Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-04-24

from the war in q sound condition, and their
capital stock and resources for business have
been recently increased BY advances from Eu-
rope and from capitalists here. The building
of three important lines of railTay has been
commenced within the last few months, and
are being pushed forward with energy and !
success, two of them by English capitalists
and contractors, and one by stock taken up in |
this city. The latter is being built by an
4 American contractor who came here few !
years since poor, and is now understood to |
be comparatively wealthy, having married
fUrusuayan- wife, and erected a fine house
which with its grounds cost him $4,000 in
gold. These lines of railway tend 70 bring
the chief trade Of this country and Southern |
Brazil to Montevideo. Steamship lines with
Europe have recently increased, and it may |
surprise those unacquainted with this part Of
the world to be informed that there are now
running between this city and Europe, SIXTY
steamers, mostly iron, Of size from 1000 to
5000 tons each
The IMPROVEMENTS IN MoNrEvIDEo
are very noticeable. Buildings are going up
in all parts Of the city, many Of them very ex-
pensive and substantial structures from the
best designs Of European architects. For
merly nearly all the private edilces, whether
for dwellings or for commercial purposes,
! were of one story, but now two, three, and
sometimes four stories are the order of the
. day in the city proper. The materials for
! building the external and interior walls are
chiefly bricks and lime mortar. The archi-
, tecrural concentrations are made Of mortar
; and stucco, and as there is no frost in this eli
mate to damage this class of work, it is very en-
t during, and covered with oil paint these archi-
tectural designs are quite beautiful, having
nearly the effect to the eye of wrought
II marble. The roofs are covered with supe-
rior quality of earthen tile firmly laid in ce-
=, :. ment. The use of polished slabs Of Italian
e marble for external trimmings. for stair
II elevations and porticos, is very great. The
,! lumber is mostly brought from the United
of States and British America, except for the
ne larger and heavier doors, which are chiefly
of made Of solid and finely colored red cedar
e from Brazil. Since the Inauguration Of the
of present peaceful condition Of the country
to property in this city has risen from forty te
sixty per cent, and in the suburbs the advance
lg has been greater. In the city suburbs are 10
lie Gated the most expensive private residences
n and these are called quintas, including theil
as grounds. But a few days since one Of these
ty with its grounds was sold for S45 900 in gold
" which prior to the conclusion of the civil wal
v. would not have brought half that sum. The
N other day we passed one in process of build
nt ing, which with Its ornamented grounds will
"a cost more than 500, 900 gold dollars, and near
L. by the latter is another, the grounds of which
=. alone cost the owner 100000. One cause Of
this rapid rise of real estate in the suburbs is
the going into operation Of different lines OF
- horse railway. Three of these lines of rail-
:" way are already in operation, and another by
II" Brazilian COmpan is nearly completed
Ct The cars in use on these street railways are o.
III English, Belgian, and American build ant
m there has been here a difference of views a,
n. to which is preferable. But opinion is rapid
a ly deciding in favor of those from tho United
States. On the steam railway into the coun
IL try the English AID American cars are in use
an but the public judgment gives the preference
,n to the roomy and free communicating cars
as from the United States as against the COM
b. partment cars Of Europe, and heavy English
ne owners in the road admit to me the wisdom
10 Of the popular choice.
= THE CARNIVAL
e season just closed affords another evidence
n that the social as well as the commercial con-
l. dition of Montevideo is improving Most of
l. the readers of the Journal have never witness
- ed carnival celebration, therefore may not
=, be uninterested in few facts in this regard.
ID This festival lasted three days, and nearly
n the entire people gave themselves up to hav-
~ ing a general good time, according to tho
n tastes and appropriations of Southern Europe
e an races. The carnival just closed here is
said to have been one of the most magnificent,
orderly, and agreeable public festivities ever
IS known in this part of America, and might
= compare advantageously with similar fetes in
r European cities. The people made up their
. minds to enjoy this season in manner more
r rational than in former years, and began by
a subscribing $4,000 in gold in twenty four
hours, and this sum was much increased after
wards by government and individual aid.
The principal streets were lined with arches
of evergreens along the sidewalks on either
side, and at each crossing floral trophy in.
terspersed with grotesque cartoons, the whole
, bearing hundreds of flags and streamers of
every color. In the front Of a principal no.
tel in the street of the 25th of May the
Washington street of Montevideo-pyramdal
v festoon works of flowers and banners rose to
the heightlof so feet, and another similar was
a IN the next square. 1t was really fairy
. scene, the street appearing covered its entire
e length like an immense ball-r room. No horse
cars were allowed to run, and the causeways
and sidewalks were crowded with gay mas
l. queraders, while comparsas with lively music
j. were heard at intervals, and the atmosphere
y was redolent 18th the fragrant Australian trea