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National Geographic : 1910 Jul
Contents
GUATEMALA, THE COUNTRY OF THE FUTURE THE SUCCESS OF AMERICAN INDUSTRIES All of the railroads are owned by an American syndicate and are absolutely under American control. From Puerto Barrios, on the Caribbean, the Northern road runs a distance of 224 miles up to the city of Guatemala, the capital. From here starts the Guatemala Central road, extending a distance of 74 miles to the port of San Jose, on the Pacific. The. Guatemala Central Railroad has in all 216 miles of road throughout the coun try, and now in course of construction is a branch line 38 miles in length, to run from the city of Retalhuleu to Ay utla, on the border of Mexico, to connect directly with the Pan-American road there. In a few months it will be possi ble to travel by railway from New York city to the capital of Guatemala. This country was for centuries the home of the Maya-Quiche Indians, whose history reads like a romance. Cortez, however, after the conquest of Mexico, desiring to extend his power over the country farther south, in 1522 sent an invading army under the com mand of Pedro de Alvarado to subjugate this powerful race. Leaving Mexico with some 300 Span iards and a great number of Mexican Indians, Alvarado fought his way into Guatemala, overcoming all who opposed him, and finally, on July 25, 1524, founded the first Spanish capital under the name of Santiago de los Caballeros (Saint James of the Cavaliers). And so it happened that, in a beautiful valley at the foot of two great volcanoes, "Agua" and "Fuego" (meaning water and fire), was firmly established the Spanish rule which was to last for nearly three cen turies-that is, until September 15, 1821, when Guatemala became an independent republic. This first Spanish city was, however, 20 years later, almost completely wiped out of existence by a great flood of water which poured down upon it from Agua. There has been much controversy among scientists as to the origin of this flood. Some claim it to have been the result of a cloudburst, others that it came from the crater of the supposedly extinct vol cano. The former supposition seems to be the most plausible, as research has so far failed to discover traces of a con siderable body of water ever having ex isted in the crater. The few survivors fled down the val ley and at a distance of three miles chose the site of a new city, and, in 1542, cour ageously founded a second capital, now known as Antigua. In time it grew to have a population of 1oo,ooo inhabitants, and became a great center of learning, with many universities, monasteries, and over a hundred churches rich in works of art. Although many times threatened by earthquake shocks more or less severe, it flourished until July 29, 1773, when, without warning, in one minute the proud city was leveled to the ground. THE RELOCATION OF GUATEMALA'S CAPITAL Again the survivors of this second calamity sought refuge farther away from the threatening volcano, and, at a distance of 35 miles, finally settled in the beautiful valley of Las Vacas. Here, at an altitude of 5,000 feet above the sea, surrounded on all sides by soft green hills, behind which loom the im posing heads of three volcanoes, lies the city of Guatemala, the present capital, founded by the courageous survivors of one of the greatest calamities in the his tory of any land. This typical city of Spanish America is a most interesting and charming place to visit. Coming directly from the land of sky-scrapers, the first impression of it, with its low white buildings, is particu larly attractive. Here and there is a house tinted a bright pink or a vivid blue, thus varying the monotony of the dazzling white and lending a sort of holi day look, as though the houses had put on their best gown to welcome the stran ger. The climate is one of perpetual spring, the average temperature being about 70 degrees. The summer months bring the heavy rains. Although in a land of earthquakes, 597
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