The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-06-04
CHILI'S TRADING TOWN.
VALPARAISO SITS ON "A DOZEN
OR MORE HILLS.
A Busy Commercial Town Away south
of the Equator-A Town Set on
Edge-Grandeur of Its Pri-
vate Buildings, etc.

OF the EquatOr-A Town Set on
Edge-Grandeuro of Its Pri-
vate Buildings, etc.
Why those imaginative Spaniards of
the early time should have dubbed this
spot ''Vale of Paradise" no ,odY liv-
ing nowadays can understand, orthere
IS no vale anywhere in the vicinity,
and no Indication of a paradise, writes
Fannie B. Ward, in a letter to the
Philadelphia Record, from Valparaiso,
Chilli. Certainly it is the last place on
the face of the earth where one would
think OF locating great city. An
Gent Rome, they tell us, was built
upon seven hills; but Valparaiso stray
giles up score of them, for the simple
reason that there is not room enough
on the narrow strip of sand on The
rugged heights and the sea.
The horseshoe curved coast, in it's
widest part, admits of eight or ten
streets, but they extend only short
distance; in another and long er place
there is space for but two streets be-
tween the cliffs and the rolling surf.
The greater part of the city, however,
occupies slightly sloping incline.
| AS the population increased, the
rocky hills had to be made available,
and now the town, which runs along
shore some three or four miles, ex-
| tends back considerable distance.
! More correctly speaking, it extends
| skyward, one mans house being built
above another's. reached by long stair
ways, winding roads, and '.lifts'' pro-
PEELED by steam. IT,.
Making neighborly calls On foot in
this portion of the city is too hard
work to become very popular, while
coming down again is positively dan
gerous when the walks happen to be
slippery after a rain. Thus one mans
vegetable garden may seem to hang
suspended directly over another mans
roof; and the latter, by reaching out
OF his upper windows, might almost
help himself to the formers beets and
cabbages.
Viewed from the bay, especially of
an evening. Valparaiso presents a fine
appearance, with long lines of lights,
one above another, like a ''city turned
up on end.'' Electric lights placed
upon the crests of the cliffs throw
their rays and intensified shadows up
on the streets and terraces and gardens
below, with the effect of moonlight.
But by 1.-The garnish light of day. the
rows of houses and huts, of irregular
shapes and elevations, clinging to the
precipices like so many birds'-nests,
look as if one stiff breeze would blow
them off into the bay 81.
Mr.. Vincent likens Valparaiso to a
vast amphitheatre, regarding the
ridges of the hills and aisles, and is re-
minded of Hong Kong by it's sloping
position, and of Quebec by it's spurs
which terminate in bluffs at the waters
edge. At anv rate, despite its natural
advantages. Chilean enterprise assisted
by English, French and German CAPT
tai, have made here a splendid city
the finest port in South America
fact, the only one on the southern con-
tlnents which can show all modern
improvements. It resembles a CITY of
France or Germany, or even of the
United States, more nearly than it
does any other in this country. But
our Northern Republic has no city
with only Valpuraiso's population 125-
OO0) which contains so many fine
shops and such a display of costly and
luxurious articles.
The foreign element is large and
wealthy, the natives proud and pros
porous, and like the nearby capital,
the place is famous for the extrava-
gance of its citizens. Many of the pri-
waite residences are palaces in their
proportions and adornments, and mil
llonalreS are as common here as ten
thousand-dollar people at home
There are splendid churches; parks
and plazas, filled with trees and flow
ers, in the midst of which fountains
are set, and beautiful statuary in
bronze and marble-most of the latter,
| regret to add, having been stolen
from poor Peru during the recent war.
There is a magnificent theatre; picture
galleries, public libraries and reading
rooms-in short, all the adiuncts of
modern civilization.
No more spacious or beautiful har-
Dor can be found on either side of the
hemisphere than this of Valparaiso,
and throughout most of the year it is
safe for shipping except during the
two months when northern gales pre-
vail. ~ Then vessels are sometimes
driven from their anchorage and COM
PEELED to cruise about to avoid being
dashed to pieces upon the rocks on
which the city is built. One day from
our hotel window we watched the pro-
gress of a fierce 'norther'' that set all
the ships a-rocking till their mast-tips
nearly touched the water, and sent
mountain high pillows rolling over the
esplanade, away up to the doors of
business houses on the Gale Victoria.
Several pedestrians, were washed off
into the bowling sea, and hugh
steamer was driven on the rocks, where
she yet remains.
In times of peace the flags of all ma