The Wonderland
of Trinidad
ISSUED BY
THE BARBER ASPHALT COMPANY
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
CHICAGO PITTSBURGH SAN FRANCISCO
NEW YORK KANSAS CITY ST. LOUIS
Trinidad Asphalt Lake, showing the loop of the narrow gauge railroad
In the name “Trinidad” is embodied all theromance and beauty and wonder of a tropicalisland. In the native language it is calledIere, “the land of the humming bird.” Quitein accordance with the luxurious abundance oflife and color is the asphalt lake, the marvelof centuries. Its causation astonishing, itsfeatures gigantic, it lies in the heart of aromantic land—a subject of speculation amongscientists, but a tropical enchantment to those of more fanciful mind.
The Island of Trinidad lies about 700 miles north of the Equatorand 2000 miles from New York. Its area of 1755 square miles is lessthan that of the State of Delaware. It belongs to Great Britain andis separated from its nearest neighbor, Venezuela, by the wonderfulGulf of Paria and its narrow straits or bocas which connect the gulfwith the ocean.
A private mansion, Port of Spain, B. W. I.
This majestic gateway has seen the coming and going of manyfamous mariners. Through it Columbus sailed north on his third4voyage in midsummer of the year 1498. Sir Walter Raleigh and manybuccaneers swept through the bocas in the days when Englishseamen performed deeds of valor against the Spaniards, and anygalleon was their lawful prey. Here, too, cruised Nelson with hisgreat English fleet, hunting for the French warships on that halfworld chase that ended at Trafalgar. To-day important trade centersin Trinidad, and the harbor of Port of Spain, the only city of size, isbusy with the arrival and departure of steamships bearing to Europeand America the tropical riches of the Island.
A country road just outside Port of Spain
In Trinidad the thermometer records 85 degrees almost everyday and never changes more than twenty degrees. The only differencebetween one season of the year and another, is that for a fewmonths it rains. Even in the rainy season, however, and nearlyevery day, there is an abundance of bright sunshine. There are fineshops, large warehouses filled with chocolate beans, sugar and other5tropical products; and one can ride on trolley cars made in Philadelphi