New-York tribune., 1890-04-02

This is Il city made = order and il is at once
success and failav. II is success in an arch
itcctural It was laid oui on paper nlne
years ago by DR. R'cha. Governor of Bnehos
Ayrcs. the chief province Of She Az cnt'ne Con
federation 1t was Gcsi snci t. re like Washing
:on. a city of macnifccut distances. Hnenos
kyrcs. from historic times The capital o. the
province. had hcen made after a protrctcd poii-
cal and sectional struggle the capital Of the
Argentine Confederation. Tie municipal limits
oi the city had been natiCnal2cd. if may use
the word. 50 as TO resemble the District OF Co
lumhia Tie Government Of the province felt
constrained 70 replace the capita, which II had
surrendered to the Confederation. lir. Rocha.
visionary politician with more Imagination thar
Judgment determined TO build ncw copitl
which would he al once spacious, handsome and
modern lie was successful in this part Of MS
scheme. He failed when he attempted 10 rival
Buenos Ayres by building capital which shculc
Cntsirip it in commerce. business activity and civic
irHucncc. He bnilt La Plata. wonderful cit,
in It's way, but il can never I've another Buenos
Ayres.
The site of In Plata was an unoccuped plain
near very bad harhor Bucnos Avrcs had
wreiched port at the mouth OF the Rachuolo.
tLen unimprovcd 1t was apparently considered
necessary 20 locate the rival city few miles
expcrd millions in dredging and improving the
waterfront Everything was planned on a mag
niicent scale. Sites were set apart for the
Provincial Assembly. the Governors residence. the
provincial departments. city hail, spacious
railway station, lbroricS musonmS, schools
churches and everything beltting tie DIGNITY Of
The lorgest. richest and most Influential State Of
The Confederation. TIE streets were laid out as
broad avenues. twice or three times as W'd" as the
thorouehfares Of BucncS Ayrcs. Buildings OF
splendid proportiors were planned, ouirivalling
anything Of public nature in Bucnos AyreS
These were 10 re situated AT long distances one
from another. and were 70 he surrounded with
ample grounds. artistcally planted for Landscape
effects. Spaces We're reserved for squares and
public gardens which lacking in Bncnos
Ayres. Thousands of workmen were empove
10 build the city in two three
WEARS Ten millions were appropriated for
the public buildings and works This sum was
quickly doubled, and finally brought up to
S3s,O00,cO0, at lowest calculation An army of
Italian laborers was recruited in Buenos Ayres 10
pave miles of streets with expensive stone All
the stonccutters, joincrS. painters. glazcrs ana
Ioofers who could be hired were pressed into
service. When il found that mortar cond
no. he mixed. nor brick walls laid. nor boards
fastened together with sufficient rspdty 10 satisfy
the fcverish haste Of the projectors of the town.
orders were issued for the importation OF ready
made houses which could he set up like hen
coops About fifty Of these houses were furnished.
hut the experiment excited 50 much rldlculc that
it, was abandoned Out of this din and scramble
and hurry burly sprsng la Plata, city built
70 order in the course Of few years. 1t Was
supposed TO be a completed city five years ago.
when ali The convenicnces and appliances Of
O,odavo c;vilizafiou wore Sunn,ind There WIS
even a brand-ncw cemetery opened, so that incom-
ing residents could have q feeling t1at they could
die and be comfortably buried Whenever they liked.
Ia Plata was built between sSl and 1884. the
departments of Provincial Government being re-
moved from Bucnos Ayrcs in the latter year.
Ensenada, the port. lies three miles 10 tie north
east. The Spanish mariners lrcqucntcd il 200
years ago. and there have been various scheme.
for improving it proposed during recent years.
IL has an outer and an inner roadstcad, with a
bar between them. The water was only eight
feet at low tide in the channel between the road
siceds The Government has attempted TO deepen
this channel TO 20 feet for width OF 500 feet,
and then TO construct canal SIX miles long, by
which connection may bc made with La Plata go
three miles for cnteria-. and three miles for clear
Ing. How many millions have been expended
upon theoe public works it is difficult TO ascertain.
La Plata to-day is supplied with an artificial
iarbor which is speedily to be opened to com
,lercc. But it is extremely doubtful if any COM
nercial returns Of commensurate magnitude are
ever made for the millions invested. The city is
too near Bueaos Ayres 10 become an important
commercial port.
La Plata lies to the south Of Buenos Ayres an
hours journey by railway from the central station
il Paseo Julio. The train passes tie Government
Jiouse and Custom House the unfinished docks uic
the Dsrsena sud crowded with European steam
ers the Italian settlement at the Boca, which wa.
ravaged with hre few days ago a spaciou.
auinta or country-seat on high buf glimpse
OF a beautiful garden flashing ont through massive
eutcways; groups of great barrOcas ioT wool anG
indies: the bridges over the Kiachueo; rows upon
rows OF singlcstorled plas;er-iIOnts vita nnnsS
ornamental bslustrdGcS across the tops; market
gardens without number, and here and there
cOuntIy-seat once priced bat now condemned L
isolation in an questionable and an abandoned
quarter of the suburbs. 1t is now the open cOun
tiy, the seaward edge OF the pampas stretching
from the Andes across the continent. CLOUDS o
fire dust are blown through the car-windows, anl
when the gusts subSide the dule>t and mos
nonotonous vistas OF pasturage Ianes open oeior'
the exc. The faruf-houses are small, shabby anI
inlrequcnt. The broad levels Of coarse grass ar
without trees Here and there drovcs OF sAeel
and cattle are to he seen, but there is naugAt ella,
save acres and miles Of unbrolcn grassy level
parchcd in the fierce heat OF midsummer. In
Argentine is great and wonderful country, bu
il is without natural beauty. Northern travel
Ter wcaried with these tawny stretches Of ranI
Grass nvoluntary closes his eyes. and thinking o
The beautiful hil!sides OF Ncw-England or Cf tir
TRANQUIL vistas of rural scenery in tie midland
Of New York, is thankful that his own country j
! OF only rich in agricultural resources, but als
fair and lovely.
II was bold scheme-the building Of city il
80 llnuromsing q tract Of pastuEge ground as this
Hut here is La Plata, Ia all its giandiose gOr
and prctcntious ambition. " is city of $500
populatioii or possibly more, created within elgh
wears, and barely thirty miles from the ovcrgroWn
prosperous metropolis with its 100000 pcopi,
The train draws up into spacod
ard wcllappointcd depot, about five tine
as larg, and many times as costly as L.
passenger traffic Of so short O branch railway re
CURES. ltllty is not coHSieelcu, Pi'o,
;ssu. in Ia Plata Architectural style and ostcn
fatious nacniiccnce are the prevailing aspects .
the Town. 4 broad avenue with a fine pavemcn