Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-28

You would hardly be able to guess where
some of the cows are kept that furnish the
milk of the city; not all of them, but few.
No where else than on the tops of suburban
houses AS the roofs are perfectly fiat, the
common people utilize them for all manner Of
purposes, notably for heneries, pigsties, dog
kennels, gardens, where flowers and veg
etables grow In boxes; laundries, and even
barn yards.
COWS ON THE ROOFS.
A recent writer on this subject says: "In
many cases Lima COW spends all her days
on the roof of her owners residence, having
been taken up when calf and brought
down at the end of her life as fresh beef.
In the meantime she is fed on alfalfa, tropi-
cal clover, and the slops from the kitchen.
Chicken coops are still more common on the
roofs of dwellings, and in the thickly popu-
lated portions OF the town, your neighbor's
cocks waken you at daylight with re-
minders of Saint Peter"
Going to the central market, we find it is
as spacious and convenient as any in New
York or any other Northern city. The prin-
cipal dealers have stalls, but the mass of
venders, who are women of lowest degree,
SQUAT all dav upon the pavement at the edge
OF the galleries, or on the ground in the open
spaces, with their fruit, or fish, or vegetables
or whatever it may be, heaped up in fat
baskets, or on mats spread before then, in
small piles called montones. Each monton
has a fixed price, which never varies, what
ever the fluctuations of the market; but the
rise and fall of the commodity is marked by
the size of the monitor, little more or less,
as the case may be, for the same amount of
money. As do their conireres In other
parts of che world, they chatter like magpies
with one another and with their customers,
perhaps nursing their babes the while, or
performing other less pleasing maternal
duties.
NEWSPAPERS OF PERU.
There are four daily papers published in
Lima, besides several periodicals devoted to
society matters and general literature.
Most prominent among the latter is a finely
illustrated and well conducted weekly,
called FL Peru Illustrate, owned and pub
lished by Mr.. Peter Bacigalupi, who is by
all odds the most enterprising North Amer
lean it has ever been my fortune to meet.
As he is very prominent character in
Lima, and his career illustrates what for
eign brains and energy may accomplish
among these slow-going Peruvians, went
one day to interview him. So busy q man
as Mr.. Bacigalupi. flying here, there, every
where, attending to his dozens of ''irons"
that are all in the fire at once. it is no easy
matter to find him; or when found, to pin
him down to conversation. But persever-
ance accomplished it, and here is the result:
He was born in New York City in 1855,
and consequently is now 30 years old.
Though he never went to school after the
age of 13, he speaks French, Spanish, Ger
man, Italian and English equally well.
When 13 years old he was employed by the
New York Equitable Life Insurance Com
pany in some humble capacity where he re-
mained six years. Then he drifted to Cal
ifornia and at the age of % married young
lady in Oakland. Less than a year later,
after a breezy tiff with his mother-in-law,
he lett in haste and sailed for South Amer
ica. Landing at Callao early in April,
1873, he had exactly S4 left in his pocket;
and that was stolen before night.
AN EYE FOR THE DOLLAR
He found employment Immediately and
before many months became the confidential
clerk of Mr.. E. D. Adams, prominent
merchant OF Lima, formerly from the
United States. Mr.. Adams was so accommo-
dating as to die soon afterward, leaving Mr..
Bacigalupi in charge of the business; and
within the year he married his late employ
er's widow, a Peruvian lady who then
had five children. They now have beau
tiful home; and the number of olive
branches has increased to nine.
In 1884 the old place OF business was de-
stroyed by fire. but Dowise disheartened, Mr..
Bacigalupi set up again in better location
and since then the amount of his sales has
been something phenomenal. His goods
are mostly from the United States and COM
prise the greatest conglomeration ever
collected under one roof For instance, he
has large stock of books and stationery,
drugs, soaps, lamps, clocks, silvervare, Jew
elry, sewing machines, typewriters, photo
graphic outfits, agricultural Implements; in
short, almost everything Imaginable except
dress goods. He introduced the first tele-
phones into Peru and they are now in gen.
eral use. He also introduced the first anna
teur Photographic outfits.
BUILT AN OPERA HOUSE.
During the late war Mr.. Bacigalupi pur-
chased two vessels, one of American make
called young America, 'the other English,
named "Union," and fitted them up as men
of war. Through their agency and by the
help OF the Monitor" he managed to make
another fortune in coal and picked pork.
Last year he built an opera house on the
spot where the old theater was burned. It
is capable OF seating 1000 persons, and it is
one of the neatest. daintiest and most COM
plete little theaters on the continent. Its
builder loves to boast that he put it up in 60
days, EMPLOYING IS workmen, and personally
superintending su the use of every inch of 150,-
900 feet of lumber. Mr.. Bacigalupi's main
business, however, the others being mere
outgrowths and side issues, is that of
printer and photographer. In his establish
ment ten Gordon presses, two large Campo
presses, and lithographic press, all moved
by the only gas in Lima, are kept constantly
going.
His "Peru Illustrado" has been a great
hit. The other newspapers of Lima are
edited with considerable ability, aud con-
tain telegraphic news from all parts o! the
world, besides choice selections and the
efusions In prose and poetry of local
literary lights; but their editors have
grandiose and howery style, in wide, if Dnot
ludicrous contrast to the terse, plain-spoken
ways of American journalism. Most OF the
papers make their first appearance upon the
streets about 10 o'clock at night, and their
names are yelled out by the newsboys with
all the vigor of New York gamins. Late in
the morning carriers deliver the same edition
to regular subscribers. As an index to the
state of trade, it may be mentioned that the
newspapers have about two pages of ads to
one OF reading matter; bu. am told that the
rates are very jow and :e merchants require
editors "to trade out" the amounts.
FANNIE B. WARD.
High Cheek Bones.
Pretty cheeks are rare finishing touch,