The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-05-17
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While Mr.. E. George Squier was acting
as United States Commissioner to Peru,
he was for some monthsA resident Of the
capital city, and during that time became
we'll acquainted with It's characteristics
In his recent work ON Peru he has devoted
q chapter to the history of the past and
present condition of Lima. from which We
make the following abstract:
The city was founded BY Pixafro id
1885, and named by him the 'sCity of tie
Kings" 1t was the residence Of the Vice.
roys of the Spanish Government and the
capital Of its South American PROVINCES.
1t was also the seat of the ecclesiastical
dependency of Rome. and churches and
converts endowed with enormous wealth
were established within ito precincts. The
oldest university ia America, the College
of San Marcos, was founded here In 1901
-" fifty six years before the English set
tiers landed at jamestown, fifty eight years
before Hudson sailed into the bay of New
York, and sixty nine years before the May
flower touched upon the shores Of New
England. =
There are now about seventy-six
churches IN Lima, beside The great CAthe-
drAl, the foundations Of which were laid
by Pi1arfo, The original cost of this edi-
flee was 1894 900, and 1t was iiifiety years
in building. 1t was nearly destroyed by
earthquakes in 1746. and has since been
rebuilt. Mr.. Squier designates its style
of architecture as the 6 Eminently Mixed"
1.-The lower part being constructed of
stone and brick, the towers of cane and
mud, and the whole covered with stucco
and paint. The Church of San Francisco
is said to have cost $1b. 900. 900. That Of
San Pedro il the fashionable church of
the city.
Lima is situated in the Valley of Rimac,
on the left bank of the river of that i1anie,
which here runs due east and west.
The population numbers about 100 900
AN increase of above 81 900 since the in
dependence of Peru was accomplished.
The city covers an area of about three
miles in length by one and half In
breadth, which was in 1888 inclosed with
adobe walls from eighteen to twenty-fOur
feet high and about twenty four feet thick.
The walls were nearly valueless as a de-
tense, and have lately been demolished.
On the right bank of the Rimac there is
an extensive suburb called San Lazaro.
Lima is situated in a region where rain
never falls and earthquakes are very fire.
uuent, and its architecture has been great
" influenced by these circumstances. Its
private buildings are constructed of the
lightest materials "a framework of canes
plastered with mud, and generally of a
single story, so that, in case they are
tumbled about the inmates ears by sub
tlo fal will
sion the least possible peril to life and
limb. The roofs are fat, and covered with
boards, or with cane-matting, support
ing layer of sand or ashes. The ap-
parently massive towers and buttresses of
the churches says MIR. Squier, are only
great wicker baskets deceptive combina-
tions of poles and canes tied together with
hide-thongs, succeed over, and painted.
Under brisk shower, such as we often
experience in summer-afterhoot, the
whole city would melt away, leaving only
withered cane brake in gigantic mud
puddle
Most of the dwellings are built around
court, and have open galleries running
along the four sides. Shops fronting on
the street occupy the lower story, and the
apartments opening on the inside serve as
stables, kitchens and storeroons. The
living rooms Of the family are, among the
better classes, in the upper stories. The
flat roofs of these dwellings are used by
slovenly servants as receptacle for every
sort Of rubbish and filth, and thus offer,
from any eminence commanding them, a
most unsightly spectacle They are some.
times converted into henneries, and 81.
gantic cages of fowls occupy their surface.
They are also the favorite resort of buzz
zards-the scavengers Of the city. which
make hunting ground of these heaped
fields of garbage. The interiors of the
houses of the wealthy citizens are expen-
sively but showily furnished with the lux
urious articles found in the mansions of
the rich in European cities. There are but
few public buildings exclusive of the
churches, and of these the Palace of the
Government, occupying the whole of one
side of the principal square, is the least
imposing.
The sidewalks are narrow and dirty, and
are ill-adapted for the comfort of pedes.
trians. The favoiite places of promenade
for ladies and gentlemen are the arcades
bordering two sides of the Grand Plaza,
behind which are the chief shops of the
city.
= - lr1.t - Co.
Lima Is situated az ne,g. y, 4as , iee
above sne sea, anu, a.aougn wi.nin .i': rs
more IMAM ~ usg. ol inc Equasof' ~. II,
climate :l. ~ ueei e I .u W ane ~,
winter lion.ns' run une " MI ~,
M me 81 ,nero aJ ranges JEWEL We.
20 ues. anu V % ues' any M - sun nc. W.
not g. ABOVE o. ueg. ms low ;eaapefa =
lure IS Party owing y .n ~. proAlmay ;s y
inc Ioruiiieras, party W .ne pleyaill ~
soulnWest VINES, anu pai.ly 70 .ne Col. col.
current Oh .ne raclnG; wnicn SWEEPS iiu ,hl
lae Ah.a; ;. seas utIoy ai ;o1.a ~
COAST. LINE :1, .as onty ~. I'M, mios ania1 ~
leeis inc chill inhuence VI 'iie sea anu 'n'
wlnu. , S..
Durlng tne wlnler, MT. Squlel .ou ~.
ilie IN Lima nearly unoealan ,l iro,a .d'
iog anu uamp INA. con.llua,,y pis o,,. :.
aror days ana even weeks, ne .ells Us,
me sun IS invisiDie, ana !. aliad.e, ~.
unlike oc9'cn mis', niaAes .le sluewa ~
slippery ana pasty' anu 50 Per9ea.es .n :,I
ar una! tne snee's Of one peu are chi Sn.l
anu s.icky u.e wan, ~ . "TRIP n e,on manu
real real f TU' anronts m in a single nigh,
nlaces the varnish on ONES boots with :