New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-18
ARGENTINE ENTERPRISES.
A HARBOR FOR BUENOS AYRES-MANY RAIL-
ROAD SCHEMES AFOOT.

ROAD ArOOA'
[FRoM AN OCCASIONAL coRREsPoNDENr OF TIE TRIBUTE
Buenos Ayres Sept. 30.
The improvements on the river front and 10
the Boca are being pushed with some vigor The
former are solving the problem Of lessening the
distance between the city front and the point "a
which vessels can approach by transforming the
shallow water into dry land. This is being eff
fected by building wall of solid masonry SONS
distance outward, and dividing the space thus
inclosed into regular streets and building blocks
Each block is then surrounded with brick wall
Of equal height with the outside embankmenE anh
the street spaces between the walls are filled with
earth and paved with cobble stones like the other
streets of the city. Thus in the reclaimed section
purchasers Of building sites find their cellars
already dug. The Grand Union Station OF tho
several railroads centring here is to be one OF
the first magnificent buildings erected on this new
addition to the city.
The improvements az the Boca the mouth OF
the Chuela River are to supply the long-needed
Hprt for lprge steamers and remedy the mistake
Mendoza made 300 years ago when selecting tho
site Of his city Already an almost fabulous
amount has been expended for harbor, and n
great amount will yet be required. But tho
work goes forward with evidence of discourage
ment. The advantage it will be when completed
can hardly be overestimated; and its Importance.
in view of the rapid increase OF marine commerce.
is fully realized by the National Government.
which is borrowing the money to do the work.
What this Government would do If IL had the
OVERLOOKING treasury Of America can only be
jectured by the improvements Of the last twelve
years, made under the pressure Of onerous inter-
est. Within five years the number Of steamers
from Europe stopping here each month has in
ascd from ciy 70 An linz
to be added
The attention of Congress has been largely oo-
cupied during the winter with railroad schemes,
and concessions have been granted for number Of
main lines and numerous extensions and branches
Of lines heretofore chartered, many Of which
already in operation. This is prominently tho
railroad-building era Of Argentine history There
is a noticeable difference in the applications fos
concessions now and those Of ten years ago. Then
the Government was forced TO grant almost
limited privileges to induce capitalists 10 UNDER
take the enterprise. Now applications for coma
cessiOns are numerous without guarantee and in n
few instances companies have not even asked the
usual land grant The largest number Of coma
SESSIONS have been given TO British capitalists wha
already have an aggregate Of several millions ia-
vested A few Americans have railroad projects,
among them the ex-Mnister from the United States,
General Osborne, who here from 1872 to
1884 The General has been confined to his room
for some days with severe attack of rhumatism.
The present Minister Judge Hanna, Of Indiana,
is also a victim of the same disease, TO such an
extent that at times he is almost blind.
1t may not be amiss to say here that in view
of the amount Of European capital already in
vested here, and the consequent influence which
will naturally be exercised in favor Of Europeans,
it is absurd for any Americans save capitalists,
to venture competition. 1t may or may not
already be well known in the United States that
Minister Hanna has found it necessary to inform the
Department of State in Washington of the
fortunate influence of an Article which appeared
about year ago in an American magazine in
consequence of which he had already been called
upon to furnish means Of getting back home TO
several disappointed American youths
American school teachers, however, employed
by the Government, do well, and there is 10
reason to suppose that any such persons having
contracts before leaving home will fail to find
profitable work here. But the opportunities Of
securing such lucrative positions are fewer and
fewer year by yea, The object in view in i'm
porting normal teachers from the United States
was to raise up a corps Of Argentine teachers.
From the normal schools already in operation
each graduation day brings increasing number
of native aspirants for good places, many or
whom have political friends ready to help them
into such places. Within a comparatively shorc
time the demand for foreign normal teachers
will cease and only those Of superior qualifications
will be in demand. But this does not mean
that in the future development OF this country
the foreign educator, laborer or business man
will not have IA chance Of competing, just as for
eicners now do in the United States
Republics are proverbially ungrateful. Yet, as
regards its pioneer teachers. this Government
seems to be exception to the rule. By an exist
ing law the foreign teachers now in the normal
schools will receive pensions when they have
taught twenty years, on condition Of their be-
coming Argentine citizens. An exception is mado
in favor of Miss CaIa Armstrong, formerly Of
Buffalo, to whom the pension is voted at the end
of the present year, wlnch IS the tenth of her
labors in this country. This exception IS in
recognition Of her signal services IN elevatlnS
the standard OF education, and in securing an
efficient CORPS Of eochers for tie normal schools