics about 
 the carelessness of packing in the 
 United States, and for that reason 
 ranch trade goes to Europe where 
 packing has been reduced to a fine 
 art. It is particularly necessary that 
 goods for Guatemala ^nd other Cen- 
 tral American countries should be 
 carefully packed because of the rough 
 hadling the}^ receive on the Isthmus 
 of Panama, and at San Jose, and 
 Champerico, the two Pacific seaports 
 of Guatemala. 
 
 Merchants in the larger cities ot 
 Guatemala carry stocks valued from 
 $25,000 to $100,000. 
 
 In his report, Consul-General Kim- 
 berly saj^s; "That there need be no 
 
— 20 — 
 
 apprehension as to eolleetioiis, for i 
 have discovered that business failures 
 are exceedingly rare, and fraudulent 
 business failures are unknown here. 
 In fact, the laAvs of this Republic are 
 of such a string-ent character that one 
 having failed in business must show 
 to the legal authority that he has fully 
 paid off all previous liability before 
 he can recommence. The merchants, 
 and especially the larger houses, are 
 as a rule thoroughly strict and reli- 
 able, and are composed of all nation- 
 alities, the Germans, however, predom- 
 inating." 
 
 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 
 
 The standard of weight adopted ia 
 the Spanish pound. One libra is six- 
 teen ounces; one aroba is twenty-five 
 pounds. 
 
 In measuring distance the Spanish 
 vera is the standard. A "vera" is three 
 feet. Five thousand veras is equal to 
 4,180 kilomenters, and constitute a 
 league, or three English miles. 
 
 MONEY. 
 
 The national standard for money is 
 the dollar, which contains 900 grains 
 of silver. 
 
 A peso, or dollar, is worth 100 cents. 
 A pesata is 25 cents; a real is w^orth 
 12^ cents; a medio is 61 cents; a 
 cuartillo is 3i cents. There is also in 
 circulation 15 and 10 cent pieces. 
 
— 21 — 
 MAILS. 
 
 Guatemala entered the Universal 
 Postal Union in 1881. The mail ser- 
 vice is perfectly organized, according 
 to the best systems in operation. Res- 
 idents and visitors will have no 
 trouble in receiving and forwarding 
 mail matter. The rates are as follows: 
 Letters, 5 cents; papers, 1 cent. 
 
 TELEGRAPH. 
 
 The state has a fine telegraph sys- 
 tem. Lines bringing all the princi- 
 pal points of the state into communi- 
 cation. There is estimated to be about 
 3,000 miles of telegraph lines in oper- 
 ation. The rates are about the same 
 as in the United States. All messages 
 are sent in Spanish. 
 
 MINES AND MINING. 
 
 Guatemala is very rich in mines and 
 minerals. Gold and silver is mined 
 in paying quantities, but the method 
 is crude and primitive, most of it be- 
 ing "placier." The mines are scatter- 
 ed all over the state and along the 
 Guatemala Northern Railway there 
 are very rich deposits and operated 
 mines. It is liberal in its mining laws 
 and in fact offers inducements for 
 their development. 
 
 The following provisions of the law 
 will give a correct idea of the inan« 
 ner of acquiring and working* miacs, 
 
— 22 — 
 
 Auriferous sandf}, iron deposits 
 etc., in river bed^ or placiers, on 
 whatever land they may be found are 
 free to all persons w^ithout special per- 
 rait. 
 
 All persons, either native or foreign 
 who shall discover a deposit, ledge 
 or vein shall be entitled to the conces^ 
 sion thereof. 
 
 All persons who shall work old or 
 abandoned mines shall be considered 
 as discoverer, and shall be entitled to 
 the undisputed possession. 
 
 These are the main features govern^ 
 ing' prospectors. Claims for ''blind 
 leads," etc., are about the same as in 
 the United States. A copy of themin- 
 ing laws can be had by application to 
 the government. 
 
 EDUCATION. 
 
 For some years past the government 
 of Guatemala has cultivated with the 
 greatest care the development of pub- 
 lic instruction, which is free of charge 
 and compulsory. There are 1252 
 schools throughout the Republic. 
 
 In addition to these, the Eepublic 
 has "A National Library," containing 
 30,000 volumes. 
 
 A Conservatory of Music and four- 
 teen schools of music; all maintained 
 at a cost of about $7,000. 
 
 There are mree schools of Arts and 
 Trades, employing ten professors and 
 thirty foremen in the ^\ui\^ sho^ .. 
 
— 23 — 
 
 Recently the government has author- 
 ized the establishment of one of these 
 schools for women. 
 
 The g-overnment has established six 
 Central Technical Colleges, viz: The 
 Law School; The College of Medicine 
 and Pharmacy and the College of En- 
 2"ineers — two of each* 
 
— 24 — 
 
 LABOR. 
 
 The shipping of negro laborers from 
 New Orleans to Guatemala has been 
 a matter of serious importance during 
 the last few years. 
 
 The Guatemala Northern Railroad 
 system has been virtually worked by 
 said labor, which labor, four years ago. 
 when Sylvanus Miller was constructing 
 the road himself; the negroes then 
 tlocked from every Southern State 
 crowding the labor agencies for ship- 
 ment to Guatemala, for work on said 
 road. Unfortunately, among them were 
 some lazy, w^orthless, barrel-house ne- 
 groes, who, being under the constant 
 surveillance of the police, and liable to 
 arrest here, preferred to be shipped tc 
 Guatemala. Said negroes, intending tc 
 pursue the same course of life over there 
 refused to work; hence trouble ensued 
 between them and the contractors. 
 
 Those negroes, gamblers by trade, OU' 
 of their first earnings, bought their tick- 
 ets and returned here. Awful have beer, 
 their tales of ill-treatment and starva- 
 tion by the management of the contract 
 ors. Their imaginary wrongs, witl: 
 their false statements published in tht 
 press, to the grots injustice of their em- 
 ployersi. 
 
 These lying statements have caused a 
 bugbear among the better class of ne- 
 groes, who under no circumstances 
 could be induced to go. Others, still, ok 
 the contrary, have come back to see 
 |:heir friends here, and have willingly 
 
— 35 — 
 
 returned there. 
 
 , In speaking about starvation, the fol- 
 lowing weekly list of provisions fur- 
 nished by Mr. S. Miller to laborers at 
 the cost of 50 cents per day, in Guate- 
 mala money,, which is equal to 25 cents 
 United States currency, will prove the 
 falsity of said statements; 
 
 2 pounds fresh meat. 
 
 3 pounds smoked sides 
 2 pounds salt beef. 
 
 5 pounds flour. 
 
 5pounds cornmeal. 
 
 2 pounds beans. 
 
 2 pounds rice. 
 
 ipound lard. 
 
 2 pounds brown sugar . 
 
 1 pound onions. 
 
 1 pound dried apples. 
 
 1-4 pound tea. 
 
 1-4 pound coffee. 
 
 The same trouble exists with some 
 "hobos" who go on transportation with 
 the sole purpose of visiting- the country 
 at he expense of the contractors, and 
 as they are compelled to^ work out their 
 transportation, they complain like the 
 negroes. 
 
 The contractors want he men; they pay 
 the wages, hence they want the work 
 for it. 
 
 The wages paid to laborers and me^ 
 chanics are as follows: 
 
 Laborers for railroad work— $3.00 per 
 day. 
 
 Section foremen — $150 per month. 
 
 Conductors —$150 per month, with 
 board. 
 
Brakemen— $109 per month, with board. 
 
 Engineers— From $7.00 to $9.00 per day, 
 no board. 
 
 Firemen — $3.00 per day, no board. 
 
 Machinists— From $6.00 to $8.00 per day, 
 no board. 
 
 House and bridge carpenters — From 
 $5.00 to 7.00 per day, according to their 
 ability. 
 
 Sawmill laborers— $2.00 to $3.00 per day, 
 no board. 
 
 Sawmill mechanics — $5.00 to $G.GO per 
 day, no board. 
 
 Timbermen and ox-drivers- -From 3.00 
 to $5.00, no board. 
 
 Hewers^From $15.00 to $16.00 per 1000 
 board measure, no board. 
 
 Ties— 6x8, 7 :'eot l».ng, left at iho stump. 
 40 cents each, no board. 
 
 Laborers for rock work— $'3.00 per day, 
 no board. 
 
 Stonecutters— $6.00 to $8.00 per day, no 
 board. 
 
 All wages are paid in Guatemala 
 money. 
 
 Board can be had at the following 
 raites: 50 cents, 75 cents, $1.00 and $1.50 
 per day, also in Guatemala money. 
 
 Rook w^ork by contract — $1.25 per cubic 
 yard, and 15 cents extra for filling. 
 ADVICE TO LABORERS. 
 
 Laborers and mechanics, when shipped 
 on transportation, must not misrepre- 
 sent their occupation when they apply 
 for shipment to Guatemala; otherwise 
 they will be the sufferers. 
 
 , There is plenty of railroad, rock and 
 timber work for all classes of laborers 
 and mechanics. 
 
— 27 — 
 
 Work is not compulsory in Guatemala, 
 unless the transportation ticket is 
 paid; when then the laborer is at liberty 
 tO' work wherever and for whoever he 
 pleases. Therefore be careful tO' abide in 
 good faith by the above advice; other- 
 wise you will be subject to arrest. 
 
 If possible, pay your own transporta- 
 tion, as you will then be under no obli- 
 gation to either employer or contractor, 
 and you will feel the benefit of it. 
 
— 28 — 
 EXHIBITION. 
 
 By act of the Legislators of Guate- 
 mala, Central America, of May the 8th. 
 1894. it was decided for President Bar- 
 ries to open the first exhibition at Gua- ^ 
 temala City on the 15th day of March, 
 1897, and close the same on the 15ti. 
 day of July following. 
 
 The exhibition will be held in the Ex 
 hibition Building, covering twelv^c 
 block, 8082 square miles. 
 
 The exhibition will comprise all 
 branches of Science, Art, Industry and 
 the natural products of the five Repub- 
 lics of Central America. 
 
 All articles sent to this exhibition 
 should bemarked Exhibition Bunlding, 
 Central America, and should be well 
 packed, for the committee will only be 
 responsible for articles received in good 
 condition. All articles sent to this ex- 
 hibition will be free from duty. 
 
 No rent or space will be charged for 
 any article sent to this exhibition. 
 
 Reduced rates will be given by all 
 railroad and steamship companies for 
 all articles sent to this exhibition. 
 
 Fifteen thousand dollars in cash prizes 
 will be given away to winners of differ- 
 ent articles. Also, gold, silver and 
 bronze medals. 
 
 In making application for space for 
 exhibit, the number, size and nature of 
 the objects must be stated. All aplica- 
 tions must be made to the Central Com- 
 mittee, which committee will clear 
 through any of the customhouse of the 
 Republic of Guatemala all articles ad- 
 dressed to the Central American Exhi- 
 t>ition. 
 
— 29 — 
 
 Prices to the exhibition is 25 cents. 
 children under 10 years of age free. 
 
 Many are the advantages t-o be gained 
 by seeing this exhiibtion. It will brin.^- 
 many objects together, so we may-coni- 
 pare them; we shall learn what we do 
 not know, and improve what we already 
 know. We may communicate to others 
 a knowledge of their production, and jt 
 will thus awaken human labor. 
 
 DISTANCES. 
 
 For the benefit of anyone who intend 
 to emigrate to Guatemala, the following 
 information taken from the Geua del 
 Immigrants published in Guatemala, 
 in June, 18S6, is here given: 
 
 The distances btween the capital of the 
 Republic and the heads of departm.ents 
 are to the: To the Antigua (department 
 of Sacatepeguy), 9 leagues or 27 miles; to 
 Chimaltenaugo (department of same 
 name), 12 leagues or 36 miles; to Amatit- 
 lan, (department of same name), 6 
 leagues or 18 miles; to Escuintla, 14 1-2 
 leagues or 43 1-2 miles; to Cuaziniguilapa 
 (Santa Rosa), 14 leagues or 42 miles; to 
 Solola, 30 leagues or 90 miles. 
 
 To Totonicapau, 37 leagues or 111 miles; 
 to Quezaltnaugo, 40 leagues or 120 miles; 
 to Mazatenaugo (Sechitepeguez), 45 
 leagues or 120 miles; to Retalhuleu, 51 
 leagues or 153 miles; to San Marco, 55 
 leagues or 165 miles; to Huchuetenaugo, 
 65 leagues or 195 miles; to Santa Cruz del 
 Quiche, 32 leagues or 96 miles; to Salama 
 (Bajaverapez), 23 leagues or 69 miles; to 
 Coban (Alta Verapaz), 42 leagues or 126 
 
— 30 — 
 
 miles; to Flores (Peten), 107 leagues or 
 321 miles; to Izabal, 72 leagues or 216 
 miles; to Zacapa, 42 leagues or 126 miles; 
 to Chiquimula, 45 leagues or 136 miles; 
 to Jalapa. 25 Icagnes or 87 miles.. 
 EXPORTATION. 
 Coffee Is the pricipal article of expor- 
 tation and to prove the increase of this 
 indwustry it is only necessary to notice 
 the following tables, taken from the offi- 
 cial documents from 1883 to 1893, a period 
 of ten years; 
 
 Value. 
 
 1883 $4,848,832 68 
 
 1893 18,550,518 73 
 
 As will be seen by the above state- 
 ment there has been an increase in the 
 exportation of coffee in a period of ten 
 years of $13,700,686 05— a magnificent 
 showing. All of the work was done by 
 native labor. How much more would 
 have been achieved by American skilled 
 laborers. 
 
— 31 — 
 
 LEMON CULTURE. 
 
 Lemon culture in Guatemala has been 
 entirely neglected by the inhabitants of 
 that country, althoug-h no part of Amer- 
 ica has been so favored by nature for 
 the successful cultivation of this fruit. 
 A lemon grove could be brought in to 
 bearing- in less than half the time it re- 
 quires in any other portion of this conti- 
 nent by a method we shall proceed co 
 explain. The lime tree grows wild all 
 over Central America, and especially in 
 Guatemala, They grow in all parts of 
 the Republic, from the sea level to an 
 altitude of 5000 feet above it. The fruit 
 is small (about the size of an English 
 walnut) but very juicy. By grafting thf 
 Sicilian, California or Florida lemon in-c 
 these trees, a bearing grove in live and a 
 half or six years, may be looked for 
 The trees need very little cultivation 
 and in seting- out a grove it is only nec- 
 essary to plant fifteen feet apart, and 
 keep the ground clean around the roots 
 GrafU'ng is Ocne by splits or by-shields 
 Tiie latter is more generally in use, anc^ 
 tha proper season is in the month iif ?ylay 
 or October. The first method is called 
 "sleeping eye," because'it is necessary tc 
 wait till the spring to see whether the 
 grafting has been successful. The latter 
 is pract'cc-d by the most intelligent grow- 
 ers and is called the "living eye" for the 
 reason that should it fail in the coming 
 fall it 19 (operated on again. 
 
 The shoots are to be chosen from the 
 best and most vigorous lemon trees, and 
 in the fifth or sJxth year, one may have 
 
— 32^ 
 
 a iiiie bfaring^ l^mon grove, fruiting- all 
 the year re mJ. A ten-year-old tree pro- 
 duces 500 lemons, while at fifteen 1000 is 
 an oidinaiy yield. Pruning is done ac 
 cording co the growth of the tree. Thc^ 
 mechod most generally in use is an in- 
 verted cone. This form is obtained by 
 cutting down the main trunk, and let- 
 ting the lateral branches grow in ( r<ler 
 to have all the ventilation and sunligiit 
 possible. 
 
 This would be the best paying indus- 
 try, next to coffee, without any doubt, 
 when we consider that over me miihon 
 boxes of lemons are imported annunLy 
 from Sicily alone to this State The 
 numbers we receive from Spain iuid tiie 
 South of Fiance are not included in ihe 
 calculation. 
 
 This proiilable industry awaits (jnly the 
 skilful hand of the American emigrant 
 to give it the impetus it deserves. The 
 same rema.-k applies to oranges, whicn, 
 in Guatemala and Honduras, grow the 
 year rrund, and are exported to this 
 country in crates one-half of them rot- 
 ting fuv want of careful packing. 
 
35 — 
 
 HONDURAS. 
 
 While Guatemala is making tremen* 
 dous strides in railroad building and 
 general grogress, Honduras, her sister 
 republic, has not been idle. A conces- 
 sion has been granted to a northern 
 syndicate for the building of two rail- 
 road systems; the Inter-Oceanic and 
 the Puerto Cortez Truxillo line, which 
 w^ill, like the Northern of Gaatemala, 
 connect the two shores of the state, 
 aiid open to settlers and investors the 
 vast agricultural and mineral wealth 
 of the state. 
 
 In the line of possibilities thus 
 opened, Honduras will outrank Guate- 
 mala in importance of the fruit pro- 
 ducts, being peculiarly adapted to 
 the cultivation of all trox^ical fruits. 
 Foremost among the fruits of Hon- 
 duras is the banana, which grows 
 wild all over the valleys of the state. 
 In years gone by thousands of tons of 
 these bananas ripened and rotted on 
 the tree, because there was no one to 
 cut them, and no merchant to buy. 
 Xow all is changed. 
 
 Two firm^, to whom full credit must 
 
be given, opened the fruit trade between 
 Honduras and America, and to whom 
 Honduras is indebted for having led 
 other enterprising Americans to go to 
 Honduras and take advantage of na- 
 ture's rich gifts. Now the delicious 
 fruit of the Honduras fields are 
 brought almost daily to our doors. 
 
 The banana, now so plentiful and 
 well known, is comparatively new in 
 the fruit market, dating back only 
 about thirty years. At the beginning 
 transportation facilities were so lim- 
 ited that it was impossible to bring the 
 fruit to market in anything like sale- 
 able condition; the transportation was 
 confined to small sailing vessels, and 
 the length of time required to make 
 the voyage permitted the fruit to 
 ripen and spoil before the vessel 
 reached port. The supply was, there^ 
 fore, limited, and was barely enough 
 to supply the small city trade of New 
 Orleans, and the sale was mostly to 
 negroes and the lower classes. 
 
 About 186G a steamer was put in the 
 trade. This vessel was chartered by a 
 company known as the "Black Ball'* 
 line. Aft^r two years of unsuccessful 
 business the company dissolved. Sal- 
 vado and Joseph Otari, stockholders 
 in the company, then bought a steam- 
 er and began the business in their 
 own names. This was the first line 
 to Central America, and is now known 
 as the "Pioneer Liiie.*' 
 
— 55^ 
 
 Soon after the Otari line started the 
 Maeheca Brothers began the same 
 business, and these two firms virtu- 
 ally forced the people of th^ Northern 
 cities to recognize the banana as a 
 staple article. They appointed agents 
 in all the principal cities and pushed 
 the business to its present immense 
 proportions. 
 
 Following the Macheca line came: 
 
 The Bocas del Toro and Colon line. 
 
 The Costa Ixica line. 
 
 The Campania Agricola Mechantile. 
 
 The Carribbean Banana Company. 
 
 An amusing incident, illustrating 
 how little w as known of the banana at 
 that time is shown by the follow^ing 
 experience of Mr. V. Lamantia, of 
 New Orleans: 
 
 In 18G4 he shipped fifty bunches of 
 bananas from New Orleans to St. 
 Louis; the fruit cost him at New Or- 
 leans $5.00 per bunch. At St. Louis he 
 was unable to find buyers, and re- 
 shipped to Louisville, Ky. Here he 
 again failed to get dealers to handle 
 the fruit, and in order to reach the 
 people he oj^ened a stand in the mar- 
 ket and tried to sell at retail. As no 
 one knew what a banana was, a 
 crowd ^vould gather and such ques- 
 tions as "\Miat are those things?" 
 "Where did you get them?" "How do 
 you eat them?" etc., was asked. In or- 
 der to answer them he hired a boy to 
 Qvj the fruit and to eat some of it be- 
 
— be- 
 fore the crowd. Occasionaly one 
 would be induced to taste it in a hes- 
 itating" manner, and the verdict was 
 usually an uncertain" shake of the 
 head. 'As a result of this uphill busi- 
 ness the fruit ripened and spoiled, and 
 was thrown away. This was the state 
 of the banana trade in 1864. ComiDare 
 this with the present enormous busi- 
 ness, and a correct idea of the growth 
 of the banana business can be had. 
 
 The steamship lins now bring to 
 New Orleans millions of bunches, to 
 say nothing of the trade through New 
 \ork, Boston, Philadelphia and Mo- 
 bile, all of which dates its beginning 
 from the Oteri Brothers' first venture* 
 
 In Central America there are thous- 
 ands of acres of land suitable for ba- 
 nana culture, and waiting for set- 
 tlers who is now always sure of a mar- 
 ket for his crop. 
 
 Honduras has now one line of rail- 
 way in operation, running from Puerto 
 Cortez to San Pedro. This line does 
 a good fruit business, and will bo 
 taken up by the Inter-Oceanic. 
 
— 37 — 
 DUTIES ON IMPORTS. 
 The tariff of Guatemala as here printed 
 is the latest official publication of that 
 country; but a number of decrees modi- 
 fying the same have been issued, princi- 
 pal among- which is the one promulgated 
 October 23, 1885, aug-menting- the duties 
 20 per cent on all merchandise imported 
 into the country; consequently that per- 
 centag-e should be added to these rates. 
 
 The Guatemalan peso was valued by 
 the Director of the Mint of the United 
 States October 1, 1891, at 72.3 cents. 
 SECTION I. 
 Articles Prohibited. 
 Bullets, iron or lead, bombs, hand gre- 
 nades and other projectiles of war. 
 Cannons or other pieces of artillery. 
 Carbines, rifles or muskets, military. 
 Counterfeit money. 
 Machinery and materials for coining or 
 
 printing money. 
 Nitrate of potash, or saltpetre, exceed- 
 ing 25 pounds. 
 Nitro-glycerine and dynamite. 
 Obscene pictures, books or objects, and 
 such as are contrary to good morals 
 and customs. 
 Powder of all kinds, exceeding 2 pounds. 
 Tobacco leaf. 
 
 Tobacco, manufactured, exceeding 5 
 pounds. 
 
 Merchandise impoited into the Repub- 
 lic is divided into six classes: 
 
 (1) Free list. 
 
 (2) Articles paying 10 per cent. 
 
 (3) Articles paying 25 per cent. 
 
 (4) Articles paying 70 per cent. 
 
 (5) Trade with the Central American 
 
Hopublics. 
 
 (6) Trade with the Mexican Republic. 
 
 The appraisements established in this 
 code shall be the basis for the collection 
 of import duties. 
 
 SECTION II. 
 Free List. 
 
 Anchors and hauling- lines. 
 
 Animals, live, for breeding-, or stuffed. 
 
 Articles imported by the g-overnment or 
 municipalities for public use or for 
 charitable institutions 
 
 Articles imported for their own use by 
 diplomatic ministers residing in the 
 Republic, providing the privilege is 
 reciprocal and the provisions of this 
 code are complied with Consuls and 
 vice-consuls do not enjoy the exemp- 
 tion 
 
 Bagg-ag-e of passengers, the term includ- 
 ing all articles of personal use and in- 
 dispensable instruments belonging to 
 the profession or business of the owner 
 in proportion to his station and cir- 
 cum.stances; also furniture in use by 
 parties intending to establish them- 
 selves in the country. 
 
 Beans. 
 
 Boats, tackle, sails, chains, and other 
 equipments for vessels, for use in the 
 ports and on the lakes of the Republic. 
 
 Books, used. 
 
 Bricks, fire, and crucibles for smelting. 
 
 Buildings, frame or iron, complete. 
 
 Cement, Roman, or hydraulic lime. 
 
 Coal. 
 
 Corn. 
 
 Crucibles and other apparatus for assay- 
 ing metals. 
 
♦ —39 — 
 
 Diamonds and o-ther precious tones, un* 
 
 set. 
 Fragments and rigging of shipwrecked 
 
 vessels. 
 Fuse, for mines. 
 Gas, apparatus for making. 
 Geld and silver in bars, dust, or coined. 
 Guano and other fertilizers. 
 Hay and other feed not specified. 
 Iron, pig, or in bulk, in quantities not 
 
 less than 5 pounds. 
 Lodestone. 
 Lumber, rough. 
 Machinery, unknown in the country, and 
 
 applicable to industry or agriculture. 
 Minerals, refuse. 
 
 Models of machines and buildings. 
 Molds for making flowers. 
 Pease, dried. 
 
 Periodicals, loose or bound. 
 Photographs and views of the country. 
 Plants, exotic, and their seeds. 
 Portraits belonging to families residing 
 
 in the country. 
 Potatoes. 
 Quicksilver. 
 Rice. 
 Rye. 
 Samples of goods the duty on which 
 
 shall not exceed $1. 
 Seeds, flower, vegetable, or other kind 
 
 not specified in this chapter. 
 Telegraphic supplies. 
 Vegetables, fresh. 
 
 Wharves in the ports, appliances for. 
 Wire, barbed, for fences, with hooks. 
 Wrappings, ordinary, when the articles 
 
 are not appraised on the gross weight: 
 
 In bales, the wrapping cloth, oiled 
 
cloth, side boards and straps are con- 
 sidered as wrappings. In cases, the 
 tin or zinc lining, cardboard, paper and 
 casings, unless expressly included in 
 the coires'ponding appraisement. No 
 blanket, sheet or^ other article men- 
 tioned in sections 4 and 5 of this chap- 
 ter will be considered as wrapping. 
 The following articles are also free of 
 duty, as per proclamation of the Presi- 
 den t of the United States of America, 
 dated October (1) 1890: 
 
 1. Live animals. 
 
 2. Barley, corn or maize, and rye. 
 
 3. Cornmeal. 
 
 4. Potatoes, peas and beans. 
 
 5. Fresh vegetables. 
 
 6. Rice. 
 
 7. Hay and straw for forage. 
 
 8. Tar, pitch, resin, turpentine and as- 
 phalt. • 3 
 
 9. Cotton-seed oil and other products of 
 said seed. 
 
 10. Quicksilver. 
 
 11. Mineral coal. 
 
 12. Guano and other fertilizers. 
 
 13. Lumber and timber, in the rough or 
 prepared for building purposes. 
 
 14. Houses of wood or iron, complete or 
 in parts. 
 
 15. Fire-brick, lime, cement, shingles and 
 
 tiles of clay or glass for roofing, and 
 construction of buildings. 
 
 16. Marble in slabs, columns, cornices, 
 door and window frames and foun- 
 tains, and dressed or undressed 
 marble for buildings. 
 
 17. Piping of clay, glazed or unglazed, 
 for acqueducts and sewers. 
 
— 41 — 
 
 8. Wire, plain or barbed, for fences, 
 with hooks and staples for same. 
 
 19. Printed books, bound or unbound; 
 / printed music; maps, charts and 
 
 globes. 
 
 20. Materials for the construction and 
 equipment of railways. 
 
 21. Materials for electrical illumination. 
 
 22. Materials expressly for the construc- 
 tion of wharves. 
 
 23. Anchors and hoisting- tackle. 
 
 24. Railings of cast or wrought iron. 
 
 25. Balconies of cast or wrought iron. 
 
 26. Window^ blinds of wood or metal. 
 2. Iron fire-places or stoves. 
 
 28. Machinery, including steam ma- 
 chinery for agriculture and mining, 
 and separate parts for the same. 
 
 29. Gold and silver, in bullion, dust or 
 coin. 
 
 SECTION III. 
 Articles Paying 10 Per Cent on Invoice 
 
 Valuation. 
 Acids, used in the arts and industries of 
 
 the country, not included in the tariff 
 
 on drugs and medicses. 
 Artificial teeth. 
 Axles, tires and wheels for wagons, carts 
 
 or wheelbarrows. 
 Barley. 
 Barometers. 
 
 Barrels, pipes and hogsheads, empty. 
 Bellows, blacksmiths'. 
 Books, for exercise in writing, drawing 
 
 and mathematics, for use of schools. 
 Candle molds. 
 Cane, rattan, straw and palm leaf, for 
 
 furniture or hats. 
 Caldrons or boilers, iron or copper, for 
 
— 42 — 
 
 sugar mills. 
 
 Charts or maps, geographical 
 
 Checks, metal, for use on haciendas. 
 
 Clocks for towers, with dials and bells. 
 
 Compasses, mariners'. 
 
 Cotton, raw, with or without seed. 
 
 Crucibles. 
 
 Felt roofing or any invention for roofs. 
 
 Fur, rabiit ro hare, for hat-making. 
 
 Globes, geographical or astronomical, for 
 study, all kinds. 
 
 Hoops, wood or ron, for barrels, hogs- 
 heads, etc. 
 
 Horsehair. 
 
 Hour-glasses. 
 
 Instruments used in the sciences, arts, 
 and agriculture, not otherwise classi- 
 fied in this cede. 
 
 Jewelry, gold at least .600 fine, silver at 
 least .835 fine. 
 
 Lasts, for boots and shoes; blocks, for 
 wigs and hats, vrood. 
 
 Lead in bulk or in sheets for roofs. 
 
 Levels 
 
 Lightning rods and appliances. 
 
 Linear measures. 
 
 Lithographic stone. 
 
 Lumber, for building. 
 
 Machinery for agriculture, mining and 
 other arts, sciences and industries, and 
 loose pieces belonging to same. 
 
 Marble, rough, in bulk. 
 
 Mausoleums or sarcophagi. 
 
 Mathematical instrument cases. 
 
 Music, printed and manuscript. 
 
 Needles, knitting. 
 
 Oil or haircloth for making hats. 
 
 Paper, stamped for embroidery. 
 
 Paper, for printing, in sheets at least 106 
 
— 43 — 
 
 x65 centimeters. 
 Patterns for tailors and dressmakers. 
 Pipes, iron, lead or zinc, for conducting 
 
 water, gas", etc. 
 Platform scales for weighing over 5,00C 
 
 pounds. 
 Plows of all kinds. 
 Poison, for curing hides. 
 Presses, hydraulic, for extracting oil or 
 
 for use in the agricultural industry. 
 Printed books. 
 Printers' ink. 
 Printing office materials. 
 Pulleys or blocks, wood or iron. 
 Pumps, iron, with or without piping, for 
 
 mines, irrigation or fires. 
 Sheet iron for roofs. 
 Shite for oofs. 
 
 Statues, life-size, for models. 
 Staves, barrel. 
 Sugar molds. 
 
 Surgical instrument cases. 
 Table serv^ice, silver at least .835 fine 
 
 gold at least .600 fine. 
 Tar of all kinds. 
 Type for printing. 
 Wagons or carts of all kinds, and their 
 
 appliances, except harness. 
 Watches, gold at least .600 fine, silver at 
 
 least .835 fine. 
 Wheat. 
 
 Wheelbarrows of all kinds. 
 Wire masks for emptying bee>-hives. 
 Wool, carded and uncarded. 
 Zinc in bars. 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 Arti>cles Paying 25 Per Cent on Ap- 
 praised Valuation. 
 
 Dollars 
 
— 44 — 
 Axles and spring's for carriages, 
 
 net weight pound.. .212 
 
 Carriages 
 Closed, four - wheeled, elevated 
 ' seat for driver, silk uphos- 
 
 stered each.. 578. 40 
 
 Same, not upholstered with silk 
 
 each ..361.50 
 
 Open, four-wheeled, silk uphol- 
 stered each ..289.20 
 
 Same, not upholstered with silk 
 
 each ..216.90 
 
 Same, two-wheeled, all kinds 
 
 each 86 76 
 
 Same, four-wheeled, ordinary, 
 wooden body, for passengers, 
 
 each 144.. 60 
 
 Elastic, of all kinds, for shoes, 
 
 yard 289 
 
 Harmoniums, each 44.38 
 
 Harness — 
 Double, with silver ornaments, 
 
 per pair 144 . 60 
 
 Single, with silver ornaments, 
 
 each 57.84 
 
 Double, with or without orna- 
 ments of base metal, pair 57.84 
 
 Single, with or without ornaments 
 
 of base metals, each 23.136 
 
 For wagons, carts and plows, each 5.784 
 Leather — 
 Patent, for footwear, halsters 
 harsters, or other use, includ- 
 ing paper wrappings, pound.. .578 
 
 Calf-skin for footwear, carriage 
 
 covers, including paper wrap- 
 pings, pound 463 
 
 Sheepskin, kid, morocca, chamois, 
 buckskin, sole Itkther, uppers, 
 
^45 — 
 and other dressed hides, except, 
 patent leather, not mentioned 
 in this code, including- paper 
 
 wrappings, pound -89 
 
 Pianos — 
 
 Grand, each 506.10 
 
 Half grand, each 289.20 
 
 Upright, all kinds, each.. .. ,....216.90 
 Square, triple-stringed, each.. . .202.44 
 Square, double-stringed, each... 72.30 
 Square, single-stringed, or mon- 
 
 ochord, each 21.69 
 
 Sacks, empty, for exporting pro- 
 ducts of the country, each 145 
 
 Steel, in bars or sheets, un- 
 wroug-ht, gross weight, 100 
 
 pounds 4.338 
 
 Thread- 
 Cotton, or yarn and wieking, un- 
 bleached or bleached, for weav- 
 ing, gross weight, pound 145 
 
 Same, red cotton, gross weight, 
 
 pound 362 
 
 Same, other colors, gross weight, 
 
 pound 264 
 
 Tin, in bars, or sheets, gross 
 
 weight, 100 pounds ^ 7.23 
 
 Tin plate, gross weight, pound 043 
 
 Worsted, for embroidery or knit- 
 ting-, including weight of wrap- 
 ping, pound 723 
 
 Each and every article not enumerated 
 in the above articles I, II, III, IV, pay 70 
 of 100 ad valorem. 
 
 Articles whose appraisement raises a 
 doubt by reason of their size, make, 
 quality, or classification shall be ap- 
 praised the same as articles of a similar 
 character. 
 
 Articles not specified in this title which 
 are not similar to any enumerated will 
 pay 70 per cent on their invoice valua- 
 tion. 
 
THIE AOT^INCY. 
 
 In speaking- of Guatemala and her 
 future, nothing has as yet been said 
 about the prime factor in her develop- 
 ment. This is the labor, or immigra- 
 tion agency. This agency is located at 
 No. 327 Exchange Alley, and is the 
 only ojie in New Orleans; is under 
 $5,000 bond as required by law. 
 
 The agency supplies contractors 
 with labor of all kinds, and give true 
 and reliable information to travelers 
 and those wanting to know about the 
 country represented. 
 
 All letters of inquiry will receive 
 prompt attention and all information 
 given can be relied upon implicitly. 
 
 "Copies of this Book, together 
 with Maps, etc., and any inlorcna- 
 tioii desired, can be had by ad- 
 dressing 
 
 V. LAMANTIA, 
 327 Exchange Alley, 
 New Orleans, La. 
 
CENTRAL AMERICA 
 
 Eailrcai d Ticket igSBcy 
 
 » ♦ » 
 
 FAIR WARNING. 
 
 This Agency ships Laborers and 
 
 Mechanics to Guatemala, for Railroad 
 and Timber work, when so ordered by 
 Contractors who then advance their 
 transportation, and same is deducted 
 from the first wages. 
 
 When we call for Stationmen, 
 (Diggers,) Rockmen, Masons, Stone 
 Cutters, House or Bridge Carpenters, 
 Wood Choppers, Trackmen, Tiemakers 
 or Machinists, etc., we mean men who 
 understand their business, able to do 
 the vrork and make money by it. And 
 no Cooks, Waiters, Clerks, Book or 
 Timekeepers, Bakers, Cake or Pastry- 
 men, Tailors, Barbers or Shoemakers 
 need apply for same. 
 
 Parties misrepresenting their trade 
 when they apply for shipment to this 
 Agency, will be put to work at anything, 
 until their transportation is paid for, 
 when they will be at liberty to work at 
 whatever they please. Hence, we want 
 the right sort of men we call for, and 
 
 no others. 
 
 V. LAMANTIA, 
 
4 
 
I 
 
'■Si.. 
 
 \ 
 

 SHOWING ALL LINES OF RAILROADS IN OPERATION ;nD PROPOSED. 
 
 ISSTJE!I3 :B-S' THE5= 
 
 STEAMSHIP SCHEDULE. 
 
 TO GUATEMALA. 
 
 TO HONUUIIAS. 
 
 TO BLUEFIELDS. 
 
 To Bluoflelds & Greytown 
 TO COSTA RICA. 
 
 V. LANIftNTIA, Agent, 
 
 327 EXCHANGE ALLEY. 
 
 GJBi2>TrD:RAJLi JSJlS/L:ElTlXCi^ :Et^XXjTlCJLTD ^osiscir. 
 
 I^AA'IJ^NTI^^, A^ent, 
 
 327 Eifccheange ^.llev, 
 
 l^eAA^ ^rleo^ras, l^ei.- 
 
LIBRPRY OF CONGRESS 
 
 I 
 
 No one ^^^ g^--^^.^...^^ 
 
 country without a copy of tlxis 
 little Map and Guide of 
 
 k AMANTIA* 
 
 lATUT MA^ or J ^ { / -Am. i 
 
 o r 1 : L^-\%*^''";^ iV* 
 
 GUATEMALA and HONDURAS. 
 
 CONTAININQ 
 
 Historical and Geographical re- 
 view of Transportation, Rail- 
 roads, Emigration, Commerce^ 
 Agriculture, General Informa- 
 tion, Labor and Custom House 
 : * -s, Etc.