Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-09-11
ASUNCION.
THE UNIQUE CAPITAL OF THE
REPUBLIC OF PARAGUAY.
Its Picturesque Electric
Lights on Ono Street and Graz
Ing Cows i'll the Next
Tho Houses

Asuncion, tho capital. When the tray
cler has seen this city he he's seen the
quintcssence of all that is fine in the
republic.
Asuncion is charmingly situated on
gently undulating ground, rising to u
considerable height above the river,
which makes bend here, and forms u
bay in which ore anchored few steam
crs, many schooners, white Brazilian
gun-boat, and two or three hulks, while
closc to the shore are some long wood
RATS and cedar logs. To the northeast
Of the port, which consists merely of n
wooden pier, simple quays, and the usual
buildings OF custom-h house aud ware
houses on small scale, the beach for
some distance forms broad level stretch
of green meadows, bounded by steep red
sandstone cliffs, which are crowned BIZ
the silhouettes of the principal cdlices
OF the town-the palace of Lopez, the
Cabildo, the barracks, the dome of the
Pantheon, the Church of San Francisco,
and below this church, pcrchcd literally
on the side of the cliff; the suburb or
quarter called In Chacarita All along
the shore are groups OF women washing
clothes, with, in the background, a
flourishing growth of trees aud Jungle,
and the town itself appears to be sur
rounded and interspersed with verdurc.
The view of Asuac:on from the river
is delightful, but the view from the in
terror is still more so, particularly from
the high ground of La Cancha, sort
of hotel aud pleasure resort, stu
ated short distance to the cast.
From this point the spectacle is most
fascinating. The outer zone Of the town
consists of belt of low wooded hills,
dotted with cottages and yellow with
orangc-trccs. The inner zone, more level
but still undulating, slopes toward the
river, and appears covered with build
ings, from which emerge tall church
towers and, here aud there, groups Of
trees; beyond this is the silvcry river
winding along between islands, jung!es,
and shadows, and in the background is
the dark blue interminabe flatness Of the
Parayuayan Chaco. There are few towns
in the world more pictures1uely situated
than Asuncion, and few urban PIANO
ramas that offer q beautiful distribution
OF soft hills, rich vegetation, pretty river
scenery, and grand and limitless hori-
Zon.
The town is full of surprises and con-
trasts. The hotel of La Clncha, for ill.,
stance, almost within stone -throw of
the virgin forest, is lighted by electricity.
the streets of AsIncon are, with two
exceptions, unpavcd, and in some of the
side streets cows may be seen grazing,
but all are lined with tall posts and
cross-trees that carry innumerablc tele e.
graph wires, and in some the old oil
lantcrns have been replaced by electric
lamps. The town is laid out rcctangu-
larly in cuadras, the streets running in
one direction toward the port and river,
and III the other TO ward the wooded
countrs. -Tncse streets all 20 up and
4 down hill; they have high sidewalks,
more or less paved; but the roadway is
generally sort of deep and rugged val.
ley Of fine red sand, with here and there
aprotru ling rock. A proof of the con.
dition of the streets of Asuncion is given
by the fact that there are no public or
private carriages; the only vehicles that
can circulate are OK carts, and higher
vehicles drawn by three or four mules.
Pack-mules, donkeys, aud riding-horse,
are also used, but for light goods and
passengers the great and indispensable
conveyance is the tamway, which bears
the name of Conductor Universal. The
streets go on and on to the limits of the
town, the houses and huts become less
frequent, but the deep sandy road con
tinues between forests, orange trees and
lnnumerablc varieties Of towering shrubs
and creepers. The telegraph posts con-
tinue likewise, and with them the tram
lines and the cars, with their teams Of
ill-used mules, their dark skinned driy-
crs and conductors, who talk Guarani,
and barely understand few words of
Spanish. Oae wonders what can be the
use OF tramway through the forest.
at last, however, after running some five
miles, the car stops ut Il spot called Villa
Nora, where the streets are indicated by
ilnSer-posts stuck in the open fields.
There are few country houses here,
mandatory of palm oil, hotel, and, at
short distance, the church and cemetery
Of the Recoleta. The landscape is bcauti-
full, and the vegetation and flora of
variety and richness beyond description;
the roads are lined with orange trees;
every nut neStlcs In groves of orange,
banana, lime, fig and palm trees; the
hedges and fences are formed Of huge
cactuses, convoivu!i and liancs. As for
the cottages and huts, they arc of very
primitive architecture, most of them
being built of mud and cane, with bark
roofs; few only are of brick, with tile
roofs; and still fewer have more than
one room, oae door, and one small win
DON, shaded in front by a veranda sup
ported on palm tree pillars. In the town,
too, the old houses all have vcranda, or
long colonades in front that cover the
sidewalk, aud offer protection from the
tropical sun. The more modern houses,
on the other hand, have no verandas
they are like those of Buenos Ayres, and
their iacades arc over ornamented with
stucco and elaborate iron gratings.-
Harper's Magazine.
The Designs on Orr Money.