City of San Salvador—San Salvador as place of residence—Theatres—Parks—Streets—Hotels—Domestic servants—Hospitality of residents—Societies and associations—Educational establishments—Government buildings—Religion and churches—Casino—Hospitals and institutions—Disastrous conflagrations—Public monuments.
There are few more pleasant cities as a place of residence for all the year round than San Salvador. The climate is very agreeable, while the situation of the city, scenically speaking, is exceptionally beautiful, being located as it is 2,115 feet above the level of the sea in the valley of Cuscatlán, or, as it is called in the vernacular, "Valle de las Hamacas" (the Vale of the Hammocks). This district has been so named, I understand, because it lies directly in the line of the severest earthquake action, and has many times in the past been "rocked and swung" by the waves of movement, and which have been rendered unusually destructive by the reflex action of the high hills which half encircle the place.
San Salvador was founded, as already observed, by Don Jorge de Alvarado, brother of the famous Spanish conqueror, Don Pedro de Alvarado, on April 4, 1543, and from 1834 to 1839 it was the capital of the new Republic, a dignity which was in later years transferred to the city of San Vicente; while Cojutepeque upon three separate occasions, as pointed out more fully elsewhere, was also used as the Federal Capital.[257] In the year 1840, however, San Salvador became the designated metropolis, and has since remained so. Here are located all the Government Departments, as well as the Supreme Civil and Military Courts, in addition to the headquarters of the Ecclesiastical Government.
In the year 1854, the city having been ruined, as we have seen, the Government as a consequence ordered the founding of Nuéva San Salvador, or Santa Tecla, which lies some eight miles to the south-west, and about 800 feet higher, as a city of refuge. To this place many families transferred their homes, and it is now a very prosperous place, with a population exceeding 11,000 inhabitants. Many good people of San Salvador, however, were not so much discouraged by their misfortune after all, and they very pluckily rebuilt the city, only, however, to again see it laid low by the even greater catastrophe of March 19, 1873. Gradually, and for the third time, this city rose from its ruins, and there are to-day no traces in its streets of any of the various disasters which have visited it.
San Salvador is altogether a well-constructed and even a handsome city, with several notable public buildings which would grace any European capital. Among these are the Casa Blanca, the Artillery Barracks, the National Institute, the University, the Theatre, the Market, the Orphans\' Home, the Polytechnic School, the Normal School, the new Cathedral, and a large number of other handsome churches.
The Government have constructed a handsome official building in the city of San Salvador, to provide thoroughly up-to-date and modern quarters for the various Government Departments, in addition to which it adds considerable beauty to the Capital City. This[258] edifice is built in the Continental style of architecture, and has been occupied for some two years past.
There are also many attractive private residences, consisting of one or two stories, with handsome interiors and beautiful gardens. The usual style of building adopted is the adobe house, with tiled roof; and what lends particular attraction to the appearance of the city is the variety of the architecture adopted for both private and public buildings; additionally, a large number of plazas, parks, and open spaces, prevent anything approaching an appearance of monotony. The whole city is extremely well lighted by electricity, the roads are well paved and as well maintained, while the drainage is excellent. The material of which the sidewalks are built consists mostly of large slabs of the basaltic rock, which is freely and cheaply quarried from the famous Guarumál Ca?on.
This elegance and good taste are displayed almost generally in the city of Salvador regarding the arrangement of the public parks and gardens, as well as in connection with the private residences of the well-to-do inhabitants. The beautiful Parque Bolívar, which was completed and opened to the public in January, 1881, and the no less attractive Parque Barrios, which was inaugurated in the same month of 1901, and for a second time in 1909, are cases in point.
Public Park
Public Park in San Salvador, where throngs of well-dressed people assemble in the evening to listen to an excellent military band.
The Parque Due?as is centrally situated, and is a favourite rendezvous with all classes. In the Parque Morazán is to be seen the handsome monument erected in 1882 to the hero of the same name. The attractive thoroughfare known as Avenida do la Independencia was inaugurated in December, 1901, and the Central Markets in October, 1887. The new Cathedral, commenced in June, 1881, was completed and solemnly[259] consecrated seven years later—namely, in June of 1888. It is a fine edifice, and contains some handsome ecclesiastical plate and beautiful mural decorations.
The Cathedral is altogether a fine specimen of Latin-American ecclesiastical architecture, but is distinguished from many others of the same period by the feature of pointed arches, instead of the usual square or rounded arches usually prevailing in this class of buildings. It is dedicated to the patron saint of Salvador.
The prevailing religion in the Republic, as a natural consequence of the long ascendancy of the Spanish domination, is Roman Catholic. Previous to the Liberal revolution of 1871 no other kind of religion was tolerated. Since then, and to-day, the greatest freedom and toleration prevail in all religious matters; while so far has the hand of reform stretched that the cemeteries are freed from the control of the clergy; civil marriages are legalized without the addition of any religious ceremony; education is non-clerical, and all monastic institutions have been abolished. All these changes are embodied in the Constitution promulgated on August 13, 1886, and under which the country is governed to-day. Nevertheless, the Church is greatly respected by the people, and the attendances at Mass are invariably large and representative. The bishopric of San Salvador was created in 1842.
A very handsome thoroughfare is Santa Tecla Avenue, a broad and beautifully laid-out thoroughfare, linking up this favourite residential place with the City of Santa Tecla, locally known as the "City of Flowers." Already one of the most favourite suburbs, it is growing rapidly in favour as a residential quarter[260] with the people of San Salvador, being situated from it only a few miles distant.
The tramway system is as yet only at the commencement of its development, and electricity has yet to play an important part in its equipment. There are two companies running regular services of cars, one being the Concepción and Western Tramway Company, which sends out its cars at intervals of ten minutes during the busiest parts of the day, and conducts a service till fairly late at night. Usually, however, the last cars have gone back to the garage before theatre-goers have left their places of entertainment. Fortunately, the fares demanded by the local Jehus are reasonable, and it is therefore an easy matter for belated passengers to reach home.
The new theatre, which will soon adorn the city in place of that which was burned down last year, should form a handsome addition to the architecture of San Salvador. The Municipality very wisely invited competition for erecting and designing the building, which is to have a seating capacity of some 1,200. The structure is to be equipped with the latest improvements and appliances, and will be made as fireproof and as earthquake-proof as modern science can effect. The cost will be between 800,000 and 1,200,000 francs, or, say, ￡32,000 and ￡48,000. All construction materials are to be imported free of duty, which should lessen the cost immensely. Two prizes were offered, of 800 francs (￡32) and 400 francs (￡16) respectively, for the best plans, and when the last day for sending these, in—namely, March 15, 1911—had passed, the judges had several handsome designs to choose from.
In the month of March last the number of competitive[261] plans which were sent in to the Department of Fomento for the new National Theatre in the capital amounted to thirteen, of which three came from Paris, one from New Orleans, one from Canada, four from San Salvador, one from Monaco, one from Italy, and others from New York. The whole of the designs were exhibited in a public gallery.
While one may admit freely that the hotels in Salvador are conducted for the most part upon infinitely better lines than are those in the neighbouring Republic of Guatemala—which, indeed, may be pronounced, without undue harshness, as possessing about the worst in Central America—the Salvadorean hostelries are not as yet absolutely perfect. In this regard, however, it is only fair to remember the extreme difficulties which the proprietors are called upon to face. The servant problem is, perhaps, the hardest of all, and there is hardly one, among the many hotel managers of various nationalities with whom I discussed matters, but who confessed to me that he was weary to death of his efforts to conduct his business with the aid of native domestics. I have myself upon different occasions been witness to the curiously perverse nature of some of these servants; when, like others, I have been travelling through or resident in the interior of the country, I have likewise observed their spirit of robust independence.
Where the cost of living is so low, and the question of supply and demand in regard to domestic service is so overwhelmingly in favour of the latter, anything like efficient service is practically impossible to find. The domestic servants in Salvador are recruited almost entirely from among the Indians; and while these latter are by no means lacking in intelligence, and[262] can by kind treatment be won to some degree of fidelity, they are naturally slow, and even indolent, while an extreme sensitiveness and spirit of resentment at once asserts itself should blame or abuse be offered by the employer. Under such circumstances, or even for less provocation, the domestic will forthwith take leave, and even forfeit the few shillings in wages that may be due. Usually, however, the wages question is in favour of the servant, since payment has probably been anticipated, and the domestic is the debtor, and not the creditor, of the master. This hold, therefore, is a somewhat feeble one to depend upon, and in nine cases out of ten fails to apply.
There are a number of European and native families who possess the traditional "treasure" in the person of an old and faithful retainer; but not infrequently the history of such "treasure," when probed, shows that the employer is over-indulgent, being fearful of losing the much-prized services of the domestic in question, permits all kinds of privileges, and submits to all sorts of exactions, in order to preserve peace in the household. Perhaps it may be good policy to do so; but I have witnessed instances of downright tyranny upon the part of some native servants—not by any means confined to Salvador—which, in my opinion at least, could never have been warranted, and never should have been condoned, no matter how valuable the services rendered may have been. The absolute helplessness of the lady of the house may be accepted as some excuse, but peace may be purchased at too high a price, and in the instances which I have in mind I fancy such was the case. But, then, I was not personally concerned in the results, and therefore[263] my judgment may be at fault, and even regarded as valueless.
Salvador seems to be a particularly favourite visiting-place with itinerant theatrical companies. All the year round, practically, a theatrical troupe of some kind may be found touring the country, which is usually included, with Guatemala, Panama, and Costa Rica, in the "Central American" road programme. As a general rule, however, the companies are of a somewhat indifferent quality—poor Italians and Spaniards, whose precarious existence often excites commiseration from even the hard-hearted. It is pitiable to see them upon occasions moving from State to State and from town to town—lean, hungry, dirty, and depressed in spirits, as they well may be; women and children, many of the latter being born on the road, having to undergo very great physical privations and serious personal inconveniences. The men, probably more habituated to the roughness of life, mostly accept their hard lot with philosophy and resignation; but it is cruelly severe upon the women and little children. The public of Salvador are somewhat capricious in their support of the different theatrical companies, and at times the playhouses are practically empty, and even the cheaper portions deserted.
It was in the month of January, 1910, that the City of San Salvador lost its handsome Teatro Nacional through fire—a disaster which was caused, it being charged, by incendiarism, although this has never been proved. There is at present but one other place of entertainment—El Teatro Moderno, belonging to the same proprietary, and which is but a large-sized barn, capable of accommodating at the most some 200 people.[264] It was used originally for cinematograph exhibitions, which, by-the-by, with all Latin-Americans would seem to be a very popular and profitable form of entertainment. The place is structurally fit for no other sort of performance, but is now perforce being utilized for dramatic and musical representations.
In few cities of its size will be found a larger number of Societies than San Salvador possesses, these associations being representative not only of various classes of organized labour, but of literature, music, art, religion, science, and even insurance. Among those which have their headquarters in the Capital are—"Sociedad Unión Nacional de Amigos," "Sociedad Estudiantil Minerva," "Sociedad Carlos F. Dárdano," "Sociedad de Medicina Emilio Alvarez," "Academia de Ciencias, Letras y Artes de El Salvador," "Sociedad Pedagógica Francisco Menéndez," "Sociedad de Artesanos La Concordia," "Sociedad de Obreros Gerado Barrios," "Sociedad La Buena Prensa," "Sociedad de Artesanos del Salvador," "Sociedad Co-operativa El Ahorro," "Sociedad Nacional de Agricultura," "Logia Masónica."
The Provinces have also their respective associations, many possessing a long and influential subscription list; among the most prominent may be mentioned: "Sociedad de Obreros" and "Sociedad literaria José Cecilio del Valle," both having their headquarters in Santa Ana; "Sociedad de Obreros El Porvenir," in Santa Tecla; "Sociedad de Obreros Rafael Campo," at Sonsonate; "Club unionista," at Ahuachapán; "Sociedad de Obreros" and "Logia Masónica," at Cojutepeque; "Sociedad de Obreros," at Sensuntapeque; and "Sociedad La Protección," at Zacatecoluca.
Tho principal educational establishments of the[265] Republic are located in the Capital, and comprise the National University, of which Dr. Hermógenes Alvarado is the Deacon and Dr. Adrián García is the Secretary; the National Institute, of which Dr. Darío González is the Director; the National Library, of which Don Francisco Gavidia is the Director; and the Municipal Library, of which Dr. Don José Dols Corpe?o is the Director. There are in addition the Astronomical and Meteorological Observatory, directed by Dr. Santiago I. Barberena, and the Museum and Botanical Gardens, both under the direction of Dr. David J. Guzmán.
Among the many excellent charitable institutions of which the Capital is possessed are the Orphans\' Asylum, directed by Don Francisco Escobar; the Sara Asylum, directed by Dr. Alfonso Qui?ónez; the Orphans\' Hospital, which is under the same control as the Asylum of that name; and the well-known Hospital Rosales, which is controlled by a number of the most eminent medical men in the Republic. It is an admirably-managed institution, and has effected a great deal of sound charity since ............