Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-06-07
Buenos Ayres as it Appears to Resi-
dent.

A gentleman, resident of South America
and intimately acquainted with the peculiari-
ties of the people and country writes the
Journal as follows:
Buenos Ayres the metropolis of the Argen-
tine Republic and largest city of South
America is city very little known to your
eastern people. 1t is destined however, to
be the London of the New World and in ten
years will out rank any city of the Continent
New York excepted). The last census taken
in Jan. /, SS gives it $4,000 with an in
crease each year since "a of over 100000
souls. The area actually built upon is only
| .602 blocks so that the real density of popu-
Iation is almost the same as in London.
The streets run at right angles forming
blocks of l42 by l42 yards the uniform width
of the streets being only 40 feet. There are
80 streets of which 81 run from East to West
and 80 from North to South with an average
of four miles each. Horse cars run through
one street and return by the next and all
heavy teams must do the same, this saving
streets from being blocked.
The city boasts of only twelve squares
(called plazas) which vary from four to
sixteen acres in extent.
Few cities can boast of so many persons de-
NOtpl 10 law anu HleliCIlt. lhtft are o. :
phy clans and GAL lawyers and 203 notar e
and conveyancers. No fewer than 81 news
papers are published in the city including &c
lalies of which II are Spanish, 8 Italian. .
English, French and German, Buenos
can boast of having daily papers in FIVE Ian
guages There are over 100 miles of horse
railroad in the city limits and are said to car
ry over 100000 people per day. The trains
are open, on the American plan and are
drawn by two small horses The city park
of Parlemo covers $40 acres and is the fash
onable drive of the city The city is said nv
q French count to have the fl lest DIRE sse !
gentlemen and ladies' in the world. The
brokers and stock dealers are all out for the
lay at 2. NJ. allowing only three hours for
business, showing thus a holiday appearance
each day.
The customs of the people are quite the
reverse from the States In the morning
you have your coffee before going tn bust
ness, O'Clock being the usual honr for
break fast and o'clock being the hour for
dinner although the swell dinner comes
later from 80 TO 8 A. II Ga being intro
duced TO a native he at once places his home
at your disposal (but You are rot ex-
peeted TO carry it Off and if You admire any
thing he viii insist on you taking Ii with you.
Nothing will offend him so quicSiy A. a ,.lce
of pOliteness on the part of his visitors.
The Exchange is the heart of the city which
sends the life blood through the metropolis
Throngs of keen-eyea men here fad their
fortunes and are seen cnnversing in loud tones
with much gesticulation at all street corners,
completely blocking the narrow walks dur
ing the hours form 2 to 3.
la many ways the Spanish lalies are most
attractive. being as rule above the average
height with naturally a fine complexion. A.
a rule, however, they become stout and ali
too soon lose the supple grace of motion
which is one of their greatest charms.
With the perfect summer days Of that TO-
cality one sees crowds of people whirling
past through Florida street in open carriages.
All business men seem to own a span and
you hardly see when they do business enough
to keep up such an appearance. However
horses and servants must be kept in Buenos
Ayres In making evening calls if you drop in
to any friends house between and 10 o'clock
you are never alone as each family reserve:
one night in a week in which to entertain.
S. c. c. W.