COLOMBIA. 



COLORADO. 



141 



most immediately afterward fell three feet. 

 During the last week in August noises such as 

 that produced by continuous firing during a 

 battle, were heard at Ohiman, within sixty 

 miles of Panama, in all the towns on the Bo- 

 gota plateau, and at Manabi, in Ecuador. On 

 September 2d the sun at Panamd and Guaya- 

 quil was discolored, almost at the moment when 

 the fearful eruptions and earthquakes were 

 destroying a portion of Java and adjacent isl- 

 ands. On September 10th, a sharp earthquake, 

 which did no damage, was felt in Lima, and 

 was about coincident with that felt in the 

 Western United States the same morning. 



In July, 1883, the dispute between the Feder- 

 al Government of Colombia and the canal com- 

 pany, with reference to the payment of the po- 

 lice force, which is required to maintain order 

 and good government along the line of work, 

 had been amicably terminated in Bogota by 

 Sefior Anibal Galindo, the Secretary of the 

 Treasury at the time, and Settor Felipe Paul, 

 the representative of the canal directory. Un- 

 der this arrangement the canal company agrees 

 to pay the Federal Government the expenses, 

 estimated at $80,000 per annum, of maintaining 

 a force of 300 men, to be stationed along the 

 canal line, and leaves for future discussion the 

 amount to be paid should more men be neces- 

 sary. This contract, which also permitted the 

 treasurer to draw at sight for $50,000 on ac- 

 count, had been submitted to the Executive. 



Pearl-fishing. The pearl-fishery in the bay of 

 Panama is being pushed on with great vigor, 

 and with a good deal of success. Many fine 

 specimens have lately been found, including a 

 very finely shaped one called the u Lesseps," 

 weighing nearly 200 grains. It is about the 

 most important that has been in the European 

 market for many years, and takes its place in the 

 list of the largest-known pearls in theworld. 



Commerce. The total foreign trade (import 

 and export) of Colombia, during a decade, has 



been : Annual average. 



1871-'73 $92,676,800 $18,535,360 



1876-'80 107,094,400 21,418,380 



The United States consular report, having 

 reference to the export trade from the United 

 States of Colombia to the United States, in 

 1882, remarks about India-rubber : " The de- 

 clared value of rubber exported for the last 

 eleven years to the United States is $1,470,085, 

 and the weight, in tons of 2,240 pounds, 1,- 

 994. Although the difficulties in procuring 

 this valuable forest product are becoming 

 yearly greater, yet the recent high prices pre- 

 vailing in the foreign markets have stimulated 

 its gathering. N"ew and accessible forests have 

 been discovered. When a tree is found by the 

 rubber-hunters, it is immediately felled, in or- 



der to secure all the sap it contains. This un- 

 wise practice will undoubtedly continue until 

 all the forests are completely exhausted. The 

 present price for rubber in the market of Car- 

 tagena is $900 per ton of 2,240 pounds. 



"Owing to the unsatisfactory prices ruling 

 in the foreign markets for ivory-nuts, their ex- 

 portation has largely decreased. Thousands 

 of tons of these nuts lie under the trees, only 

 awaiting some one to come and cart them 

 away ; most of these nuts are procured from 

 the San Bias coast and Atrato river and its 

 tributaries." 



Fustic. " The exportation of the yellow dye- 

 wood called fustic has increased more than any 

 other article on the list, caused mainly by the 

 people being compelled, on account of the lo- 

 custs, to relinquish agricultural pursuits, and 

 seek a livelihood by getting out the products 

 of the forest. The supply is nearly inexhaust- 

 ible, and easy of access. The price per ton, 

 delivered at Cartagena, is $13 to $16." 



Cedar. " Several New Orleans and Boston 

 timber firms have sent agents to this district, 

 and the result of their investigations of these 

 vast timber-forests have been so highly satis- 

 factory that the houses they represent are mak- 

 ing arrangements to get out cedar and mahog- 

 any on a large scale. The field is wide enough 

 for any number of firms without their respect- 

 ive interests coming in conflict. The mahog- 

 any of this country is of fair quality, but infe- 

 rior to the St. Domingo product. The quality 

 of the cedar is excellent, and bears comparison 

 with that procured in Mexico and Cuba. Ce- 

 dar-logs are placed free on board here, at $45 a 

 thousand feet. The same wood can be pro- 

 cured at Cispate Bay, a goad anchorage for ves- 

 sels of large tonnage, for $25 to $30 a thou- 

 sand, delivered alongside vessel. 



"The value of gold-dust that was cleared 

 through the Cartagena custom-house for the 

 year 1882 was only $94,628; this, however, 

 does not constitute the real value of the dust 

 exported, as it is always underestimated on 

 account of the steamers charging so much per 

 cent, extra tariff, and frequently large amounts 

 of the dust are placed in the personal charge of 

 the captain. If the truth were known, the value 

 is probably nearer $500,000 than $100,000. Car- 

 tagena receives annually about $600,000 of gold- 

 dust from the Choco (Atrato) regions." 



The import of merchandise, specie, and bul- 

 lion from Colombia into the United States dur- 

 ing the fiscal year ended June 30, 1882, was 

 $5471,455 ; the domestic export from the latter 

 to the former, $6,719,787; and the re-export of 

 foreign goods, $149,184 worth. 



Maritime Movement. There entered Colom- 

 bian ports in 1881-'82 altogether 1,059 sailing- 

 vessels, of a joint tonnage of 67,876, and 618 

 steamers, measuring jointly 765,825 tons. 



COLORADO. State Government. The State offi- 

 cers during the year 1883 were: Governor, 

 James B. Grant, Democrat; Lieutenant-Gov- 

 ernor, W. H. Meyer ; Secretary of State, Mel- 



