The city possesses charitable institutions, such as hospitals, orphan asylums, insane asylums, etc., all under the management of corporations and associations constantly laboring for their improvement. The cemeteries are under the supervision of charitable associations. There are several parks, a Museum, a Public Library and scientific, legal, medical, literary and musical societies, an International Club and a German Club, etc. The streets are mostly macadamized or paved with stones and lighted by electricity. Nearly every city is well-supplied with water conducted through pipes. The food of the poor comprises meat, beans, corn, rice, tortillas and plantains. Saturday is the especial market day of the cities, and from sunrise till noon the market-places are crowded with sellers and buyers. Here can be found all kind of vegetables and fruits, potatoes, corn, beans, coffee, tobacco, sugar, cheese, meat and other food, besides earthenware, hammocks, hats, rebozos, charcoal, etc. The population of Costa Rica in 1897 was calculated to be 288,769, as follows: 90,940 inhabitants in the Province of San José. 67,972 ” ” ” Alajuela. 45,161 ” ” ” Cartago. 37,603 ” ” ” Heredia. 23,769 ” ” ” Guanacaste. 8,925 ” ” Comarca de Limon. 14,399 ” ” ” Puntarenas. The last census, that of 1892, gave 243,205 as the entire population of the Republic. The following table shows the population of the different “cantones” in 1892 and 1897: Province of San José. -------------+--------+-------- Canton. | 1892. | 1897. -------------+--------+-------- San José | 39,112 | 46,410 Escazú | 6,522 | 7,735 Desamparados | 6,471 | 7,616 Puriscal | 6,845 | 8,092 Aserri | 6,030 | 7,140 Mora | 5,814 | 6,902 Tamazú | 2,583 | 3,070 Goicoechea | 3,341 | 3,975 -------------+--------+-------- Total | 76,718 | 90,940 -------------+--------+-------- Province of Alajuela. -------------+--------+-------- Canton. | 1892. | 1897. -------------+--------+-------- Alajuela | 19,300 | 22,967 San Ramon | 9,928 | 11,781 Grecia | 8,797 | 10,472 Atenas | 6,208 | 7,373 San Mateo | 3,353 | 3,986 Naranjo | 6,847 | 8,092 Palmares | 2,770 | 3,296 -------------+--------+-------- Total | 57,203 | 67,967 -------------+--------+-------- Province of Cartago. -------------+--------+-------- Canton. | 1892. | 1897. -------------+--------+-------- Cartago | 25,898 | 30,821 Paraiso | 7,819 | 9,282 La Union | 4,256 | 5,058 -------------+--------+-------- Total | 37,973 | 45,161 -------------+--------+--------