Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-25

SPLENDID CHURCHES AND HANDSOME rLAzAs.


and shops The streets have Belgian pave
ments and the sidewalks are smoothly tagged,
though some of them are 70 narrow that pedes.
TRANS must hug the wall when . street car
passes. There are splendid churches; parks
and plazas filed with trees and flowers. in the
midst OF which fountains are set and beautiful
statuary in bronze and marble-most of the
poor Peru during the recent war. There is q
magnificent theater; clubs as fine as the aver
age in New York or London; picture
galleries, public libraries and reading
rooms-in short, all the adjuncts of mod
ern civilization. Spanish-Americans seem
to dead heroes, and among several in valpa-
raise is one recently set up on the site of the
old custom house to the memory Of Mr.. Arthur
Pratt, an Irishman who figured conspicuously
In that notable Peru-Chili conflict. Pratt
seems to have been endowed with an unusual
heritage Of the reckless daring common to
Emerald Islanders. He was the Lafayette OF
Chill. and the people admired him so much
that now every town has a statue Of him, while
streets. shops, saloons, opera houses, mines and
city fine building was demolished in order to
erect his monument in the most conspicuous
place.
DoUBLE-DEcKKR STREET CARS.
The principal streets Of Valparaiso are trav-
ersed by tramvays, and the cars are all two
storied-"double deckers, SO to speak-second-
class passengers climbing up some narrow out
side stairs to seats on top where the fare is just
half the amount that is charged inside. One
pleasant innovation is that when the seats are
all taken no more passengers are admitted,
nobody being permitted to stand. However
the clouds may pour, or whatever the exigen-
cles OF the occasion, you may stand on the
streets and signal in vain, If the seating capac-
ity is nlled-not q car will take you on. The
d. haf
like the Diez-y-oeho and other festival days,
everybody hies him to the starting point and
makes a grand rush for the empty cars as they
emerge from the stable, greatly to the detri-
ment Of dignity and good clothes.
rKMALK CONDUCTORS.
Another innovation Is the universal employ
ment Of female conductors. The experiment
of allowing women to serve in this capacity was
first tried by the street car managers few
years ago, when the able-bodied men had all
gone north to whip the Peruvians. and it proved
80 successful that their retention has become
permanent, not only in this city, but all over
Chill wherever tramways are in use. At first
sight young woman with q bell punch does
not produce a pleasant impression: but one
gets used to it In time as 70 most other novel
ties and soon wonders why the idea has not
been adopted in other countries. The petticoated
conductors wear a uniform, consisting of a
plain blue flannel dress. q mans felt hat and a
ciOus pockets for holding change and tickets.
Each has a small leather hand bag slung over
her shoulder. in which she carries the over
flow of her pockets, lunch, handkerchief
perhaps surreputious powder puff
and other distinctly feminine belongings.
Their salary Is S25 per month. Each passen-
ger after paying his fare is given a yellow
paper ticket. which he is expected to DESTROY
The conductress is charged with a 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 Chilians that they are seldom in
suited or otherwise annoyed in the discharge
of their daily or nightly task. When they are
disturbed the rule is to call on the nearest po-
hceman. The latter gentry stand at every cor
ner and would not hesitate to eject trouble
some passenger, without listening to his side Of
the story, or to march him OF to Jail under
suspicion of drunkenness
SPACIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL HARBoR-
No more spacious or beautiful harbor can be
found on either side of the hemisphere than
this of Valparaiso and throughout most OF the
year 1t is safe for shipping, except during the
two months when northern gales prevail Then
vessels are sometimes driven from their anchor
age and compelled to cruise about, to avoid be-
ing dashed to pieces upon the rocks on which
the city is built. One day from our hotel win
dow We watched the progress OF q fierce
'norther" that set all the ships a-rocking till
their mast tips nearly touched the water and
planade, away up to the doors of business
houses on the Gale Victoria Several pedes-
trians were washed of into the bowling sea and
q huge steamer was driven on the rocks where
she yet remains
The harbor is circular in form, with a mile
wide entrance facing the north. Could break
water be built across the entrance ii would give
perfect protection to shipping throughout the
entire year, whatever storms might rage out
side. but here the sea In so deep lover 100
fatboms) that such work il not considered
practicable. According to local regulations
the vessels in Valparaiso harbor are drawn up
in lines, with the precision Of men-of-war
ready for review, and very beautiful they look
either from the esplansde or the hill tops, all
swaying to and fro with uniform motion as 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 IL practically
controlled by Engiishmen most commercial
and in business circles the English language
prevails. The great banking firm Of which ex-
Mayor W. r. Grace Of New York in the head
has a branch house here, also in Lima PERU
and Santiago, the capital Of Chill, and great
deal Of business they do.
OUR EXCELLENT CONSUL
Yet English goods are almost exclusively sold
an English newspaper is Published; there il an
English church, an English hospital, English
doctors and dentists galore; in fact Valparaiso
IL little more than great Engiish colony, with
u liberal sprinkling Of Germans and French
men, . few Chilians and fewer Americana The
latter infinitesimal community Is Just now
congratulating itself ON the possession Of m
excellent consul-s rather rare blessing in this
part OF the world, 1 am extremely sorry to say.
Col McCreery, the Valparaiso consul, comes
from Flint. Mich, and Is . Grand Army man,
whose name will be readily recognized ~ among
the honored veterans of our own -'onpleasant-
ness" He is very xealousin all good works for
the benefit of his countrymen, and u ably as-
sisted by his son, . young man OF twenty-five
years, or thereabouta For the credit Of our
national character 1t b pity that such judi
cious appointments were not moro numerous-
There have been times, NOT long past-even In
Valparaiso, as in other important cities OF
South Anerica-when every vsnderer from
the land OF the stars and stripes felt Ike deny
ing his nationality, being 20 ashamed Of the con-
duct of some Of the disreputabls rowdies Who
have been sent down here 70 mis-rspsesent The
home govsrnment FAxx18 n WAND.