Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-26
THE BAY OF vALPARA1so.

soon wonders why the IDEA has not been
adopted in other countries. The petticoated
conductors wear q uniform. consisting of q
plain blue flannel dress, man s felt hat
and big white apron, with bib attached,
and capacious pockets for holding change
and tickets. Each has a small leather hand
bag slung over her shoulder, in which she
carries the overflow of her pockets, lunch,
handkerchief, perhaps o surreptitious pow
der-puff, and other distinctly feminine be-
longings.
Their salary Is S25 per month. Each
passenger. after paying his fare, is given a
yellow paper ticket, which he is'expected to
destroy. The conductress is charged with .
certain number of tickets, and when she
reports again at headquarters, must return
the money for all that are missing out of
that number, or make up the deficit from
her own salary. This plan naturally tends
to make them attentive to their duties, and
also prevents free riding on the part
Of their relatives and faVorites. Though
these women are generally young and often
extremely pretty, it should be mentioned to
the credit of the Chileans that they are
seldom insulted or otherwise annoyed in the
discharge of their daily and nightly task.
When they are disturbed, the rule is to call
on the nearest policeman. The latter gentry
stand at every corner and would not hesi-
tate to eject troublesome passenger, with
out listening to his side of the story, or to
march him of to Jail under suspicion Of
drunkenness.
A Picture OF the Harbor.
No more spacious or beautiful harbor can
De found on either side of the hemisphere
than this of Valparaiso. and throughout
most Of the year it is safe for shipping-ex-
cept during the two months when northern
gales prevail. Then vessels are sometimes
driven from their anchorage and compelled
to cruise about to avoid being dashed in
pieces upon the rocks on which the city is
built. One day from our hotel window we
watched the progress of a fierce "norther"
that set all the ships a-rocking till their
mast-tips nearly touched the water and sent
mountain high billows rolling over the es-
planade, away up to the doors of business
houses on the Gale Victoria. Several
pedestrians were washed off into the howl
ing sea, and huge steamer was driven on
the rocks, where she yet remains.
The harbor is circular in form, with q
mile-wide entrance facing the north. Could
a breakwater be built across the. entrance, it
would give perfect protection to shipping
throughout the entire year, whatever storms
might rage outside; but here the sea is so
deep (over 100 fathoms), that such a work is
local regulations, the vessels in Valparaiso
harbor are drawn up in lines, with the pre-
cision of men-of-war ready for review; and
very beautiful they look, either from the
esplanade or the hill-tops, all svaying to
and fro with uniform motion as the billows
rise and fall.
Uncle Sans Flag Is Rare.
In times of peace the flags of all nations
may be seen here, perhaps the rarest of any
being that of the United States. Since
trade in these parts is practically controlled
BY Englishmen, most commercial transac-
tons are calculated in pounds sterling, and
in business circles the English language
prevails. The great banking firm of which
ex-Mayor W. r. Grace, of New York, is
the head, has branch house here, also in
Lima. Peru, and Santiago, the capital of
Chile; and great deal of business they do.
Yet English goods are almost exclusively
sold; an English newspaper is published;
there is an English church, an English hos
pitsl, English doctors and dentists galore;
In fact Valparaiso is little more than great
English colony. with liberal sprinkling of
Germans and Frenchmen, a few Chileans
and fewer Americans. The latter infnitesi-
NAL community is just now congratulating
itself on the possession of an excellent Con-
sul-a rather rare blessing in this part of
the world, 1 am extremely sorry to say.
Colonel McCreery, the Valparaiso Consul,
comes from Flint, Mich, and 10 o Grand
Army man, whose name will be readily rec
ognized as among the honored veterans OF
our own. "unpleasantness." He is very
jealous in all good works for the benefit Of
mis- countrymen, and is ably assisted by his
son, young man Of 20 years, or there
abouts.
Some Very Discreditable Appointments.
For the credit of our national character,
it is pity that such judicious appoint
ments were not more numerous. There
have been times. not long past-even in
as in other important cities of
South America-when every wsnderer from
the land of the Stars and Stripes felt like
DENYING his nationality, being SO ashamed
OF the conduct of some OF the disrepEtable
rowdies who have been sent down here to
the home government.
The American Minister, Mr.. Patrick Ea-
gan, late of Ireland, of course resides in
Santiago. His appointment vas not hailed |
with delight by ANYBODY in Chile. The
Americans were Justly indignant because
an Irishman was sent to represent the
United States, and English people refused
to fraternize with him at all, because of the
political reasons that drove him out of
Great Britain and prevent his return to the
land of his nativity, and il sounds funny
to hear our representative refer to Dublin as
home" FANNIE B. WARD.
FURNITURE reupholstery q specialty.