Kansas University Weekly.
155
ground the mountains of the interior show up dimly through the sultry heavy air. I am anxious to get off into them.
BELLA VISTA MINES,
LOS QUEMADOS, C. R., Feb. 23.
On the second morning after my arrival I left Port Limon for the capital, San José, 106 miles distant. I was much surprised when I got on board my train to see a conductor whose face, manners and dress, showed that he had been transplanted from a Yankee railway train. Talking with him and others I found that the railroad was built and is being operated by an English company. The superintendent, who happened to be on the train, is an Englishman, the conductors, engineers, and telegraph operators, are Americans from the United States.
In the first thirty miles or so, the road traverses the lowlands along the coast, which are mostly covered with virgin forest, but through which are scattered many banana plantations. It is only in the immediate vicinity of the railroad that bananas can be cultivated profitably because the facilities must be at hand for their rapid transportation to Limon for shipment to New Orleans.
Further on into the interior the road passes through hilly, even mountainous country, in which the banana gives place to coffee. About twelve miles from San Jose, the summit of the continent is reached at an elevation of 5,000 feet. From the pass to the northwest is to be seen a line of volcanic peaks, 10,000 to 12,000 feet high, now all extinct and covered with verdure to their summits. To the west and southwest lies the valley of San Jose, in which is situated the capital and several other important towns. Its elevation is from three to four thousand feet or more; the climate is said to be delightful, which was certainly true of the short time I spent there. Much coffee is grown in this region. San Jose is a place of from twelve to fifteen thousand inhabitants. It has electric lights but no street cars. The houses are mostly low one story structures, with walls of uniformly white plaster and roofs of heavy red tiling.
I was met at the station at San José by Mr. McGregor and by the interpreter of the company. The next day we went on to Alejueta, the last station on the railroad, where Mr. Jones (interpreter) provided horses, and we began our three days' journey. * * * At half past eight last evening we arrived at the mine. I have stood the trip very well indeed. It was hot a portion of the time, and I got pretty tired, but I feel no ill effects now whatever.
February 28.
I have been here a week today, but as the mill for crushing the ore is still in process of construction, I have little to do except to collect samples of ore from various open places of the ore strata, and prepare them for examination. * * * * * * *
This is an awful country to get about in. Except where roads or trails are open it is almost impossible to get around at all because of the rank growth of all sorts of shrubs, bushes, thorns, vines and weeds. The trees are mostly misshapen and under sized. Those that do manage to approach stateliness, are soon so sapped of their life by orchids and mosses that they give up the struggle and die. There is a fine view from the cleared hill on which this mine is located. One can look out over the green foot-hills across the low lands between the mountains and the bay, and beyond this to the mountains on the other side of the bay. Toward the southwest the horizon is bounded by the distant Pacific ocean.
The Y. W. C. A. Concert.
The young ladies of the Y. W. C. A. have again met with success in their annual spring concert. Music Hall was crowded last Tuesday evening and the audience liberally applauded the superior program presented.
Miss Clark, the violinist, is always a welcome visitor in Lawrence, but especially so when she has the opportunity of displaying her skill as an artist. Her technique is large and brilliant, and she possesses the fire and animation and all