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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC "MAGAZINE 



Photograph by Valdeavellano 



RELIGIOUS SERVICES BEING HELD E-EEORE THE RESCUED IMAGE OE THE CHURCH OE 



CARMEN 



In Costa Rica the Cordillera rises to 

 heights above 11,000 feet and boasts a 

 string of volcanic peaks, some extinct 

 and others occasionally active. Orosi 

 and Tenorio arc situated near the south- 

 ern end of Lake Nicaragua, while the 

 more famous peaks of Poas and Irazu 

 are close to the old capital, Cartago, and 

 the modern one, San Jose. 



Both of these volcanoes have been 

 active in recent years, and the latter 

 (Irazu) had a period of marked activity 

 in 1723 and 1726. Cartago was wiped 

 out by an earthquake on September 2, 

 [841. Although it never afterwards rose 

 to its former importance, it was rebuilt 

 in part, only to be destroyed again on 

 May |. [910, when the newly constructed 

 Pan-American Peace Palace was over- 

 thrown. 



Till'. Good GIFT 01? VOLCANOES 



Lesl the reader should (-lose with the 

 though) thai these calamities render life 

 and property too unsafe, be it understood 

 that (here are sometimes compensations. 



We all know that the annual flooding of 

 the Nile in Egypt leaves a film of sedi- 

 ment over the valley and restores the soil 

 for the next crop. Similarly, in Central 

 America the volcanoes from time to time 

 throw out a vitalizing dust that enriches 

 the soil beyond the possibilities of costly 

 iertilizers. Throughout the world, vol- 

 canic regions are ones of heavy popula- 

 tion and great productiveness. There 

 are losses — yes, but "out of death com- 

 eth forth life." 



In the case of Guatemala City there 

 are no compensating features, unless it 

 be that this metropolis and diplomatic 

 capital of Central America shall be re- 

 built in a more modern and beautiful 

 fashion. The city can hardly be re- 

 moved to another site, since it is a rail- 

 road and commercial center, situated on 

 the divide between the Atlantic and Pa-, 

 cific. Rebuilding has been slow because 

 of the difficulty in obtaining materials, 

 but, now that the Great War is ended, it 

 should proceed apace. 



