52525252525252525 "Hello: Where are you going, John? Misteli, the Swiss Jeweler, In Order to Select a Good Wedding Present." JOHN'S FRIEND: WELL! WELL! YOU ARE GOING TO THE BEST PLACE, BECAUSE HE ALWAYS CARRIES THE FINEST ASSORTMENT IN STERLING SILVER AND SILVER PLATED WARES FROM THE LARGEST AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN MARKETS." WE DO HIGH GRADE REPAIR WORK. MOUNTING STONES, A SPECIALTY. MISTELIS, No. 87 CENTRAL AVE. 6252 Telephones. 2525252525252525252525252525256 The telegraph and long distance telephone Telegraphs and system of the country is the property of the Panama. Government, and extends from Panama to David in Chiriqui. The system is divided into six sections as follows:-Panama to Chame, Chame to Aguadulce; Aguadulce to Soná, Soná to Remedios; Remedios to David, and Santiago to Las Tablas. The total line mileage is about 600 miles. The pole construction is of iron and hard woods, and an open circuit is used. A new line is now being constructed between Empire and Chorrera, which will do away with the use, except for local business, of the present line via. Corozal and Arraijan. A new telegraph line is also being built connecting Las Palmas and Pedasi in the province of Los Santos, and La Pintada in the province of Coclé. The headquarters of the system is at Panama, and is in charge of Mr. Ernesto T. Lefevre, as Director General. The rate on a ten word message is ten cents gold. Following is a complete list of the Panama Government telegraph and telephone offices: The Panama Railroad Company operates an extensive system of telegraph and telephone lines along the line of railway, which also ramifies throughout the canal works. This consists of a line of 18 wires from Colon to Culebra, and of 24 wires from Culebra to Panama. Eleven telephone exchanges and 32 telegraph offices are maintained. Total number of subscribers, about 850, mostly in canal offices. One wire of this system is used as a through circuit from New York to Buenos Aires. The cost of a ten word message across the Isthmus is 25 cents gold. There is also a local telephone exchange in Panama city operated by private capital under concessionary privileges. It has about 300 subscribers. Colon is the site of the only wireless telegraph station on the Isthmus. The nearest other station is at Puerto Limon, with which connection is regularly maintained. The Colon station is equipped with De Forest apparatus. Cables. Three lines of cable communication reach the Isthmus. Two belong to the Central and South American Telegraph Co., and the other to the West India and Panama Co. The new "All American " cable establishing direct communication between Colon and New York was laid during 1907, the work having been completed in July. Offices of the cable companies are maintained at both Panama and Colon. With the exception to points on the PanaPost Offices. ma Railroad, in the Canal Zone, the transportation of mails on the Isthmus is almost wholly dependent on water communication. The National Navigation Company has the contract for carrying the mails on the Pacific side, and maintains a regular itinerary. From the ports, mail is carried into the interior by horseback. The headquarters of the postal system is in Panama city, with Mr. Samuel Boyd in charge as Postmaster General. Domestic mail rates of the United States applies to mail matter sent from there to points in the Republic of Panama, and the Canal Zone, although this does not seem very well understood by the merchants and manufacturers in the former country. The letter postage rate from the Republic of Panama to points in the United States is two and a-half cents gold. Panama being in the Postal Union the parcels post regulations govern, the rate being 12 cents per pound. The interior parcels post rates are 10 cents gold for one pound, and 35 cents gold for the maximum weight allowed, viz, 11 pounds. The post-offices of the Republic are as follows: Chepigana, Prov. of Panamá Chiriquí Grande, Prov. of Bocas Chitré, Prov. of Los Santos Panamá, Dist. Capital Schools are well distributed throughout the Schools. settled portion of the country, but in these only the primary grades are taught. The capital, however, offers excellent facilities for education in the higher grades in the following six institutions:-Normal School for girls; Normal School for Young Men; National College of Language and Commerce; Superior School for Young Ladies; Superior School for Young Men; National School of Music and Declamation, and School of Arts and Sciences. A school is also maintained in Panama city for the education of San Blas Indian boys. There are a number of private schools and colleges in addition to the above, a list of which will be found in the directory part of this volume. The Department of Public Instruction is in charge of Mr. Melchor Lasso de la Vega, who is indefatigable in his efforts toward building up the schools of the Republic. The degree of illiteracy among the true Panamanian class is surprisingly small, especially in the cities, much less so than in some localities in the Southern States. There are very few indeed that cannot read or A large number of new school houses have been erected in the several provinces since the new Republic was formed, and cach year witnesses an increased interest in the cause of education. The number of schools, teach |