Salvador of the Twentieth Century

by Percy F. Martin

The name of "San Salvador" was chosen by its pious but pitiless founder, Don Jorge de Alvarado, who conquered the territory for the Spanish Government after Columbus had located it, in commemoration of his final decisive victory over the Indians of Cuscatlán, which battle was gained on the eve of the festival of San Salvador. During the long dominion of Spain in South and Central America, the city was the seat of the Governor, or Intendente, of the province of San Salvador, who, again, was subservient to the Captain-General of Guatemala. After its independence San Salvador became the capital of the new State, and it was early distinguished for its thorough devotion to the principles of the Liberal party in Central America.

Even as far back as 1853, a notable writer of the day who was travelling in Salvador described the city as "a very beautiful town," and also spoke of the general intelligence, the industry, and the enterprise of its inhabitants, who, in his opinion, "surpassed in these respects the people of any of the other large towns in Central America." This visitor, as are all who sojourn for any length of time in San Salvador, became much impressed by the picturesque position of the city, which, as already indicated, lies in the midst of a broad but elevated plain, situated on the summit of a high tableland or coast range of mountains, which intervene between the valley of the River Lempa and the Pacific.

By barometrical admeasurement, San Salvador lies 2,115 feet above the sea. As a consequence, its climate is found pleasantly cool as compared with that of coast alluvians, although unfavourably modified in this respect by a low range of hills on the southern border of the plain, which shuts off the full benefit of the sea-breeze. Were it not for this obstacle, the winds blowing from the ocean, which is only twenty miles distant, would reach the city. As an indication of the kind of temperature one meets with, it may be said that in August the maximum of temperature rarely exceeds 80° Fahrenheit, the minimum 70°, and the mean average 76.3°, which, as will be generally recognized, constitutes a delightful climate.

The hills which surround the plain of San Salvador are covered with verdure, which keeps its colour and freshness owing to the heavy dews which fall and the absence of dust, while a fair amount of rain can always be depended upon.

Not more than three miles to the westward of the Capital City, and watching over it like a gigantic sentinel, stands the magnificent volcano of San Salvador. In this respect one is reminded of some other Spanish-American cities, such as La Paz in Bolivia, with the superb Misti; and, again, of Mexico City, with its two ever-watchful volcanic guardians—Ixtaccihuatl, which stands 16,060 feet in height, and Popocatepetl, which towers to 17,782 feet in the air. The cone of San Salvador volcano, which rises on the northern border or edge of the crater, is, however, approximately but 8,000 feet in height.

Some fifty or sixty years ago San Salvador, judging from contemporary pictures, must have been even more charming in appearance than it is to-day; then its population, however, scarcely exceeded 25,000. With the exception of the central and paved part of the city, it was eminently sylvan, being literally embowered in masses of tropical fruit-trees. The red-roofed dwellings, closely shut in with evergreen hedges of cactus, shadowed over by palm and orange trees, with a dense background of broad-leaved plantains, almost sinking beneath their heavy clusters of rich golden fruit, must have presented a delightful scenic picture, at once romantic and peaceful.

From contemporary reports, it is pitiful to read that this exquisite scene was subsequently completely devastated in the brief space of ten seconds, for precisely that period elapsed between the beginning and the end of the awful earthquake of April 16, 1854. I have been shown pictures of the ill-fated city which were painted a year or two before the disaster, as well as one which showed San Salvador as it stood in 1839, the date of a previous similar disaster. The appearance in both cases was singularly attractive in regard to the character of the buildings and their scenic surroundings. In the freshness of their affliction the inhabitants determined never again to return to the city, but, as history has proved, they did so in exactly the same manner as the ever-faithful inhabitants of Mount Vesuvius have returned again and again to the scene of their numerous previous misfortunes. The people of Guatemala were somewhat wiser. Soon after 1773 they deserted their capital, which stood at the foot of the volcanoes Agua and Fuego (Water and Fire), and which was overwhelmed by a volcanic eruption, for they then built themselves a new place of abode, which is the present handsome city and Capital of the Republic.

I have been afforded the following interesting account of the destruction of San Salvador, a description which was published in a small Government organ dated May 2, 1854, and which provides so graphic a description of what occurred that I make no apology for reproducing it in these pages.

The chronicler of that day says: