New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-20

ONcTtltSS With lutN dppVii HI Pu'i'D'
French millinery and modes, and making an elab-
crate display of bracelets. rings and diamonds.
IN their houses they comply with the
memorable demands of the climate and appear
in gowns of the lightest material. Most OF the
houses are lined with narrow balconies, where
women SIT in the afternoons, looking up ana
down the narrow streets; or the windows are
divided by close-lattced jalousics, which can ne
thrown opcn so as to form the framework for
cleaning pair Of eyes and dOwdy and unduy
NEGLIGENT home dress. In the streets below
negro and Indian women pass rapidly with erect
carriage and grace Of movement acquired from
tle habit of carrying burdens on their heads
Every color in which cotton prints can be manu-
featured may he seen here in tie loosc-ilttlng
waists and skirts worn by worlSingwomen OFTEN
thc waists are thrown of in the negro quarter
and one torn and patched garment makes close
approach to that state Of absolute nudity In
which children appear in doorstep and gutter.
SOME THINGS to- BE COMMENDED.
For y town exhibiting so many signs of squalor
and indeccncy Maranhao has remarkably we'll
roved and tagged streets and its drainage
system is apparently equal to the requirements
Of public health There is water supply with
which all the more preentous houses are con-
nected: while for the poorer classes pubic fOun-
tains are available in various quarters oil the
TOWN some of them broad archways with four
or five pipes, under which pals and pitchers
can be held. Tie streets and houses are lighted
with ras and there are strcet-cars drawn DS
donkcys, on which passengers are permitted 10
ride for 200 rcis-about ten cents Inc IN
efficiency Of the service on this railway WIS 'N-
planned to me on the theory that wealthy
Scotch resident had expressed desire to purchase
the franchise and that the owners were dong All
they could 10 encourage him in that purpose ny
increasing public dissatisfaction with thclr
methods. I'm the outskirts of the town iouhu
n new mandatory which gave promise Of adding
f. the business ard resources of TIE popuail"h'
and heard that vigorous efforts were maNlhS I"
plant agricultural colonies in tire interior.
comnany Of Germans recruited from New-Hork
was recently brought down ny lmihl-
grafton agents 10 settle on some OF the rich lah's
Of the province The experiment has not proved
successful. As a Brazilian informed me, they
were expected to work. whereas they seemed To
think that all that was required of them was 10
look M the moon and the Southern Cross why,
we have thousands Of worthless negroes, he
added in n tone Of disgust, who can sit outdoors
all day long and look up into the sky From
nv own observations in the negro quarter, 90
not doubt the correctness II the latter statement.
\ more thoroughly shlftlcsS, INDECENT, woolsal'-
crine swarm Of blacks than can he found IN the
back alleys Of Maranhao II would he Impossible 10
muster anywhere on the continent Not even
the climate can he made an excuse Tor la|lI'sS
here aS in Para. The town Is swept by sea
breeze morning and evening and the heat, while
inclcmcn'. Is not humid, bnt dry Existence Is
tolcrnblc here even under the most unfayorahle
1t... Lee fAt
DEGREES 10 the north There is a population IN
this decayine and unprospcrous town amply SUM-
cicnt to supply all the labor that is required on
the plantations outside. bat it is not class that
can be induced to work They are negroes lower
in intelligence. and more closely resembling native
Africans II the present time. than the colored
race in the Southern States. They are content
So long as they have little porrIdsc morning
and evening. and as the few nickel coins re-
'uircd for buying the cheapest food are easily
earned. they spcud their days in sitting on the
sidewalks or sccpn- on their doorsicpS.
HOPING FOR BrTTFR TIMES UNDER EFPrBLic
Naranhao has been. am told, centre OF M
cr..rv activity and culture in the past and Is
stiu favored with schools superior 10 thos" 10 be
found In all bat the best districts of Brazil
There are few signs Of progress and refinement
now 10 he observed by the passing traveller
Apart from tie picturesque effects Of painted
plaster and Portuguese thing there Is nothing ln
tie architect of the town 10 suggest iui"lcciu'
supcriorltv. Tie churches are commonplace
structure, without symmetry or beauty; there are
neither frc buildings ror attractive private gar
dcns: and such attempts 90 ornamcniatl"n rs are
70 lc seen i'm the drinking fountains are Of tie
crudcst character The glory Of tie town his d"-
partod with IFS commercial supremacy. and F'r',
with all the ti~adyart,gcs Of am inferior climate
md rc.haustib'c resources of UolnrlHl fever Is
rapldly loriue ahead in competition for the trade
Of Northern Brazil il is possible that brighter
DAYS under the new political order are IN reserve
for Marauhao. and that its prosperity may be- rc-
stored when the Great districts inland are brought
under thorough cultivation by the use Of steam
plouchs and when the treasures 81 undcVeopcd
mines arc carried ly lis ship, across the seas
There are sau2unc Brazilians residing here who
anticipate revival Of its fortunes and thc rcsto
ration % lis old-limc prestige. Travellers who
enter tie hlrior after Wa ting outside the bar
twenty hours for meh-wdtcr in daylight. can hard
~ DE expected 10 share in these illusions. The
lnacccssibility OF the town must, IN their Iudg-
ncnt preclude reasonable confidence in any per
manent revival Of It's commercial importance.
+.
THE FAILEKE or BiG Guns.