San José

San José, (1) the capital since 1823 of Costa Rica, stands in a fertile plain, 3711 feet above the sea, and 15 miles by rail WNW. of Cartago. It is 25 miles distant from Carillo, the terminus of the railway (70 miles) from Limon, the Atlantic port. Its streets are regular and well kept, with many squares and two large parks; the houses are low, and nearly all of brick, with gray-tiled, sloping roofs. The notable buildings are the presidential and national palaces, and that of justice, the cathedral and the bishop's palace, a seminary, the old university buildings (now a museum and national library), two colleges for young men and women, the covered market, a small Protestant church, and the hospitals (one for lepers) and asylums. The principal manufactory is the government distillery (a monopoly); the others include steam flour-mills and two foundries. Population, 20,000.—(2) A port of Guatemala, on the Pacific, 80 miles by rail from the capital. It has only an open roadstead, with an iron pier running out past the surf, but not to where ships can approach. It has, however, a considerable trade: the imports alone reach £250,000. Pop. 1500.—(3) A town of Lower California, on the south-east coast, with an insecure harbour, but much visited by the whalers. Pop. 2500.—(4) A thriving inland town of Uruguay, capital of the southern department of the same name, 60 miles by rail NNW. of Montevideo. Pop. 6000. See also CÚCUTA.