Capital of Costa Rica is San José, with a population of 25,000. The Republic possesses an extremely fertile soil, so that almost anything can be grown; but the principal agricultural products are coffee and bananas; in addition, maize, rice, potatoes and cacao are cultivated.

Until recently, gold and silver mines were worked. In 1895 the imports were placed at over $13,000,000, and the exports at over $12,000,000. Coffee is the most important export, nearly 200,000 bags having been shipped out of the country in 1896, valued at over 10,000,000 pesos. Besides bananas, the exports include hides

and skins, with various hard woods.

PHYSIOGRAPHY.

On the Caribbean side of the Republic the lands near the coast are low, more or less swampy, and thickly covered with forests, whereas on the Pacific Slope the spurs from the Continental Divide extend much nearer to the coast, many eminences terminating in abrupt promontories. The drainage into the Caribbean comprises the system of the San Juan, which, in its lower reaches, forms the boundary between Nicaragua and Costa Rica; that of the Reventazón; and that of the Culebras, which is claimed to constitute a portion of the boundary line between this Republic and its neighbor. In the Pacific watershed, we find the Río Tempisque, Río Grande, Río Grande de Pirrís, Savegre, and Diquís, the latter of which is formed by the junction of the Brus and El General, and last, on the disputed boundary, the short stream Río Golfito. It is to be noted that the general course of the Tempisque, which empties into the head of the Gulf of Nicoya, is nearly parallel to the coast, and its valley consequently forms a natural route for the Intercontinental Railroad. This stream, taken in connection with the Sapoá, which runs northward past Peña Blanca and enters Lake Nicaragua, affords a natural line for passing from the shores of the lake to the neighborhood of Esparta. The Continental Divide, continuing into the Republic from Nicaragua, increases in altitude as one proceeds southeastwardly. Near the northwestern corner of Costa Rica, and somewhat east of the Divide, stands Volcán Orosí, at an elevation of 5,055 feet; then, in the neighborhood of Alajuela, we find Cerro Turubales, 5,989 feet. North of San José lies Volcán Poás, with a reputed elevation of 8,895 feet; further to the eastward is Turrialba, 11,350 feet; and not far from Paso Real stands Pico Blanco, almost on the boundary line, with an elevation of 11,800 feet, according to some authorities.

An examination of the accompanying Map II will indicate the rugged nature of the Pacific Slope of this Republic, showing plainly the number of small

streams and intervening mountain spurs, lying almost at right angles to the proposed Intercontinental Trunk-Line. The studies of Corps No. 1 extended only as far as the Río Savegre, at which point the examination was taken up and continued by Corps No. 2 along the coast as far as the mouth of the Diquís, thence up that stream to its junction with the Río Brus at Paso Real; thence along the course of said stream and over a divide, to the Colombian frontier.

A right line from Peña Blanca to the mouth of the Río Savegre, across Northwestern Costa Rica, would have a southeasterly direction and be about 168.0 miles (270.37 kilometers) long; while a line from the mouth of the Savegre to the mouth of the Golfito would have the same general direction and be in length about 81.0 miles (130.36 kilometers).

RAILROADS, BUILT AND PROJECTED.

There are but two railroads in operation in Costa Rica; first, the Atlantic Railway, running from Puerto Limón to San José, the Capital, and from that point to Alajuela, which is the present terminus in the interior. The distances along this road and between the main points touched, are as follows: Puerto Limón to Matina, 21.5 miles; Matina to Reventazón, 17.5; Reventazón to Cartago, 51.0; Cartago to San José, 14.0; San José to Heredia, 6.0; Heredia to Alajuela, 7.0; total distance, 117.0 miles (188.29 kilometers). The gauge is three feet six inches. The highest point attained lies between Cartago and San José, and has an altitude of 4,997 feet, and although many engineering difficulties were encountered, they were overcome, at much expense to the original projectors of the road. From this road a branch, leaving the main line at Siquirres, is in operation as far as Carrillo, a distance of about 25 miles (40.23 kilometers). From Carrillo an extension has been projected via Muelle and the valley of the Río Frío to Fuerte de San Carlos, near the head of the San Juan River. This line has been carefully studied, and is believed to present many advantages for connecting the waters of Lake Nicaragua with the Caribbean Sea at Puerto Limón. The approximate length of such a line would be 100 miles (160.93 kilometers). The second railroad in operation in the Republic is a poorly-constructed, narrow-gauge, short line of 13.1 miles (21.08 kilometers) in length, running from Punta Arenas to Esparta. It was originally the intention to extend this line to Alajuela, where connection would be made with the Atlantic Railway, but more recent studies have indicated another route as being preferable, namely, that commencing at San José and following the valley of the Río Grande to the plains of Santo Domingo, and thence turning towards the northwest to Punta Arenas, a distance of about 62 miles (99.78 kilometers),